I threw a hatchelorette party for my pregnant sister and apparently they are catching on! A few publications even featured it including The EveryMom, What to Expect, The Bump, The NY Post, Scary Mommy, and aol.com. Read on to learn about the celebration I planned and inspiration for meaningful hatchelorette parties at different price points.
What is a “hatchelorette” party?
A hatchelorette party is just like a bachelorette, but before a girlfriend has a baby instead of getting married. “Hatchelorette” is such a silly word, but when I came across it online I decided it’s so cute I can’t help but start using it!
The Back Story
My sister Carla‘s bachelorette party and wedding were scheduled for spring of 2020 and were sadly cancelled like so many celebrations due to COVID. Originally, we were going to fly to Florida with a group of her friends for a two-night bachelorette weekend. Carla was understandably bummed that she didn’t get to go on that trip (or have her wedding until a year later) so when she announced she was pregnant, I had an idea…
The Hatchelorette Plan
To give Carla the bachelorette experience she never had, I decided to throw a low-key celebration the night after her baby shower brunch when her best friends would be in town. They LOVED the idea!! We decided to keep things low-key and go for one night away to a local inn and spa within about an hour’s drive. In total, five of us went: our mom, my sister, me, and her two besties. When we arrived, I checked us into our two adjoining rooms and sent the rest of the group to explore the property for a bit while I decorated the rooms. I put out snacks and candy, drinks (alcoholic and non-alcoholic, of course), set up music, blew up balloons, and set out the welcome boxes I’d made to make it feel more like a bachelorette, complete with cute itinerary (unnecessary, but so fun!).
The Itinerary
Once I texted the girls to come back to the room, we had some refreshments, and opened their gift boxes. Then it was time to head to the spa for massages! It was such a fun pampering experience. Then we changed for dinner, ate at the restaurant, toasted to the mama-to-be, walked around the property at night, and headed back to the room. Carla surprised us all with little gifts to say thank you which was so sweet. We stayed up chatting and laughing and having girl time.
The next morning we woke up to drizzly weather too chilly for the pool, but we went to outdoor yoga and then picked up a quick brunch. We relaxed, iced coffees in hand, and eventually went to our rooms to pack up and check out.
The Memories
Overall it was a perfectly sweet little trip! Some bachelorette and celebration trips have become really big (financially, time required, travel, etc.). This trip reminded us that while it was very nice, it was close to home, just one night, and still very meaningful!
More Hatchelorette Ideas
Reminiscing on this trip has me thinking about all of the special ways to celebrate someone you love having a baby! Here are a few ideas for three different price points.
Lower Budget Hatchelorette Party
I don’t think a hatchelorette needs to even require an overnight! A super fun idea would be to invite a group of girls over for a spa night at your home. Here is what I would do!
- Invite everyone to a Hatchelorette Spa Night! Ask everyone to wear their pajamas or order these adorable auntie shirts to surprise the guest-of-honor. This maternity nightgown and robe are two great options, too. You can create a cute, free design on canva to text as the invitation or use paperless post.
- Decorate with fun accessories around your home (blue or pink!) like pacifiers, balloons, and hang this Oh Baby balloon sign (don’t forget this to make set up go much faster).
- Order pizza for dinner and have a couple appetizers and desserts (keep it simple and if anyone offers to bring someone, take them up on it!)
- Set out a small bar of drinks. I love the idea of a “signature cocktail” with fresh fruit made in two batches- one with and one without alcohol. This watermelon cucumber cooler looks amazing with or without vodka!
- Set out some fun pampering items like eye masks and nail polish, claw clips and headbands, candy and hair brushes, light a few candles to give the spa vibe, turn on the mama-to-be’s favorite rom com movie, and have a fantastic time!
- If you want to give each girl a small take-home item and it’s in your budget, delicious chapsticks, getting ready headbands, small candles, a wet brush, a claw clip, or a pair of slippers would be so sweet, but of course not necessary.
Bigger Budget Hatchelorette Party
You want to do a night away, but no flight required. A single overnight away with an intimate group is perfect! I’d recreate what we did for Carla’s trip! Find a resort, hotel, Airbnb house, or bed and breakfast within about an hour or so drive of the group of guests (a great opportunity for friends who live a few hours away from each other to meet in the middle!). Arrive for check-in in the afternoon, visit the spa or enjoy a fun local activity, eat at the hotel restaurant, a nearby restaurant, order in, or cook together if you’re in an Airbnb. Stay up chatting and playing games (there are so many cute baby themed games), then enjoy brunch in the morning and another activity if there is time before checkout. A short, sweet, meaningful trip! Shop everything I bought for our girls night away here, plus a few more cute things I’ve found!
Biggest Budget Hatchelorette Party
We’re going all out! A weekend in Mexico, a trip to Aspen, you name it, this is the trip of a baby mama’s lifetime. Are we talking infinite budget? Great. Here are some ways I’d make it special and on theme:
- Plan this trip for when the mama-to-be is in her second trimester. She’ll most likely be feeling her best! By the third trimester, her belly is big and her ankles are bigger. Plus, different obgyn doctors have different rules about how late in pregnancy a woman is allowed to travel.
- Book the hotel suite! If you have unlimited funds, definitely go for the gorgeous room with a common area where everyone can hang out. Or look into rental homes with amenities like bikes, a pool, or stunning views.
- Provide personalized auntie gear upon arrival. How cute would a Boat Bag embroidered with “auntie era” be?! Of course, get one for the mama-to-be too with something cute like “hot mom,” “milf,” or the baby’s initials embroidered on it, too! Be sure to get the zip-top so she can use it as a diaper bag or overnight bag once baby arrives. I’d stock the aunties bags with jammies for the locale (these for the beach, these for the mountains), a vacation read (beach, mountains), and a few extra goodies including sunglasses, a shell jewelry dish, fun beach towel, water bottle, and retro auntie tee for the beach. For the mountain, I’d stock it with an auntie sweatshirt, chapstick, Stanley, and a couple drinks.
- For mama’s bag, I’d include maternity pjs (how cute are these for the non-preggo girls?), candy, a bottle of non-alcoholic champagne, a few pampering items like this and this, and a sweet mommy and babe denim set, and an adorable on-theme hat for the little one to come.
- Schedule an in-home masseuse who offers prenatal services to come to the house one afternoon.
- Private chef? Say no more. Less indulgent options? Order catering from local restaurants or DIY it with a fun group cooking activity like making pasta or personal pizzas one night. Be sure to set out a pregnancy friendly bar with both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks. Or head downtown in your cowgirl best (this dress, these boots— yeehaw!). At the beach? Keep it simple and cool with this dress, starfish earrings, and retro-inspired sunglasses.
- Be sure to schedule in some wellness time. Mama’s gotta keep moving a bit! A leisurely hike, a walk on the beach, a swim, a pickleball game, or a chill paddle boarding, kayaking, or biking tour would all be fun ways to get outside and enjoy the landscape. Don’t forget to wear your sun hat during the day and cozy layers in the mountains.
- Go shopping! Mama’s clothes are starting to get too snug so visit the local shops to find a few new adorable maternity-friendly items that she can feel her fabulous-self in. If she isn’t sure what to bring on the trip, point her toward these straight leg maternity jeans and a sweater dress (so many more cute affordable options here!).
- Post-trip collect all the photos from everyone who attended and create a book to give your friend to remember her special trip and time before becoming a mom.
