How To Throw a Bachelorette Party that Doesn't Suck.

"It's time to drink champagne,

And rock stilettoes.

It’s time to sing along to Britney,

And laugh until we cry mascara tears. It’s time to dance until dawn,

And order extra pepperoni.

It’s time to take back the Bachelorette Party…

Because if yours ‘sucks’,

It’s because you’re doing it wrong."

Lately, it seems that the second a friend announces her engagement, women all over who are otherwise totally averse to phallic paraphernalia pick up their “Bachelorette Party 101” handbooks and rush to fill their shopping carts with decorationsand gamesthat would make their grandmothers blush- not to mention the apparent supposition that a bachelorette party has to include a stripper or strip club at some point. With everyone thinking that a bachelorette party has a mandatory format that must be followed, it isn’t surprising that Pinterest is exploding with pins calling for bachelorette party games, decorations, activities and more that don’t ‘suck’.

The only problem with this is that there is no “Bachelorette Party 101” handbook, and there is no right or wrong way to throw a bachelorette party. If your bachelorette party (or one you’ve attended) ‘sucks’, it’s probably because you’re approaching it the wrong way. At their initial inception in the 1960s, the bachelorette party was meant to be a rejection of the more traditional bridal shower. Rather than sipping iced tea and receiving gifts that would help the bride to run her new household, for the first time a bride was allowed to let loose and enjoy some fun with her girlfriends in much the same way that her fiancé was able to.

Though much has changed since these first bachelorette parties, one thing has remained the same. Bachelorette parties are still thrown as a way to relieve pre-wedding jitters and to celebrate the bride individually, as she moves toward becoming part of a couple. It’s important not to lose sight of that, no matter how excited or stressed you may be about planning her party. No two brides are exactly alike, and why should their bachelorette parties be? At their core, bachelorette parties are meant to simply be a celebration among the bride and her best friends, put together in honor of her impending nuptials. Sure, lots of women get a kick out of making the most of their last night as single girls and embrace the revelry to the fullest extent- penis straws and all.

But if your bride-to-be would die if caught within 100 yards of a strip club, her bachelorette party doesn’t have to rival a Magic Mike casting call. More importantly, there’s no reason why it should! When planning a bachelorette party, the most important thing to consider is the bride-to-be. Before you feel forced to plan what you might consider a “traditional” bachelorette party, take a moment to realize that there’s really no such thing. Instead, a bachelorette party should be an event that makes your engaged friend happy. If you keep that in mind during the planning process, it will be impossible not to host a phenomenal event.

Before starting to arrange her party, think about the bride’s personality. Does she regularly shut the bar down, or is she more likely to be found with her nose in a book come Saturday night? Is she perfectly at home hiking somewhere with no cell service, or does she cringe at the thought of spending time anywhere without its own Wi-Fi? The ideal bachelorette party perfectly caters to her likes and dislikes. While you may be tempted to throw a splashy Vegas bash for the bride, keep in mind that this might not be what makes her happy. On a similar note, if your bride loves the idea of a raucous bachelorette party, putting together a quiet dinner is likely not going to be a recipe for success.

At the end of the day, no bachelorette party could ever ‘suck’ if it’s planned with the bride in mind. The more that you’re able to incorporate the bride’s own unique interests and hobbies, the better it will be. Today, there are more fun and creative options for a bachelorette party than ever before! It doesn’t matter if you opt for a relaxing spa day, plan a laid-back weekend getaway, or go a more conventional route by hitting up a few fun bars. As long as you’re doing what the bride wants with the people that she loves, the bachelorette party is guaranteed to be a day/night/weekend to remember!

Check out our list of 101 bachelorette party ideas to plan your perfect party.