Bachelor & Bachelorette Party

Real-Life Bachelorette Party Ideas and Bachelorette Party Themes

So you've decided to host a bachelorette party. Oh, the pressure! The good news is that many have come before you, and they have conquered. Here's a sampling of some fantastic real-life bachelorette party ideas, straight from the brides, bridesmaids and guests themselves.

Co-Ed Bash

"Our wedding party was made up of a lot of mutual friends from college so we decided to do a co-ed bachelor and bachelorette party. We started the night at my maid of honor's house with tons of beer and great food in the backyard. The guys and girls split up after dinner - we went dancing for our portion of the bachelorette party and the guys went to do their "guy" things for their bachelor party end of it. Then at about midnight we all met back up at the house for more drinks and ended up having a loud, spontaneous dance party. I may be partial but I think it's one of the best bachelorette party ideas I've ever heard of!” - Jessica R. a bride from Minneapolis , MN

Wine Theme Bachelorette Party

“Last year I went to my cousin’s bachelorette party with a wine and cheese theme. The bridesmaids got a big hotel suite and brought in glasses, plates and cloth napkins from a party rental place so it was a pretty upscale event with about 15 or so people. We were having a great time until the cops showed up. Turns out they were actually the evening’s “entertainment” provided by the maid of honor! My cousin was SO surprised but loved that her fancy little bachelorette party turned out to have a little naughty side too.” - Cristina S. a guest from Granite Bay , CA

Taste of the Tropics

“I have about ten girlfriends from college and between us we’ve come up with some pretty great bachelorette party ideas over the years. My favorite of all the bachelorette parties was a tropical night theme in the dead of winter. We were all instructed to come dressed appropriately and some people went all-out with grass skirts and bikini tops. We rented one of those executive coaches and after driving around for a while listening to Jimmy Buffet and drinking fruity drinks, we went to a Polynesian restaurant for dinner. Afterward we hit the clubs and attracted a lot of attention with our tropical outfits - it was a blast and probably the best bacheloretteparty I've ever been to.” - Stephanie P. a bridesmaid from Portland , OR

Bachelor Party Fun

You're the best man, you want to show the groom a great time, and you want this bachelor party to be a story you’ll tell for years to come. Need some ideas for throwing a “night to remember” without getting you, or the groom, in deep hot water? Listen - errr - read up!

So, how did I, a newly engaged woman, get assigned to write a bachelor party guide? Truth be told, the very idea of a strip club and cigar smoke make my nose crinkle, so I have been asking the fiancé why he and his buds couldn't have a nice, safe, quiet night of poker over at our place for his bachelor party. Well, apparently, men and women have a different definition of the word “fun”. And, after he yawned, he said I should respect his fun. I then reminded him that he has never had to force himself to respect my shopping. I think it's just a different sorta thing.

Now, with all due respect, I have assembled some hot tips for bachelor party fun as defined by both sexes.

Groom’s Choice
You can label him whipped if you want, but the truth is that the groom may not really want to engage in a night-filled boobs, booze, and boorish behavior bash. And, you have to consider that he and his fiancée have already talked about it (trust me, they have), and she's given him grief. So, before you do anything, ask! This doesn't mean that surprises are out, but just cop a feel for his bachelor party ideas before you take him to Runway 69. Ask about the guest list too.

Wedding Day Hangover – Not!
A bachelor party website I visited recently said: the bride and groom probably spent every last dime on this wedding; they really should be able to enjoy it by being well rested and sober. Host the party a week or two before the wedding. That gives the group time for recharging their batteries. Be sure to invite 3 weeks to a month before, for convenience of out-of-town party-goers travel planning.

Fail to Plan – Plan to Fail
Even though you may want to have all the guys meet at somebody's house and "see what happens", proper planning always insures a great party. If you're going out to a club, be sure to call ahead and tell them it's a bachelor party (all houses of lascivious and un-lascivious entertainment have special packages waiting for you) same deal with hotels, since they will probably want to put you in a large room with as few breakable objects as possible. As the best man, you are responsible for making sure the party keeps rolling, so a sturdy plan of “pure guy fun” will secure your popularity with your buddies.

Consider the Alternatives
One of my guy friends who was getting married didn't really want all the sexy stuff, he just wanted to do super-guy things all night long - his idea of a really cool bachelor party fell more into the category of manly-man activities like a camping trip with plenty of beer, going to a hockey game and then washing it down with a super-sized steak fest complete with stogies and shots. He didn't want to spend the whole night worrying about getting into trouble. Also, it could be more interesting to just do something different. Consider the alternatives.

Pull Out All the Gags
The bachelor party is the perfect time to mock the groom and his last night as a single man. There are plenty of online sites and shops to purchase items to inflate, play in your DVD player, or, well, I won’t imagine what else. One of your primary roles on this night is to have fun (at the groom’s expense?), so do what you have to do to make his party a blast - in a respectable way, of course, right guys?

Safety First - Designate a Driver
There’s not a whole lot to say about this – it’s obvious. SAFETY! For the sake of all of us worried brides-to-be out there, and anyone on the road, in the bar or even walking down the road, please make sure no one drinks and drives.