By now, you are probably aware that coronavirus (COVID-19) is causing thousands upon thousands of brides to postpone or cancel their weddings and the many celebrations - like bachelorette parties - leading up to their big day. Not only is this heartbreaking for a bride to be, but it can also be incredibly stressful. To help navigate this unfortunate situation, we have put together a few tips on what to do if your bachelorette party plans have been impacted by coronavirus.
Cheer up the bride with a virtual bachelorette party happy hour
Let's face it. The bride-to-be is going to be pretty bummed out the weekend that her bachelorette party was supposed to take place. So why not cheer her up with a virtual video happy hour with her girls? Set up a Group FaceTime or Google Hangouts video meeting and then get ready to party. Here are some ways you can make a virtual bachelorette party feel a bit more like the real deal:
1. Play classic bachelorette games with the group (ours are FREE!)
Break the ice and get the group laughing by playing a few, fun bachelorette party games like our "How Well Do You Know The Bachelorette," "Drink If," and "Quiz The Groom" games - all free to download!
2. Pretend you are all together by sipping on the same cocktail
Share one of our skinny bachelorette party punch recipes in the happy hour invite and ask everyone to mix it up prior to the get-together! Not only will everyone learn how to make a new drink, it'll help your crew feel like you're all hanging in the same bar.
3. Send the bride a goodie box with bach gear
Snag a few bachelorette party essentials for the bride, like a cute shirt, sash, headband and a jumbo BRIDE balloon banner, and have her wear them on the call. It might be a little cheesy, but we bet ya it'll bring a smile to her face.
Download a few Bachelorette Party Games (they're free!) for a virtual bachelorette party happy hour
Reschedule, don't cancel!
If your group is unable to travel due to COVID-19, rather than skip the final fling all together, find a new weekend that the group can get together instead! Start by reaching out to your vendors and find out what your options are for rebooking. Then, gather the group's availability and pick a new weekend to celebrate. Not only will the bride still get her bachelorette weekend, you'll be helping support businesses during this tough time by rescheduling instead of cancelling. Here our tips for rescheduling your bachelorette trip:
1. Use a tool like Doodle to easily collect everyone's availability
If picking a new weekend for the bachelorette trip is giving you heartburn, you're about to thank us. Use a free scheduling tool like Doodle to quickly and easily collect the group's availability. This will save the bride and MOH a ton of back-and-forth trying to figure out what the options are for a new date.
2. Spend the extra time to fine tune your party plans
Look on the bright side, babes! While postponing the bachelorette weekend may not be ideal, you now have a ton of time to fine tune your itinerary, party outfits and decorations. Take advantage of our free bachelorette party city guides and blog for inspiration and planning advice!
3. Take advantage of sales and deals!
Airlines, hotels, restaurants and boutiques of all sizes are offering some killer deals right now! Take advantage of the discounts to save on your travel, party activities, decorations and gear (we're offering 15% off all party shirts with code SHIRTGOALS!) while also supporting businesses that need your help.
Save some cash and support small businesses by shopping the sales, like ours for 15% off all bachelorette party shirts with code SHIRTGOALS. We call that a win-win!
Consider having a bachelorette party staycation instead
If making travel plans still feels too uncertain, plan to host the bachelorette festivities in the bride's hometown instead! Not only is this a low-cost and low-stress option, there are a ton of advantages to having a hometown bach weekend, assuming your crew lives in or near the same city as the bride to be. Here a few of our favorite activities for a bachelorette party staycation that you can enjoy once quarantine is over (depending on your local government's regulations):
1. Have a bachelorette "field day" in the backyard
Divide into two teams and spend the day playing classic camp and drinking games like balloon toss, tug-a-war, prosecco pong and flip cup! Jam to a playlist of the bride's favorite tunes and wrap up the fun with a BBQ and trivia about the bride-to-be.
2. Plan the ultimate girls' night in with rom coms and face masks
Get matching pajamas for the group and spend a night-in playing games like Booze N' Babes Girls Night Jenga and watching the bride's favorite romantic comedies! Don't forget to order some pizza and have plenty of popcorn (and champagne!) ready to go.
3. Be extra with your party decorations
Make the bride feel like she is in her dream destination by bringing her dream destination to her! Browse our bachelorette party themes like Final Fiesta, Bach & Boujee and Nashlorette for all the party supplies needed for an Instagram-worthy set up.
Need more ideas? Check out our blog post with 16 at-home bach party activity ideas!
Host a bachelorette party "field day" in your backyard with games like balloon toss, prosecco pong and flip cup. Photo credit: Aleigh Aileene Photography
We hope these tips help you navigate next steps for rescheduling your or your bestie's bachelorette party! If you need more ideas or support, take a peek at our Instagram (@shopstagandhen) or give us a shout at info@shopstagandhen.com. We are here to help, babes!