Bachelorette Party Alternatives

Now, don’t get us wrong – we love a classic Vegas-style blowout with all of its kitschy, occasionally tasteless accoutrements – however, not every bride relishes the thought of being handcuffed to her chair by a stripper in a police uniform. It would be too bad for the slightly-more-demure among us to have to forego the fun of a ladies’ night to remember, though, wouldn’t it?

Fortunately, while the bachelorette party has become a pre-wedding staple, it now comes in many shapes and forms (and not necessarily the anatomically correct kind). Rather than an opportunity to indulge in behavior that will leave you blushing at the memory for weeks, they’ve become a much more individualized way of celebrating your upcoming life-changing day with your closest friends.

Whether you’ve got your sights set on a fancy weekend away, or just a night out on the town, we’ve picked up some great ideas in recent years that will suit all personalities and budgets.

…which reminds us of one parting tip: if your friends aren’t big earners, don’t assume they’ll want to spring for a luxury spa weekend. Putting your ladies in a financial pinch will put a strain on an event that should be 100% joyful celebration of you in all of your gracious bridal glory. Got that?

Depending on your interests, here are some ideas:

• If you’re a lover of the outdoors, organize a picnic, beach outing, bike ride or hike. Afterwards, plan for drinks or dinner, if you want to extend the festivities into the evening.

• Spa treatments are a classic ladies’ bonding experience. Whether you go for the full weekend spa experience, or for man-pedis or a Japanese massage in the city, everyone will feel pampered in time for your big day.

• Have a friend host a dressy cocktail party, with any and all desired accompanying activities: dancing, games, cheesy wedding-themed movies – even that cop stripper, if you really can’t live without him.

• Always wanted to learn to cook Italian? Swing from a trapeze? Pole dance? Sign up for a group class and get everyone laughing and learning something new together. For the truly adventurous, skydiving or bungee-jumping might be fun, but don’t assume your pregnant sister-in-law wants to fling herself off a bridge.

• Think about a classic night out on the town. Anything from limos-and-champagne to dinner-and-karaoke gets you out together and enjoying one another’s company.

• Don’t rule out a co-ed party. If your fiancé’s right-hand men aren’t bent on a tequila-infused night of lap-dancing, then why not throw a party together? There’s no reason why everyone should have to split up to have a good time.

The key to having a memorable time with your closest friends is in staying true to your personality and your interests. Whether NASCAR or knitting is more your thing, your gang will enjoy spending a day or evening with you doing what you love to do. Just make sure that everyone takes lots of pictures – especially if you still get stuck wearing a veil or embarrassing t-shirt.