Although marrying the love of your life is the bread and butter of your wedding, it’s also a time to celebrate with friends and loved ones who have supported you along that journey. Bachelorette parties only became popular in the United States beginning in the 1980s, but they quickly picked up steam as a fun night with friends to celebrate the bride-to-be. Most parties are structured around various forms of rowdy and rambunctious fun, but what if your bride isn’t into that plan? Have no fear, the trend of ba-chill-orette parties is here! For brides and bridal parties that are into a more laid-back soiree, here are some ideas that might inspire your own party planning.
What do you do at a chill bachelorette party?
- Relaxing by the pool or at the beach
- Spa day
- Plan a slumber party
- Coffee shop hopping
- Flower arrangement class
- Exercise class
- Crafting DIY party
- Explore the great outdoors
- Picnic at the park
- At-home game night
- New Trend! Wifelorette Party
If one of these chill bachelorette party ideas interest you & your bridal party, we’ve broken down each idea with more details to help you plan a fun & memorable celebration!
Enjoy a relaxing day (or weekend) by the pool or on the beach
If you’re already located in a warm-weather destination, consider spending a day lazing under the sun with your ladies. If you aren’t close to a pool or living in a hot locale, look into a trip to a place that is! Palm Springs, Austin and Scottsdale are just some cities with warmer weather that are rising in popularity for bachelorette parties these days. Don’t forget the beach towels for this celebration!
Pro tip: If your ba-chill-orette party is not long before your wedding day, be extra cautious about how much time you spend in the sun! No one wants a sunburn on the big day.
Shop Pool & Beach Bachelorette Party Invitations
Spend a day at a spa
This one is the ultimate in indulgence. Treat the bride to a calming trip to a day spa where you can all enjoy luxuries like massages, facials or even mud baths. If there isn’t a day spa in your area, don’t fret! Visiting a local nail salon and having manicures and pedicures done together is a great substitute. Keep in mind that most of a spa day might be spent alone and in silence, so it might be a good option if your ladies don’t necessarily know each other that well, but not if you’re a chatty group!
Pro tip: While a spa day is a great option, it can be on the pricier side of these suggestions. If you’re the one planning the ba-chill-orette party, it’s always polite to take into consideration how much you’re ‘asking’ the ladies to fork over. You’ll be glad you did!
Have a slumber party
Sure, you’ve long outgrown the concept of having a “kids sleepover” but that doesn’t mean you can’t have an adult sleepover! Get your gals together in your home or a closeby hotel room for a good-old-fashioned sleepover. Make sure you’re prepared with your favorite romantic comedies, pizza, candy and any other snacks that the bride enjoys.
Pro tip: The essence of this ba-chill-orette theme is that you’re all together, so if renting a hotel room, look for one that is big enough to accommodate everyone in one room.
Shop Sleepover Bachelorette Party Invitations
Go on a coffee shop hop
If bar hopping isn’t your thing, maybe coffee hopping is! Just as you would spend a day or evening trying drinks at various bars, look around for new or unusual coffee shops that you’d all like to visit. In larger cities, some might even offer coffee tasting, giving you all the option to try smaller samples of a variety of different brews. Want to take this party to the next level? Go for an outfit theme that you can all wear to show off your celebratory sips!
Pro tip: Gift each gal a custom mug to bring around on the big day. No designated driver necessary!
Celebrate with flower power
If your ladies want to get their creative juices flowing, spend an afternoon taking a flower-arranging class! Bigger cities usually have studios that host flower-arranging parties, but if you can’t find any in your area call around to local florists to see if they could provide the materials and instruction for you.
Pro tip: If you’re up for it, learn how to make your own bouquets or centerpieces so you can put your new skills to use on the big day!
Take an exercise class together
For an active group of ladies, a private workout class might be a great way to bond before the big day! Look for a studio that offers private classes, and try a workout you haven’t done before for a new experience you can all share together. Some options could be aerial yoga, hooping, aqua cycling or trampolining. The more unique, the better! Want to take this party up a notch? Gift your ladies personalized leggings for the perfect photo-op!
Pro tip: If you’re having the ba-chill-orette party close to the wedding day, opt for something that is low impact. You certainly don’t want anyone injured or sore on the big day!
Gather for a crafting DIY party
Create art with your besties at a crafting DIY party! You can pick a topic (topic idea: craft something related to the bride!) and let each person show off their artistic abilities. Take a trip to the crafts store together or select a handful of supplies for everyone to share. Regardless, these DIY projects will be great keepsakes to have post-wedding festivities!
Pro tip: For those who aren’t as DIY-y, there are plenty of step by step DIY guides online and on YouTube for beginners to follow!
Take it outdoors & go camping
Whether you’re glamping or you’re setting up your own tents, head to the outdoors for a bachelorette camping trip! You can search for nearby campgrounds, rent an RV or even scout out some popular glamping options in your area. If you’re looking to rent camping gear, there are websites like REI or Moosejaw that offer rental packages.
Pro tip: If you’re trying to decide what method of camping is preferred for your group, check out our article on the differences between camping & glamping!
Shop Glamping/Camping Bachelorette Party Invitations
Put on a picnic in the park
If staying local is a part of the plan, having a picnic in a park is a great way to get together and stay on a budget. Whether it’s a BBQ or a wine & cheese board, enjoy the beauty of your neighborhood park with a full stomach and good company!
Pro tip: Make it a potluck picnic and have each person bring their favorite food and drink to share!
Game ON! Set up a game night
For those who like a little competition, game nights are an exciting yet low-key way to make some fun memories! The great thing about game nights is that there are SO many different types of games to choose from. Traditional games, new & online games or you can even make up your own game related to the bride-to-be!
Pro tip: Create a point system & keep track of those who win each game. Reward them with a custom award for being the Winner of Ba-CHILL-orette Game Night!
NEW TREND – Throw a ‘Wifelorette’ Party!
You might be asking… “what is a wifelorette party?” and we have the answer for you! A ‘Wifelorette’ party is a bachelorette party (or a celebration for the new wife!) that happens after the couple already ties the knot!
Wifelorette parties (also can be called “flings after the ring”) started as a trend that came out of the COVID pandemic. This trend came to be once brides & bridal parties had to unfortunately cancel and/or postpone their pre-planned bachelorette celebration. Honoring of the bride was still a forefront thought which led to wedding parties throwing a new & improved wifelorette party after the wedding day!
Wifelorette parties typically have the same planning and activities as a bachelorette party; the main difference being the bride is now a ‘wife’! The great thing about doing a wifelorette party (especially if you had to cancel your bachelorette party) is you can keep the wedding festivities going well into the start of your new marriage! A lot of brides and grooms get the wedding blues, but having some sort of ‘fling after the ring’ can keep the wedding fun & memories lasting a little bit longer!
Now that you’re up to date on the ‘Wifelorette’ trend, will you be having or throwing a Wifelorette party? Check out these unique invitations and start your party planning here at Zazzle!
At its core, a bachelorette party is a time to celebrate the bride-to-be with her close friends. Although bachelorette parties are very common, the actual activities you do together don’t have to be! For a more relaxed experience, consider these ideas for a chill bachelorette party! A rowdy all-nighter might not be fun for everyone, but you’ll all enjoy a low-key and unique celebration together.
Have more ideas for a ba-chill-orette party? Share them for others in the comments below!
Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in June 2019 and has been updated for accuracy and comprehensiveness.
Erika focuses on email marketing, copywriting and merchandising at Zazzle, but she has a secret obsession with all things wedding! During the week you can find her writing punny subject lines while also pinning the latest wedding trends, and outside of the 9-5, she is usually cheering on the San Jose Sharks, reading a good murder mystery, or hunting for the best Philly Cheesesteak in the Bay Area.
