Amidst the stress of wedding planning, a bachelorette party is a fun way to unwind and celebrate your special day with your BFFs. Bachelorette parties have been around for decades — since the 1960’s — but in recent years have taken on a whole new life with weekend trips to popular cities like Nashville, Charleston, and Cabo San Lucas.
These destination bachelorette parties are undoubtedly fun, but can be quite costly for your guests. These days, the average bachelorette party costs over $1,000 per guest. The good news? You can still have plenty of fun without traveling somewhere exotic or spending heaps of cash. Consider these five budget-friendly bachelorette party ideas.
Take it to the Stage
Can’t stomach the ticket prices for Coachella? Throw your own mini music festival in honor of the bride-to-be! This could be fun for a joint bachelor and bachelorette party, too.
Create a playlist with her favorite tunes and ask the other guests to contribute their go-to singalong songs. Bonus points if you can come up with a catchy name that incorporates the bride’s name, like Lillypalooza or Rach-coach. Make wristbands and establish a theme like disco cowgirl or mermaidcore.
Play Favorites
Channel your inner Maria von Trapp with a bridal-themed favorite things party. How it works: each guest brings an item that the bride loves with enough for everyone to share — like her favorite candle, mascara, or socks. If seven people attend the party, there should be seven versions of the item.
Then, each guest exchanges the gifts they brought with everyone else. By the end of the bachelorette, you’ll each take home the bride’s favorite things.
Throw a Pool Party
Skip the trip to Scottsdale and throw a pool party in your own neighborhood. Use a website like Swimply to rent a nearby pool for a few hours at a fraction of the cost of a country club or beach weekend.
If your guests are local, ask everyone to contribute food or drinks. Bring a few balloons or decorations to make the space your own.
Host a Craft-elorette
If you’d rather stay in than go out on the town, consider a cozy crafting night with the girls with one of these popular activities:
- Make your own lip gloss keychains. Purchase a lip gloss, keychain hook, and beading supplies for each guest. This craft makes a great bachelorette party favor!
- Bedazzle your favorite books. Ask each guest to bring a hardcover copy of their favorite book. Use glue and rhinestones to decorate each book.
- Paint pottery. Go to a local studio or buy paint samples and a few ceramics from a craft store. For a fun activity turned gift, ask each guest to paint a plate or bowl for the bride-to-be’s future kitchen collection!
Plan a Sleepover
Take it back to the 2000’s with a good old-fashioned slumber party. Queue up a movie marathon with wedding-themed rom coms like 27 Dresses, My Best Friend’s Wedding, and Runaway Bride. Play a bridal-themed version of Truth or Dare with questions like “When did you know he was the one?” or “What gives you the ick about your future spouse?”
For food, ask each guest to bring their favorite childhood sweet and make a nostalgic candy salad. Instead of trauma dumping, ask each guest to share a special memory of the bride as they add their candy to the mix.
Summary
Every bride should have a bachelorette party. If cost is holding you back, we hope these ideas inspire you to plan a low-key celebration. No matter where you go or what you do, it’s who you’re with that will make your bachelorette memorable.
Rachel Kauffman is a Detroit-based content writer, bookworm, and cat mom to two feisty felines.
