Ideas for Planning a Bachelorette Party: What to Consider First
When you think of a bachelorette party, the first things that come to mind are wild, expensive parties on the Las Vegas Strip or bar hopping down Bourbon Street in New Orleans. While society has amped up these stereotypical ideas of what a bachelorette party should be, it’s not always the case and there are plenty of fun, different ideas out there to help you throw a unique bachelorette party for the bride-to-be.
The two most important things to consider before diving into ideas and themes are (1) what does the bride want and (2) what is the bachelorette party budget? You will want to include the bridesmaids and other guests in the budget conversation because some may not be able to afford a luxurious destination trip or may need time to save ahead. The Knot has a very helpful, comprehensive checklist when it comes to planning a bachelorette party. After, you knock out those two conversations, then the fun begins with planning the most unforgettable bachelorette party ever! Use this one-stop guide of awesome ideas, themes, and activities to help get your bachelorette party planning started.
Great Bachelorette Party Ideas
There are so many bachelorette party ideas out there. So, how do you decide which one is the best for your bachelorette party? A great guideline for choosing what type of party to throw is to keep the bride-to-be in mind. What does she like to do? What does she want and expect from her bachelorette party? Unless you’re keeping the party a surprise, include her in the whole process of planning, get her opinions, and know her expectations. Some bachelorettes want a last night out on the town to go wild and some want to stay in and have a good old-fashioned sleep over. Here are some of the best bachelorette party ideas:
- 1. Vineyard Hopping This bachelorette party idea is sophisticated fun with beautiful sightseeing. Whether you choose the rolling hills of Napa Valley or the quirky town of Fredericksburg, Texas, vineyard hopping is a great way to spend the day with the girls and even pick up a few trade secrets.
- 2. Spa Day What girl doesn’t love a relaxing day at the spa, getting massages, facials and their nails done? With all the hustle and bustle that goes into planning a wedding, having a spa day is the perfect way to slow down before the big day. Depending on the party’s budget, book a spa retreat for your group with the works, or rent an Airbnb and bring the spa to you with a DIY spa day or a mobile spa.
- 3. Slumber Party Go old-school with a slumber party! Grab your favorite movies, board games, snacks, and set up your sleeping bags in the living room. You can host the slumber party at someone’s house, rent a hotel room, or book a stylish Airbnb to host your group. Be sure to include a DIY popcorn station and cocktail bar.
- 4. Adult Summer Camp Escape the craziness of wedding planning and to-do lists by enjoying an all-inclusive weekend getaway at adult summer camp. Camp No Counselors offers a fun packed weekend with all the summer camp activities, like arts & crafts, canoeing, and obstacles courses.
- 5. Karaoke Hosting your party at a karaoke bar is a classic way to throw an entertaining bachelorette party. Request timeless songs like David Bowie’s White Wedding or Cyndi Lauper’s Girls Just Wanna Have Fun. You can contact the bar ahead of time and discuss cocktail options designed specifically for your bachelorette party.
- 6. Brewery Tours If the bride-to-be loves all things craft, then taking tours and tastings of craft breweries or distilleries is the perfect idea for her bachelorette party. Do some research on some local breweries in your area and map out the itinerary for a day of brewery hopping. Make sure to establish someone as the “DD" (Designated Driver) or use a transportation service, like Uber or Lyft to get you safely from brewery to brewery.
- 7. Take a Group Class For a bride who likes to keep things low-key or learn new things, taking a group class can be a fun and exciting way to celebrate their bachelorette party. A popular class to take for a new bride is pole dancing. You can book a private party with an instructor to learn pole dancing moves and routines. Your bachelorette party is guaranteed to have tons of laughs and a great core workout! Some other group classes you can take are Wine & Paint, pottery class, cooking, or hot yoga classes. Taking a group class is a great way to learn a new hobby and spend quality time with your girls.
- 8. Girls’ (Last) Night Out Having a last girls’ night out is the more traditional way to throw a bachelorette party. You can’t go wrong with bar hopping in your city’s downtown or planning a trip to Las Vegas or New Orleans. Depending on your bachelorette’s idea of a good time, a girls’ last night out is sure to be a good and memorable time.
- 9. Glamping A glamorous twist to camping, glamping is a luxurious way to have an adventure. You can enjoy the spirit of camping while in the comforts of some amenities you would have at a hotel. Having a glamping bachelorette party takes you away from the real world and places you in the extraordinary outdoors. Enjoy campfire stories, s’mores, and hiking adventures while still having wi-fi and hot water.
- 10. Road Trip Depending on the size of your bachelorette party, a road trip is a great idea to have a mini adventure together. You can rent a vehicle with enough space for everyone to pile in comfortably and take turns driving. Pick a place that offers some nightlife options out of town and spend the day on the road, stopping off at random antique stores or odd museums on the way.
Cool & Fun Bachelorette Party Themes
Now that you have picked an idea, add a fun theme to tie the experience together. This is where things get really exciting! Whether you’re doing a girls’ night out or in, or heading off to the beach, you can incorporate a theme to add some pizazz to your bachelorette party. Create a hashtag for Instagram that pairs with your theme choice and include cute party favors, like matching t-shirts or wine glasses with the bachelorette party details. You can encourage the bridal party and other guests to chip in for the party favors. Don’t forget to send out themed invitations too! Below are some popular bachelorette party themes.
- 1. Brews Before I Do’s This is the perfect theme to match with the brewery hopping idea for a bachelorette party. You can get customized t-shirts for the bridal party, matching koozies, and sunglasses.
- 2. Last Splash A trendy beach theme, Last Splash is super cute for a mermaid-loving bachelorette. With adorable slogans like “Trading the Tail for a Veil" and “You Can’t Swim with Us", this beach theme is sure to generate lots of Instagram worthy photos. Get the mermaid gang ready with customized tank tops, scrunchies, and tote bags.
- 3. TV Show/Movie Themed If your bachelorette is a super fan of a popular TV show or movie series, try incorporating that as the theme of her bachelorette party. Shows like Friends and Game of Thrones have been proven to be great bachelorette party themes.
- 4. Final Fiesta Whip up some frozen margaritas and DIY taco bar for this fiesta themed bachelorette party! Throwing a final fiesta party is such a fun way to celebrate the bride-to-be. With a pinata, sombreros, and maybe even a mariachi band, you can’t go wrong with this theme.
- 5. Manis & Mimosas For a spa day bachelorette party, Manis & Mimosas couldn’t be a better theme. If you are planning a DIY spa day, get customized robes and flutes for everyone and set up a DIY mimosa station. For a retreat spa, show up in personalized shirts or tank tops and be sure to order mimosas while getting pampered.
- 6. Girls Night In For a Girls Night In theme, stock up on classic rom-com movies like Pretty in Pink, 10 Things I Hate About You, and Pretty Woman. Don’t forget the slumber party games: Cards Against Humanity, Girl Talk, and For the Girls. For party favors, cute, customized slippers, pajamas, and sleeping masks are must haves.
- 7. Vino Before Vows This theme goes hand in hand with any bachelorette party idea, especially vineyard hopping, or a winery trip. Before heading off, you can have everyone decorate their own wine glass or get custom made wine tumblers with your bachelorette party details. Pair your creative wine glasses with personalized shirts, cork bottle stoppers, and bottle labels.
- 8. Namaste to the Fiancée If you decide to take a hot yoga class, or head off to a yoga retreat, Namaste to the Fiancée is the theme for your bachelorette party. Treat your bridal party to customized tumblers, yoga mats, and sweat towels to create that yoga-ready look.
- 9. Last Sail Before the Veil A nautical theme fit for a beach weekend getaway or a trip to the lake. Grab a captain’s hat for the bachelorette and matching swimsuits for the party. Last Sail Before the Veil will create flawless photo shoots and the decoration options are endless.
- 10. Decade Themed A decade themed bachelorette party can pair with any type of party you plan. Flashback to the 80s and dance the night away or sock hop to the 50s with vintage pin-up hair and poodle skirts. Dressing to a theme is always fun and your party is sure to have a great time.
Activities to do at a Bachelorette Party
You might be thinking that you’re all set now you’ve got an idea and theme picked out for the bachelorette party, but you’re not quite finished. You will need to plan some activities to do during the party. Here are a few entertaining activities that can be played during any downtime or while celebrating.
- 1. How Well do you Know the Bride Quiz A bachelorette party favorite, this quiz is easy to set up and doesn’t take up a lot of time. Have each guest fill out their answers then have the bachelorette read her answers out loud. The person with the most correct answers wins!
- 2. Scavenger Hunt Scavenger hunts are a classic way to liven up a bachelorette party. They are perfect to play while bar hopping downtown and get the party warmed up for some wild fun.
- 3. Girls Night Jenga This game is regular Jenga but with a twist. Each block includes a challenge for the player to complete before adding it to the top of the tower. Girls Night Jenga is a must have at your bachelorette party.
- 4. Forbidden Words Spin off from a baby shower game, Forbidden Words is a game where everyone will be given a pin and if someone says the forbidden words (“bride” or “wedding”) then another player could steal their pin. The person with the most pins at the end wins.
- 5. Pin the Kiss Create a poster board with the groom’s face or any handsome celebrity (Ryan Gosling is a popular choice) and create lips from paper or stickers to pin on the face. Each person takes a turn blindfolded and tries to get the kiss on the mouth. You can take it one level up and have everyone put red lipstick on and actually kiss the poster!
You can easily throw an entertaining party for your bride-to-be with any of these bachelorette party ideas and themes. Remember to include some activities and party favors, have fun, and make the bachelorette party your own.
Hosting a Bachelorette Party in Houston?
If you are planning to bring your bachelorette party to Houston, let Imagen Venues be your host. Located in central Houston, Imagen Venues is the best full-service venues for events and entertainment. It has everything you can think of to throw a successful and impressive bachelorette party. From a karaoke stage, dance floors, and photo booths to full-service bars, catering, and tons of space, Imagen Venues couldn’t be more perfect for your event. Contact Imagen Venues today to start planning your bachelorette party!