Everyone knows what the traditional (or at least the Hollywood) bachelor party looks like: guys, beer, strippers, repeat. While it’s slightly less likely to involve strippers, the bachelorette party typically isn’t a classy affair either. Usually the bride’s besties take her out to bar-hopping or on a party bus, with the aim of getting her catastrophically drunk while everyone passes around naughty-shaped party favors.
We’re all about preserving the dignity of the human race, so we advise bachelors to skip the strip club in favor of a guy’s night out everyone will be happy to remember rather than ashamed. For the bachelorette party planner, here are some ideas for a celebration that doesn’t involve glow-in-the-dark body shots.
Throwback Party
Remember how you used to celebrate your birthday when you were a kid? Go back in time and get in touch with your inner child for a great bachelorette party. Get a cheap sheet cake with plastic toys on the top, some balloons and streamers, and take over the local mini-golf place or Chuck E Cheese. Instead of naughty-bits-shaped tchotchkes, give the bride a real princess tiara to wear while you ride the Go-Karts.
Shoot ‘Em Up
If your group of girls is sufficiently rough ‘n’ tumble, why not make the bachelorette party a celebration of how much butt a girl can kick? Take the crew to a paintball place for a day of fun running and gunning each other. For an added kick, have everyone wear an old bridesmaid or prom dress. Wait ‘til you see the bride go full Rambo in her gold lame Homecoming gown!
Throw a Slumber Party
Sure, you could get on a party bus and go from bar to bar, dropping cash on drinks and fending off advances from sleazy dudes all night. OR, you could rent a hotel suite, stock it full of drinks, and spend the evening bonding with your ladies. Queue up the romantic comedies (or bloody horror movies, whatever you’re into), make sure you have plenty of popcorn and snacks, play Truth-or-Dare, light up some sparklers and run around the backyard, and just enjoy each other’s company. Bonus points for curling/braiding/coloring each other’s hair.
Take a Pole Dancing Class
Sure, this does bring to mind the whole “stripper” thing we were trying to avoid, but pole dancing has come a long way from its lowly origins. The fact is, it’s a pretty impressive skill to be able to leap and twirl like professional pole dancers do (yes, there’s a competitive pole dancing circuit now, and everyone keeps their clothes on). Either you’ll all be good at it, which will be awesome, or everyone will be bad at it, which will also be a blast. Either way, you can learn a few moves.
Ask the Bride
Look, it’s her night. If she wants to go on a microbrewery tour or have a poker game and she ends up wearing a feather boa sitting in a male revue, she’s not going to have the time of her life. We recommend sitting down with the bride and seeing what her expectations are.
So if the bride wants a party bus and a tiara, let it happen. But it’s worth seeing if she’d like a bachelorette party that’s a little off the beaten path. Whatever you choose, keep it light, fun, and make sure someone keeps the bride hydrated.