What Kind of Bachelorette Party Should I Have

One press names a kind of bachelorette party, with where the group goes and what it does.

What Kind of Bachelorette Party Should I Have

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  1. Spa resort weekendTwo days of pools, treatments and robes at a resort.

Next step Draw a place to goAdd a party theme

How it works

Not sure what kind of bachelorette party to have? Press the button for one plan to consider, from a slumber party at home to a cabin weekend, each with what the group does.

Read the full guide

Start with how far the group can go

Plans come in three sizes: at home, a day out and a weekend away. A party at home asks the least of guests with small children or tight budgets. A weekend away needs a date everyone can keep, so ask the guests before you book anything.

Plan for the bride, not the tradition

Wikipedia’s article on the bachelorette party notes its reputation for a wild night, and adds that it can simply be a party given in honor of the bride-to-be, in the style her circle likes. Ask what she would choose on a free Saturday.

  • Plans mix. Press twice and join the two: a pottery class by day, a slumber party after.

Questions and answers

What do you do at a bachelorette party?

Whatever the bride enjoys with her closest people: a class, a spa day, a hike, a long dinner or a weekend in a cabin.

Who pays for the bachelorette party?

Wikipedia’s article says it is common in most English-speaking countries for the guests to share the costs. Whether the bride pays her own share is settled by the organizers and the bride early in the planning.

What are bachelorette party ideas without drinking?

Every plan in this picker. Try a pottery or cooking class, a spa night at home, a beach day, an escape room or a cabin weekend. None is built around a bar.

What is a bachelorette party called in the UK?

A hen do or hen night in the United Kingdom and Ireland, and a hens party or hens night in Australia and New Zealand. Bachelorette party is the term in the United States and Canada.

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All 57 kinds of party

At home 16

  • Afternoon tea at home Small sandwiches, scones and a pot of tea, with everyone a little dressed up.
  • Backyard dinner party One long table outside, string lights overhead and a menu the group cooks together.
  • Backyard film screening A sheet, a projector and blankets on the lawn after dark.
  • Backyard pool day Floats, sunscreen and a jug of lemonade beside a friend’s pool.
  • Brunch at home A late-morning spread of pancakes, fruit and coffee, done by early afternoon.
  • Cook-along dinner The group makes one big meal from scratch, such as fresh pasta or dumplings.
  • Craft night Everyone makes the same small thing, such as a flower crown or a painted mug, to take home.
  • Dessert party Each guest brings one dessert, and the table becomes a tasting.
  • Game night Board games and card games at the kitchen table, with a prize for the overall winner.
  • Garden party Lawn games, flowers on the tables and a long lunch in someone’s garden.
  • Karaoke at home A microphone, a screen of words and the bride’s favorite songs in the living room.
  • Memory lane night Each guest brings an old photo and the story behind it, and the bride keeps the album.
  • Movie marathon night The bride’s favorite films back to back, with popcorn and a vote on the last one.
  • Recipe shower Every guest brings a favorite recipe on a card, with a taste of it to share.
  • Slumber party Pajamas, snacks and a pile of blankets at one house, with no plan past breakfast.
  • Spa night at home Face masks, nail polish and foot soaks in the living room, in robes if you have them.

A day out 27

  • Afternoon tea out Tiered trays of sandwiches and cakes at a tea room or a hotel.
  • Amusement park day Rides in the morning, fair food at noon and one last roller coaster before closing.
  • Beach day Towels, umbrellas and a volleyball, from late morning to sunset.
  • Bike ride and ice cream An easy route on rented bikes, with a stop for ice cream at the far end.
  • Boat day A hired boat with a skipper for an afternoon on a lake or a bay.
  • Bowling night Two lanes, rented shoes and teams picked out of a hat.
  • Brunch out A long table at a restaurant late in the morning, then a walk.
  • City scavenger hunt Teams chase a list of photo clues around town and meet for dinner.
  • Cooking class A chef teaches the group one menu, and you eat what you made.
  • Dance class An hour learning one routine together, with a teacher who has seen every level.
  • Day at a spa Massages, a sauna and a quiet lunch, booked as one group.
  • Dinner and a show An early dinner, then a musical, a play or a comedy night.
  • Escape room outing The group is shut in a puzzle room with an hour to solve its way out.
  • Flower arranging workshop A florist shows the group how to build a bouquet, and each guest leaves with one.
  • Group photo shoot A photographer follows the group for an hour somewhere pretty, and everyone gets the pictures.
  • Hike and picnic A trail with a view, then lunch on a blanket at the top.
  • Horseback trail ride A guided ride for the whole group, with a horse matched to each rider.
  • Market morning and lunch Shop a farmers market together, then cook what you bought for lunch.
  • Mini golf tournament Eighteen holes, a scorecard and a silly trophy for the winner.
  • Museum and lunch One exhibition the bride has wanted to see, then a long lunch nearby.
  • Paddling morning Rented kayaks or paddleboards on calm water, then lunch by the shore.
  • Painting class Everyone paints the same picture with an instructor and takes the canvas home.
  • Park picnic Blankets, baskets and lawn games in a park the bride loves.
  • Pottery class A teacher, a wheel and a lump of clay each; the pieces are fired and collected later.
  • Roller skating night An evening at a rink, with skates for hire and music overhead.
  • Thrift shop challenge Each guest finds an outfit for the bride on a small budget, and she picks the winner.
  • Volunteer morning The group gives a morning to a cause the bride cares about, then goes to lunch.

A weekend away 14

  • Beach house weekend A rented house near the sand, with shared cooking and long mornings.
  • Cabin weekend A cabin in the woods with a fire pit, board games and nowhere to be.
  • Camping trip Tents, a campfire and marshmallows, at a site with real bathrooms if the group prefers.
  • City break Two nights in a city none of you know well, with one dinner booked and the rest left open.
  • Glamping weekend Canvas tents with real beds, so the group gets the campfire without the sleeping bags.
  • Hometown weekend Back to where the bride grew up, for her old haunts and her family’s cooking.
  • Hotel night in your own city One night in a hotel close to home, with room service and the pool.
  • Lake house weekend A dock, a canoe and a porch, with swimming by day and cards at night.
  • Mountain town weekend A small town in the hills, for walks, bakeries and antique shops.
  • National park weekend A lodge or a campsite inside a park, with one big hike and one lazy day.
  • Road trip One car or two, a playlist and a route with stops the bride picked.
  • Ski weekend Lessons or runs by day, hot chocolate by the fire after.
  • Spa resort weekend Two days of pools, treatments and robes at a resort.
  • Wellness retreat Yoga in the morning, good food and early nights somewhere quiet.