Guest Post: 8 Bachelorette Party Ideas and Tips
Here at I&B, we're all about celebrating your impending marriage with your bride tribe. This week, we are so excited to welcome guest author John Stuart, writer for merseygames.co.uk , who has plenty of tips and tricks to make sure you make the happiest of memories during your bachelorette party!
Whether you’re planning your own bachelorette party or you’ve been tasked with organizing it for your best friend, planning the entire event can be stressful. Not only do you have to pick a date that suits all the invitees, but you also have to come up with games and ideas that will get everyone involved. From booking hotel rooms or a table at a restaurant and picking a creative party theme to making sure everyone is feeling comfortable and having fun, we’ve hand-picked 8 bachelorette party ideas and tips that will make your life easier and will be highly praised by the bride and the guests.
1. Get Everyone Involved from the Beginning
Have you ever attended a bachelorette party where most of the guests only knew the bride-to-be? Not knowing the other invitees can be a little intimidating and can make for an awkward start of the party. You can prevent this by getting everyone involved before the event and polling the ladies on what the party theme should be. This is where Facebook groups come in handy. Everyone has an account, so it’s easy to join. You can share links, photos and create polls, engaging the guests while piquing their interest.
It’s your choice if you want to keep the bride-to-be in the loop or make everything a surprise. Either way, make sure all the ladies know each other before the big day. Not only will this make for a more fun bachelorette party, it will make the wedding day more pleasant as well.
2. Pick an Original Party Theme
An original party theme guarantees the event is more entertaining. You can be as creative as you want, but take the bride’s wishes into consideration. If she’s more traditional, keep it simple and classy with matching t-shirts, sophisticated drinks, and her favorite games. If, on the other hand, she’s an atypical bride, your choices can be more extravagant so you can consider renting a limousine, going out to a club and ordering expensive champagne.
If you’re unsure about the theme, ask around and even reach out to the groom-to-be. Ask about any inside jokes or play off her favorite celebrity crush. If she’s obsessed with a movie star, a TV show or an exotic destination, make sure to find out and incorporate it into your party. From clothes and accessories to décor and venue, a unifying party theme will make the experience more enjoyable for everyone.
3. Plan Everything in Advance
Regardless of the party theme you choose or the location of the getaway, make sure you plan everything in advance. This is especially important when the bachelorette party is held out of town or when the guests are coming in from different cities. Planning everything in advance involves buying train or plane tickets, organizing car rides, booking hotel rooms, checking the weather, buying enough goodie bags and thinking about what games to play. If all of this sounds overwhelming, you don’t have to do it all by yourself. You can reach out to a team of professionals who offer bachelorette weekend services. Not only is this more convenient, it will also save you a lot of time and effort.
4. Refrain from Overplanning
If you’re a super-organized person who loves to be active every second of every day, you might be tempted to cram dozens of activities in your bachelorette getaway schedule. But not everyone might share your enthusiasm. Make sure to leave some wiggle room in the daily agenda so that the girls can actually relax and enjoy each other’s company.
Another great tip is to alternate the pace of the activities. For example, if you’re planning to take a ladies’ kickboxing class, schedule it before lunch and then add in some pool or Jacuzzi time before jumping into another heart-pumping activity.
5. Roll Up Your Sleeves for Some DIY
Planning (and funding) a bachelorette party shouldn’t leave anyone broke. It’s important to establish your budget before starting planning the event. Let every girl know what costs they should expect. For a budget-friendly party, DIY décor and games are your best friends. Get the other ladies involved as well and brainstorm until you have a dozen of good ideas.
Here are some games suggestions to spark your creativity: pin the kiss on the bride’s favorite actor, the groom quiz, scavenger hunt, how well do you know the bride-to-be quiz, and drink-if card game. You can tailor the games to the bachelorette’s interests. For DIY décor, take into account your party theme and get creative with balloons, DIY photo booths, and party favors.
6. Choose One Activity That’s Out of Everyone’s Comfort Zone
They say that fun begins at the end of your comfort zone. And they’re right. You won’t believe how much fun you can have when you’re bonding over a new experience with a group of ladies you haven’t met before. The Dare To-Do list is just one of the many activities you can try. This can include doing three shots in a row, dancing with a random guy or collecting two men’s phone numbers. The checklist items are all up to you and you can get as extravagant as you want.
And if you really want to think out of the box, invite the girls to a pole dancing class. Not only is this a great full-body workout, it’s also fun, especially after a couple of glasses of wine. However, always let the group know what activities you have planned beforehand so they can choose if they want to attend or not.
7. Immortalize the Fun Times
After a night or a weekend of dancing, partying, singing songs and playing games, you’ll want to be left with something more than a hangover. You might want to consider hiring a professional photographer to immortalize the party’s best moments. It’s easy to forget to snap photos with your phone while you’re having fun and playing games. Having a photographer there to take care of this means you’ll have one less task to worry about.
8. Have Party Favors for the Girls and a Keepsake for the Bride
Whether the bachelorette party has three or thirteen guests, it’s always nice to hand out fun favors. They don’t have to be expensive. It’s a lovely way to make the invitees feel appreciated and they’ll have something to remind them of the fun event.
Likewise, prepare a keepsake for the bride-to-be. This can be a guest book with each girl’s photo and a special message from each of them. The notebook can easily be customized through a DIY and doesn’t have to be expensive. It will have a huge sentimental value for the bachelorette who will probably cherish it forever.
Ivory & Beau also carries epic bridal robes through designers Marisol Aparicio, Girl with a Serious Dream, and Blush by Hayley Paige. Brides can surprise their girls with these gorgeous robes for the big day. Coordinating pictures--how cute?
Armed with these tips, you're sure to have the greatest bachelorette party ever! Let us know in the comments down below if any of these suggestions rocked your world.