The bachelorette party is the perfect time for a bride and her closest friends to relax, celebrate and create lasting memories. But beyond having fun, bachelorette parties are an opportunity for you to lavish the bride-to-be with fun, games and love. An enjoyable bachelorette party is all about the bride, suiting her tastes, quirks and personality.
Maybe that’s why planning them can be so daunting.
What do you do when your bride isn’t interested in a night on the town, or if you and the ladies want to plan something extra special, something that represents who the bride is and what her friendship means to all of you?
This guide will help you plan an enjoyable and personal bachelorette party, one that’s as fun as it is unique and elegant. From classy bachelorette party themes and ideas to the best bachelorette party games, use these tips to plan a truly memorable time for the bride and her friends.
Classy Bachelorette Party Themes and Ideas
If your bride loves a touch of class, look no further for bachelorette party inspiration — these seven chic bachelorette themes are perfect for creating an elegant and memorable celebration.
1. Luxe Spa Weekend
Nothing pampers a bride-to-be and the bridal party as much as a relaxing and luxe spa weekend.
Spa getaways make an ideal classy bachelorette party. You could plan a spa day to happen in a party member’s home or backyard, or you could rent out an actual spa for an afternoon or evening — many locations offer special party packages for occasions just like this.
Select food that fits the indulgent yet laidback atmosphere. Small candies like truffles or buttermint creams are perfect for dessert, while tea sandwiches, wraps, fresh fruit and flavorful dipping sauces make great savory selections. Sip on cucumber-melon or strawberry-mint infused waters to cool off between the facials, manicures, pedicures, skin treatments and massages. Don’t forget the cucumber eye masks!
2. Private Cooking and Cocktail Class
Bachelorette parties looking for a memorable evening should look no further than a cooking and mixology class. This unique bachelorette party idea is a hands-on, interactive way to have fun together as a group — plus eat a delicious meal. Who wouldn’t want that?
Look into a preexisting class where you can cook the bride’s favorite cuisines, be that sushi, paella or authentic, homemade pasta, and keep the creative culinary energy going with a cocktail-making class. The group can learn how to master classic drinks with instructions from a professional mixologist. Or you can return to someone’s home and mix your own “signature” drinks, voting on favorites or crafting a cocktail that matches the bride’s personality.
3. Casino Royale Night
You can bet on a night of fun when you opt for a casino-themed bachelorette party — complete with cards, tables, chips and plenty of glitz and glam to feel like you’re getting VIP treatment on the Las Vegas Strip. Start the night by having the bridal party dress the part. Cocktail dresses, heels and sequins are highly encouraged, plus a mandatory sash and crown for the bride.
Decorate the space with plenty of deep scarlets, glitter and flashes of gold. Set up a handful of tables with classic games, with poker, blackjack, even rented slot machines and roulette. If possible, hire card dealers who can facilitate each game while teaching you expert tips and tricks.
Top the casino experience off with plenty of casino-themed hors-d’oeuvres and small plates for the party to enjoy while they play the night away — it is sure to be a night no one will soon forget.
4. Glamping
If the bride loves the outdoors but doesn’t enjoy the hassle of a camping trip, plan a bachelorette weekend that provides nature without the bugs or poison ivy. “Glamorous camping” — or glamping — is traditional camping’s more refined cousin, perfect for both big and small bachelorette parties.
You can rent glamping-specific tents, some of which even come with features like multiple rooms, air conditioning, electrical outlets and abundant space for chairs and cots. For parties who wish to enjoy nature with extra comfort, you can even rent glammed-up RVs in some spectacular locations.
5. “Rooftop” Pool Party
Nothing says trendy yet classy quite like a rooftop pool party. With or without the actual rooftop, this themed ambiance can have your bridal party spending an afternoon like a group of Hollywood celebrities, lounging and laughing the day away.
Bust out your cutest swimsuits and tank tops and set up plenty of relaxed pool-side seating. Throw in cabana-style umbrellas or coverings and string lights around the pool for an added decorative pop. Invite people to bring floats and pool inflatables for extra fun and color.
Prep plenty of summertime snacks and treats, from a fresh veggie platter to a fondue table. Wash it all down with fruity poolside drinks and soak up the sun with poolside bachelorette games.
6. Dinner Cruise
Good food, good music and good company make for a fun, memorable occasion — why not combine them and book a dinner cruise for your bachelorette party?
There are many dinner cruise venues to pick from, and many of them include unique themes and events all their own. You and the girls can put on your favorite little black dresses and sit back for a relaxing yet sophisticated evening out. Look for cruises with menu items that are favorites of the bride-to-be, or include unusual dishes you don’t get to enjoy often.
Dinner cruises will also usually include live music or shows, which add to the night’s entertainment and bring a unique twist to bachelorette fun.
7. Old Hollywood Glam
Who doesn’t want an excuse to stroll around in an elegant evening gown and wear red lipstick? When it’s for an Old Hollywood-themed bachelorette party with your closest girlfriends, it’s even better.
Finger waves and feather boas are highly encouraged. Set the ultra-glamorous scene with black-and-white tabletop decorations, streamers and balloons. Extra points if you can find yourself a red carpet for attendees to walk on, even if it’s a small one, with plenty of photo-taking opportunities for you and the crew. Sip champagne from custom flutes and listen to grandstand jazz music while you enjoy a classic formal party.
8. Wine Tour
Wine tours and tastings top the list of classy and memorable bachelorette party ideas. They’re also one of the most versatile, as you can make this theme as elegant or extravagant as your tastes.
Visit a handful of wineries during an upbeat evening out, or sign up for a weekend-long regional tour with multiple stops. You could go immersive with a private tasting hosted by an on-site sommelier at your favorite vineyard. Or perhaps you’re interested in something a little more casual. If so, look into putting on an in-house tasting hosted by a close family member or someone in the bridal party itself.
For a more personal touch, have every gal bring along her favorite bottle of wine and type of cheese. You can spend the night doing blind taste tests, trying to pair each member of the party with her choice and voting on an overall fan favorite. Award the winner with a personalized wine glass, and give a matching set to the bride for some extra fun.
How to Plan a Bachelorette Party
You can put together a knock-out bridal bash with just a few straightforward steps — many of which run identical to any other party. Here’s a suggested bachelorette party planning timeline:
1. A Few Months Before
This is the time to start large-scale planning — what are the bride’s preferences, who is invited and when and where will party take place?
- Get the bride’s scoop: What does the bride want for her party? She doesn’t need to relay every detail or an A-to-Z plan, but it’s essential to gauge her comfort levels, expectations and, most importantly, her invite list.
- Collect names and dates: Compile a finalized invite list and begin reaching out. Some friends might be farther away than others and will take a little more coordination to secure availability and accommodations. Use social media or email to start these coordinating conversations and get everyone on the same page.
- Set and save the date: Send an informal save-the-date a few months beforehand, as soon as dates are established. This ensures the bachelorette party is on everyone’s radar, with plenty of time to ask off from work or make any necessary travel arrangements.
2. Two Months Before
Two months before the party, you can begin making more definite plans and reservations for the event, such as booking a venue or arranging transportation.
- Plan the main event: Determine what the bachelorette party’s central theme or activity will be. Reach out to others on the invite list for games and entertainment inspiration.
- Book the venue: Reserve the location of the bachelorette party. Make any additional reservations for all subsequent vendors and activities.
- Plan transportation: Arrange for everyone’s safe transportation throughout the party. You don’t want to leave that to in-the-moment whims after everyone’s enjoyed themselves.
3. One Month Before
A month before the bachelorette party, you can send out official save-the-dates and begin compiling a comprehensive to-do and shopping list.
- Send formal save-the-dates: You can send save-the-date notifications through traditional mail, email, social media or e-vites. Include all party information, such as locations, times and estimates for items invitees might need to bring or expenses they need to help cover.
- Make a party shopping list: Outline food and beverage purchases, plus anything needed for games, decorations, bridal accessories, music and more. Chisel away at the list personally or divvy out supporting roles.
4. One Week Before
One week before the party, you can begin the final preparations.
- Finish the shopping list: Have all candies or party favors ready with a few days to spare.
- Print written items: Not everyone has a printer — save yourself some stress and print any written items well ahead of the party, including signs or instructions for day-of games and quizzes.
- Touch base with the bride: Ensure she has all the details she needs to be prepared for the day, and make sure that her travel and accommodations have been arranged.
- Confirm reservations: Take the time to confirm all reservations, especially for outsourced transportation and entertainment.
- Confirm RSVPs and supporting roles: Check in with anyone else who is helping you with the party to make sure they can still contribute.
5. Day-of
Do a final check in with the bride to make sure she’s excited. Then sit back and enjoy your hard work!
Fun Bachelorette Party Games
No bachelorette party is complete without games. As long as your bride hasn’t forbidden them, you’ll probably be expected to orchestrate engaging and lively bachelorette party games for the whole group. Here are some fun ideas to get you started:
1. Bride and Groom Quizzes
Bride-and-groom centered questionnaires are a signature of classy bachelorette parties. Research online or come up with a list of questions for the bride and groom to answer separately. Have them answer the questions about the other, from knowing their partner’s first kiss to favorite Doritos flavor. Compile the right answers, then have the group take their own guesses. The more in-depth and engaging the questions, the better.
2. “Manvenger Hunt”
Don’t let the name fool you — a manvenger hunt is just a visual scavenger hunt, with the winner spotting as many categories of men listed as possible. For example, a man with a mustache might be worth two points, while a man walking his dog is worth three. This is a fun game to play as the group moves between locations or events, and it can keep going all weekend until you finally tally up the points.
3. RomCom Charades
Split party attendees into groups of two or three, then take turns having teams pick a slip from an assorted pile of romantic comedy movie names. Each team has thirty seconds or less to act out a scene from that romcom and for their team to guess it correctly.
4. Put a Ring on It
Give every invitee a ring pop upon their arrival. Then inform everyone there are “banned” party words — wedding-relevant ones such as the groom’s name or even the words “bachelorette party” themselves. Every time you hear someone accidentally say one of these words, you get to take their ring. The guest with the most rings at the end of the party wins a prize.
Unique Bachelorette Party Favors
Cap off your bachelorette party planning with party favors, memorable tokens or gifts for the party attendees who made the event so special. For a personal touch, design goodie bags as unique and significant as the guests, and make sure to match it to the theme of the party.
- Personalized Wine: You don’t have to fly in a sommelier from Napa Valley to create distinctive blends for each of your friends — you can use one of the dozens of online services that let you monogram wine labels. Create your design, print them out or mail them to yourself, then place them on bottles you pick up from the store.
- Mini Candle Set: Candles are a quintessential and classic home decoration. You know your friends love them, so contribute a mini set of various colors or scents. Alternatively, you could opt for a larger tin candle with a decorative pattern that suits each friend’s style.
- Succulent or Garden Pack: These women have helped the bride grow into who she is. Why not embody that metaphor with individually potted succulents or air plants gifted to each guest? If live plants would be too fragile to travel with, you could wrap a few packs of seeds for guests to plant and grow themselves, remembering the party when they see their plants sprout.
- Tea or Hot Chocolate Jars: If you are partying in autumn or winter, celebrate the weather with warm-themed favors. As cute as they are quaint, mason jars filled with a variety of tea bags or dried leaves are a lovely tea giveaway. Likewise, you can fill handcrafted hot chocolate jars with chocolate mix, marshmallows and caramels to create a delicious — and eye-catching — party favor.
Breathtaking Bridesmaids Dresses and Bridal Gowns for Every Style
The best bachelorette-party friends deserve the best bridesmaids dresses. But where do you even begin — with so many details, colors and styles to choose from, finding the right dress can be overwhelming.
Alexandra’s Boutique offers top designer gowns and accessories to suit the style of any bride or bridal party. Whether you are looking for simple, elegant dresses or vintage, romantic gowns, we have a dress that fits your theme and shows off your natural beauty. We offer premier dresses that fit all shapes and sizes, so you can find a look that flatters your figure and reveals your unique style.
At Alexandra’s Boutique, we care about more than beautiful gowns — we are passionate about creating a relaxing, luxurious, full-service environment for you to find the perfect dress. Selecting your wedding or bridesmaids gown is a special, emotional moment, and we provide a beautiful and intentional atmosphere for you to find the dress of your dreams.
Schedule an appointment today to meet with one of our expert bridal consultants — we look forward to helping you or your party find the perfect gowns.