Don’t let the lavish, destination bachelorette parties you see on social media get to you: Celebrating your bestie doesn’t have to cost you and the rest of your bridal party a small fortune.
Hosting an affordable bachelorette party and having a damn good time can absolutely go hand-in-hand, whether you’re throwing a next-level, grownup sleepover for the bride-to-be or hosting a luxe backyard movie screening with all the accouterments.
Below, we’ve rounded up 11 relatively cheap bachelorette party ideas for money-savvy bridal parties.
1. Host a sleepover.
Imagine how Instagramable the slumber parties of your youth would have been if only you had the app back then. To recapture those glory days of your teen years ― and Instagram the whole thing in true millennial fashion ― load up on sheet masks and Syrah, cue up your favorite movies and stay up all night to celebrate your friend’s upcoming nuptials. In the AM, pool your talents in the kitchen and whip up some breakfast or head out to your favorite brunch spot. (You’re adults now. You can totally splurge on ricotta-stuffed French toast and mimosas.)
2. Volunteer as a group.
A good time and do-gooding aren’t mutually exclusive: Use an app like GiveGab to find volunteering opportunities nearby that you know the bridal party will be interested in. One suggestion? Celebrate with The Birthday Party Project, a nonprofit organization that hosts monthly birthday bashes for kids at homeless and transitional living facilities across the country.
3. Book a cooking class.
Into eating and getting a lot of bang for your buck? Grab your girls and sign up for a cooking class. Not only will you collectively improve your culinary skills, you’ll also get to eat whatever you make at the end of the class ― plus, many culinary classes serve wine or allow you to bring your favorite bottle.
4. Have Glamsquad prep you for a GNO.
Elevate a standard girls’ night out by having a team of professionals come do your hair and makeup before your night on the town. Services like Glamsquad offer blowouts, makeup services and on-demand manicures at your home. An added bonus? Your bride can use the glam sesh as an opportunity to test out hair and makeup ideas for the wedding.
5. Head to the roller rink or bowling alley.
Want to exercise and get a little friendly competition going with your besties? Trek to the nearest roller rink for a skating party or bowl by the hour at your local bowling alley. (If you go bowling, purchase some matchy-matchy bowling shirts with the bride’s name emblazoned on them.)
6. Swing by a local winery or brewery.
You don’t have to live near Napa to enjoy some seriously good Cab or be Portland-based to indulge your love of craft beer: These days, wineries and breweries can be found nearby in just about any state. Ride-share over for drinks and, before you leave, shower the bridal party with a bottle of wine or a beer growler as a party favor.
7. Create a scavenger hunt.
Before there were escape rooms, there were scavenger hunts. Creating a scavenger hunt of your own in a mall or another heavily populated area will give you the chance to get hyper-personal about the riddles and objects you’re searching for. Case in point? “Find and take a picture of a pasta maker to remind us of how Jen got deathly sick and vomited fettucini Alfredo all over Mike’s car on their second date.”
8. Pack a picnic.
If your bride is more of a wine-and-cheese kind of gal, corral all your friends for a picnic in the park or at the beach with a charcuterie or cheese board. Make it extra special by packing some lawn games, like giant tumbling blocks or an oversized Connect Four game.
9. Host a backyard movie screening.
For a movie night under the stars, rent a movie screen, a home movie theater projector and order the bride’s favorite takeout for dinner. Take the experience to the next level by renting a popcorn machine and hiring a professional bartender.
10. Hire a private chef to cook you dinner.
To avoid bridal party burnout before the big day ― and cater to your BFF bride’s palate ― hire a professional chef to work culinary magic in the kitchen. Use an easy-to-navigate (and free!) graphic design site like Canva to create some personalized menus with punny names for each dish (Got the Rock Guac, anyone?)
11. Host a karaoke night.
Shower your bride with some killer duets at a karaoke night either at a local karaoke bar ― in major cities, you can usually rent out a whole room, complete with bottle service and small bites ― or in your home. Bubble machines and a group rendition of “Single Ladies” are totally optional but definitely recommended.
