How To Throw A Successful Non-Alcoholic Bachelorette Party

Rachel and I have been friends since we were 10 years old. Always the troublemakers in high school, we had a blast growing up together and partying. We parted ways in college but would frequently visit each other at our different campuses and spend the summers off together.

After college, I moved to San Diego while Rachel moved back to our hometown. Her drinking spiraled out of control and for reasons I won’t write here, our friendship was over. It wasn’t just me, but the relationships she had with her family that finally made her decide to seek help.

Through AA, she found a better version of herself and we made up over time. The relationship was awkward for a while… I have to admit. I still enjoyed going out to bars and drinking wine and sometimes felt uncomfortable getting buzzed in front of her.

Flash forward to today, and we are in a good place. Yes, we have different lifestyles, but we found common connections through other things such as yoga and cooking. As a bridesmaid in her upcoming wedding, I was given the task of planning her bachelorette party. A hard task, given that the majority of our high school friends still love to party.

We ended up having a nice, relaxing spa weekend at the beach, with plenty of shopping and fine dining. A win-win for all! So I just wanted to share my tips on how to throw a relaxing, but fun bachelorette party.

1. Decide on the drink situation beforehand.

Obviously, other people are still allowed to drink, but it’s best to do it in moderation. What we did was provide non-alcoholic, mocktails that looked just like the real cocktail. For example, our drink of choice at the beach was mojitos. Just replace the rum with soda water in the mock mojitos, add a ton of lime, mint and sugar and there you go!

2. Find a location that has plenty of options.

Pick a place that has a variety of options for the group, such as shopping or sightseeing. A fun option would be the Orlando theme parks, where you can bring out your inner child. You can hop around to different parks and enjoy rides and waterparks, thus taking the focus off of drinking.

3. Choose a group activity.

Sitting on the beach all day with a cocktail in hand is super fun for most people, but make sure to switch it up and add in an activity where no one is drinking. Choose a group outing that is not revolved around a bar or restaurant. Find a hotel that offers group yoga classes, pilates or paddle boarding for example. Or opt for a relaxing day at the spa.

4. Decide on the nightlife situation.

Yes, you might want to go clubbing and dance the night away, but think of the bride-to-be and if she is comfortable being in clubs with alcohol. If that isn’t something she wants to do, I would suggest going out to a nice dinner and then having a movie night in at the hotel. Popcorn, candy and pj’s…a cute slumber party bachelorette night.

The good thing about a relaxing bachelorette party weekend is that you won’t feel like crap at work on Monday!