Are bridal showers and bachelorette parties just two names for the same event?
Let’s clear up the confusion and find out the difference between a bridal shower and a bachelorette party.
Before walking down the aisle, quite a few different special events often take place to honour a bride-to-be, with the bridal shower and the bachelorette party being two you might be familiar with.
Though both events have the bride as the focal point, the events have different purposes and guests as well as traditions. The bridesmaids, friends, and family who are responsible for planning these celebrations need to know the difference between the two.
In this blog, we will explain all the details that you need to know regarding a bridal shower vs bachelorette party, including their purposes, activities, guest lists and gift-giving customs.
Bridal Shower vs Bachelorette Party
Both events are treated as a celebration of the bride, but they both have different functions and feel different.
Bridal Shower — This is a more formal day-only event that is centred upon helping the bride prepare for the journey of married life. Typically girlfriends and/or relatives arrange for this and the gifts are the most functional for the bride’s new household or married life.
Bachelorette party — Alternatively, the bachelorette party is typically a casual, upbeat companion with the bride-to-be and her closest friends. It usually includes a night (or two) out that is loaded with partying, travelling, and just all of the wild things.
In summary, the bridal shower is to prepare the bride for her marriage, the bachelorette party is to prepare her to properly say goodbye to her single status amongst her best friends.
What Happens at a Wedding Shower vs a Bachelorette Party?
Where you will find the most difference between a bridal shower and vs bachelorette party is the type of activities that take place.
Bridal Shower Activities
- Unwrapping presents of home or wedding items.
- Recreational games like “How Well Do You Know the Bride?” or bridal bingo.
- Enjoying a sit-down meal or afternoon tea.
Bachelorette Party Activities
- Dinner drinks and dancing
- Going to a destination place like Cabo, Vegas, Miami etc
- Going for spa days, yacht proposals, or doing things like zip-lining or clubbing.
Bridal showers are well-mannered and designed for family, while the bachelorette party is (among other things) low-key and intended for a less formal setting.
Who to Invite to the Bridal Shower vs the Bachelorette Party?
Guest list is another factor that differentiates a bridal shower from a bachelorette party is the guest list.
Bridal Shower Invitations
Traditionally, the bridal shower has a wider guest list that includes close family like mothers, aunts, grandmothers and family friends. It might also include work associates or perhaps neighbours who are significant to the bride.
Bachelorette Party Invitations
A bachelorette party is a more personal event; it typically includes just the bride’s closest friends and bridesmaids. The ideas of this party are more informal and the guest list is limited to only those who share an intimate relationship with the bride and are ready to participate in its activities.
Older and younger guests often attend bridal showers, but bachelorette parties are dominated by the bride and her peers.
Bridal Shower vs Bachelorette Party Gifts
The Bridal shower gifts versus bachelorette party gifts are also completely different altogether.
Bridal Shower Gifts
These bridal gifts are often essentials that help the couple set up their home together. Here we can consider things like kitchen appliances, home décor or linens. Some brides will set up a registry for the shower itself so the guests know what to get.
Bachelorette Party Gifts
Gifts for a bachelorette party are generally a bit sillier and more personalized. We tend to give things like lingerie, bachelorette weekend accessories (the obligatory matching t-shirts or some fun party props), or beauty gift sets. They can be playful and designed to add to the fun of the bachelorette weekend.
Best Bachelorette Party Ideas
Below are some of the most popular bachelorette party ideas to help you make the celebration unforgettable if you are the one planning the bachelorette party.
Destination Bachelorette Weekend: Hit up a fun spot such as Cabo, Las Vegas, or Nashville for sun, sand, and a night out.
Beauty Treatment Day: Give the bride (and the entourage) a day of pampering at a luxury beauty salon. We at Blanc Bridal Salon offer on-site hair and make-up services in Cabo to ensure that everyone looks and feels their best before the big night out.
Themed Party: Center the night around a fun theme, like a 90s throwback, tropical luau, or a glamorous Hollywood red carpet theme
Adventure Day: If your bride is an adventurous type, you can go ziplining, hiking, or even on a yacht cruise.
When planning the ultimate bachelorette party, the most important element to keep in mind is the personality of the bride and what she would enjoy doing!
Best Bachelorette Party Destinations
The perfect destination can help you make your bachelorette party epic. Here are a few highlights that promise a good time:
Cabo San Lucas: Cabo is the ideal place to experience beautiful beaches during the day and party at night. To spend a day on the water and following the clubs (or a sunset cruise).
If you want to get glammed up for your night out, you and your crew can hold your bachelorette party in style with our team of pros, of makeup and hair artists providing your hair and makeup needs at Blanc Bridal Salon in Cabo!
Vegas: What if your dream bride is a party bride? There stands none other than Vegas. Experience top-notch shows, casinos, and pool parties by day, and the hottest nightclubs after dark.
Miami: The home of beaches, beautiful people, and endless nightlife. A weekend experience here is sun, sea, and more fun!
Nashville — Nashville may be the ideal bachelorette party destination if your bride is a country music lover — between the bustling bar scene, incredible live music, and southern hospitality, it’s no wonder it’s a go-to spot for bachelorette parties.
Where you decide is not as important as making the right destination choice for the bride and also the group budget.
Knowing a few important contrasts between a bridal shower and a bachelorette party will help you give her the perfect bridal shower or party for her, her personality, and the family and friends who will be coming together for it.
So whether you are all about hosting a thoughtful, small bridal shower or a bachelorette party, the purpose is to make memories that would last for the lifetime of the bride.
FAQs
1. What is the difference between a bridal shower and a bachelorette party?
A bridal shower is a structured, traditionally gift-oriented party, where the whole family and friends gather to prepare the bride for her new life. A bachelorette party, however, is a lighthearted, casual getaway with the bride and her best friends, usually including travel, partying, or other exciting hobbies.
2. Who usually pays for the bridal shower vs the bachelorette party?
The shower is usually hosted by a family member or the bridesmaids, and while the hostess pays for most of the event, guests may be asked to help cover the cost of food or activities. As for the bachelorette party, attendees generally split the cost of the entire weekend away, though the bride-to-be is typically treated to her share by the group.
3. Can the same people attend both the bridal shower and the bachelorette party?
Yes, most mutual close friends and bridesmaids will be in attendance for both. The bridal shower may include a bigger, more diverse guest list (like female family members), whereas the bachelorette party is normally smaller and more abstract consisting only of close friends.
4. What should I wear to a bridal shower vs a bachelorette party?
Often, a bridal shower is a semi-formal or daytime event, so think sundress or a nice outfit. It depends on what you will be doing at the bachelorette party; will you be going to the beach during the day or bar hopping for a night?
5. Can you hire a makeup artist for both a bridal shower and a bachelorette party?
Yes! Both events can benefit from professional makeup services.
