Making the Most of a Virtual Bachelorette Party

Planning a Bachelorette Party During a Pandemic: Dos and Don’ts

Did coronavirus derail your plans for your best friend’s bachelorette party? We’re here to help! The pandemic has caused many wedding plans to be postponed or canceled. Planning a bachelorette party during a pandemic may seem impossible, but that’s not true. You can still safely celebrate the bride! Since classic activities are off-limits, virtual parties are the way to go. Here are some tips for making your virtual bachelorette party not just “another Zoom call” and other creative ways to make the most of social distancing. 

*PLEASE NOTE: The COVID-19 pandemic is changing rapidly and the relevancy of this information may change as time passes. Please consult your local government and the CDC’s recommendations before making any decisions about your party. We encourage everyone to make decisions about events that are in the interest of their personal and the public’s health and wellbeing.

Duck Donuts Planning a Wedding During a Pandemic Dos and Don'ts Morales
PHOTO Megan Morales | DONUTS Duck Donuts

Hosting a Virtual Bachelorette Party

By now, you’ve probably been on more Zoom calls than you can count and you may be rolling your eyes at the idea of a virtual bachelorette party. But, hang in there! We’ve got some ideas for making an awesome party that doesn’t end in everyone just staring at one another through the screen.

Pump up the bridal party!

Get your best friends excited about the fact that you’re still planning a bachelorette party! You can do this with an e-vite or even a mailed invitation. What’s great about a virtual party is that you can invite as many people as you want.

Plan, plan, plan! 

For virtual parties, itineraries are extremely important. Don’t assume that you can pull together your event at the last minute just because it’s online. Without being in person, it’s hard to have the same emotional connectivity with your group. There can be no side-conversations during a Zoom call, so you have to make sure the whole group is engaged in the same activity. Pick and choose your favorites from this list to entertain your besties. 

  • Make a meal together. You can lead a cooking class or learn from a professional chef’s video by sharing your screen with everyone. Make sure the bride and the guests have the necessary ingredients beforehand by sending them a package with everything included. If you’re going to be mailing items, make sure to plan the party far enough out so these are delivered in time.
  • No party is complete without a happy hour! You can even take an online cocktail-making class together. Send out supplies and ingredients to all of the party guests before-hand so they have a kit to make the perfect cocktail. If you want to make this part more personalized, ask everyone what their drink of choice is and send out ingredients accordingly. 
  • Don’t forget the games! If you’re mixing friend groups, these will be the perfect icebreakers so that everyone gets to know one another. One way to make everyone a little more excited about these is to incorporate prizes. Prizes can be mailed after the party is over or sent during the game. Take advantage of food delivery from local small businesses and reward players with deliciousness. 
  • Have a spa night. Send everyone a little spa kit in advance that they can open on the night of the party. During this stressful time, taking care of ourselves should be a priority so why not make an event out of it?
  • Throw a virtual dance party! Consider hiring a local DJ and invite them into the call. You can also create a collaborative Spotify playlist instead. That way, everyone can pitch in. The best part of a Zoom dance party? No one will be there to judge your moves! You and your friends can dance the night away without a care in the world for anyone watching. 
  • Wine and design. Again, send everyone materials that they can open during the party. All you need is a canvas, paint, brushes and your favorite wine. 

More planning a bachelorette party tips: Use these tips to make the bride feel extra special and create a put-together virtual event. 

  • Follow a theme! With so many options it may be hard to pick the perfect theme for your party. Our advice is to think of the bride and what she might like instead of trying to please everyone. Once you have it picked out, all other party events will follow! A theme creates cohesion and makes it easier to plan the rest of the itinerary. Especially if it’s a clever one, the announcement of the theme will get everyone super excited. 
  • Send decorations to the bride so that her Zoom background will be festive. Since they are most likely quarantined together, get her partner involved in this step. You can tell her partner to surprise her on the day of the party with these decorations, a sash and cocktail to start the night. 
  • Send more sashes, buttons or any other party accessories other to the rest of the group. Tell the guests that even though they aren’t going out in public, that doesn’t mean they can’t get all dressed up! 
  • Instead of sending a banner, create a custom Zoom background for the bride. You can also create a custom Snapchat filter. 
  • Make sure that if you’re going to be surprising the bride during the virtual party that you have a separate group chat with the other party members. 
  • While it’s not always required to give a gift at a bachelorette party, you and the other guests can decide to incorporate this activity. Especially since the bride can’t have the party out on the town that she may have wanted, gifts will make her feel even more loved. Make sure to leave enough time for these to be sent in the mail. Handwritten cards are another personal way to send a simple gift that will make the bride feel special. 
Poppy and Co Wedding Gifts Planning a Bachelorette Party During a Pandemic Dos and Don’ts Morales
BACHELORETTE PARTY GIFTS Poppy & Co. | PHOTO Megan Morales

Is it Safe to Have an In-Person Bachelorette Party?

This is a great question and there’s not a simple answer. It really depends on the location of the party and the number of cases in that area. You should also think about the activity that you’re planning and the modes of transportation that guests have to take to get there. It’s up to you to make the call, taking all of these factors into consideration. If you decide that you must have an in-person party here are some important tips to help you with planning a bachelorette party. 

  • Understand that some invitees may decline. Don’t take it personally. Some people aren’t ready to gather, and that’s okay. 
  • Keep the party as small as possible.
  • Wear your masks.
  • Stay outside. 
    • Consider going camping. This is one of the lower-risk activities you can plan. Just be sure to avoid a crowded campground, keep your group small in number, not share food or drinks, sleep in individual tents and of course, wear masks. 
    • Have an outdoor picnic in someone’s backyard. Here’s another way you can stay socially distant. Again, make sure to wear masks when you aren’t eating and to not share food. To take the picnic to the next level, you can go all out with the decorations!
  • If you’re planning a party at a venue, make sure to pay attention to vendor cancellation policies. Do not book anything that doesn’t offer a full refund. As the coronavirus situation changes rapidly, last-minute cancellations are possible. Make sure you get a refund and have a backup plan. 
Bride Getting Ready Silverceiling Planning a Bachelorette Party During a Pandemic Dos and Don’ts Morales
HAIR & MAKEUP Silverceiling Beauty Consulting | VENUE Luxury Bridal Suites | JEWELRY & PAJAMAS Poppy & Co. | PHOTO Megan Morales

The Post-Wedding Bachelorette Party

While this is not the typical order of events, this strange situation we are in is changing the status-quo. Why not have the bachelorette party after the wedding, when you can have the party the way that you actually want? Although it’s unclear when we will be able to do this, waiting until you can see everyone in person and go to a bar or another venue may be totally worth it. You can also have both: a virtual party now and an in-person party later! Have a virtual celebration before the wedding and then tell guests that there will be a “Bachelorette Party 2.0” when it’s safe!

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