His-and-Hers Bachelor/Bachelorette Parties

by Anne Fritz, Posted Sep 10th 2010 1:30PM

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Spurred on by celebrities like Fergie and Josh Duhamel, who tied the knot in January 2009, and Melissa Rycroft of The Bachelor fame, who got hitched in December 2009, joint bachelor/bachelorette parties are a new way to celebrate your final days of singledom.

"It's definitely a trend," says Veronica Smiley, director of marketing for Harrah's Entertainment's Total Experiences. "Couples want to have an amazing time with their own entourage and then meet up later in the night. It only adds to the fun!" While many of these joint parties are trips out of town, there are options for partying together on your home turf.

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Here are four creative ideas for his-and-hers bachelor/bachelorette parties that you can plan for a weekend at home or in Las Vegas:

His-and-Hers Golf Tournament

One couple and their friends went to nearby Cascata golf course for a little boy vs. girl golf action. They traveled from their hotel to the course in separate limos; the women's was stocked with champagne and strawberries while the men's had scotch and other liquor. They met up for lunch and had prizes for the best golfer of each sex.

At-home alternative: For the couple who doesn't like to golf, consider a bowling night, a paintball battle or a pool tournament.

Spa Day for Her, Golf for Him

If you're not into hitting the links, head to the spa for some quality girl time and pampering while the guys go out for a day of play. For one couple, Veronica arranged for the girls to have a private party room in Caesars Palace's Qua Bath and Spa. The bride's friends gave her risqué gifts in between spa treatments. Meanwhile, the guys hit up the Rio Secco golf course, home of the T-Mates (gorgeous female caddies). Both groups met up for the evening festivities.

At-home alternative: If you're not a spa-goer, consider having a long, leisurely lunch followed by an afternoon of shopping. If he's not into golf, send him to a baseball game or on a fishing trip.

Pre-Party and Post-Dinner

In Veronica's experience, couples like to have happy hour together in a room or suite, head to dinner separately, then meet up at a club later in the night. The girls can head out for sushi or French cuisine, while the guys can hit an Italian restaurant or a wine bar, she recommends. "Having the bride and groom's friends intermingling creates a cool vibe for the night that carries over to the wedding," Veronica says.

At-home alternative: Meet up at someone's house or a prearranged local bar for the pre-party festivities.

Wine Tasting

For a group that wanted a high-end bachelor/bachelorette experience, Veronica arranged for a blindfolded wine tasting at the Wine Cellar at the Rio. "The sommelier had them identify the wines and the man and woman with the most correct got prizes." In this instance, the prizes were gift certificates for a cigar shop for him and a lingerie shop for her.

At-Home alternative: Ask your or your fiancé's most gregarious pal to lead all your friends in a night of at-home wine tasting.

Anne L. Fritz is the founder of The Jet Set Girls, a website about girls' getaways. Fritz is the former style director for Life & Style Weekly and has written for DailyGlow.com, Daily Makeover.com. and InStyle.com.

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