Bachelorette party ideas: games, plans and how to split the cost

A bachelorette party—in Peru, the despedida de soltera, literally the “farewell to single life”—is the celebration a bride’s friends throw for her before the wedding. It can be a sleepover, a spa day, a nice dinner or a weekend away; what matters is that it feels like her. This guide walks you through it: who takes the lead, when to have it, ideas for every style, games, how to split the cost and how to look out for the group.

Who plans it

It’s usually planned by the maid of honor or the bride’s closest friends, sometimes with help from sisters, cousins or future sisters-in-law. The easiest setup is one person in charge and everyone else taking a specific job: bookings, decorations, games, shopping or the money.

If nobody steps up, the bride can ask a friend directly. That’s not rude—it beats having no party at all. In some families it’s the madrinas who take it on, and they have their own role in the ceremony too: that’s covered in who the wedding padrinos are and what they take on. And if you find out you like organizing more than you expected, some people do it for a living: how to become a wedding planner in Peru starts with the portfolio and the first clients.

When to have it

It’s easiest a few weeks before the wedding, not the week of. Those last days fill up with dress fittings, RSVPs and rehearsals, and the bride needs to arrive rested.

Before you set a date:

• Ask the bride which days she has free. If it’s a surprise, ask her partner or her family.
• Check who’s coming from out of town and when they arrive.
• If it’s a trip, give everyone more notice so they can take time off.

Before you plan, check in with the bride

The golden rule is simple: the party is for her, not for the group. Even if it’s a surprise, find out—from her or from someone close to her:

• What style she likes: low-key, a night out, adventure or pure relaxation.
• Who she wants there. The usual rule is to invite only people who are also invited to the wedding.
• What she doesn’t want: embarrassing pranks, alcohol, costumes, photos on social media, strippers.
• Whether she wants a surprise or would rather know the plan.

Once that’s clear, agree on a budget with the group before you book anything.

Ideas for every style

Style	Best if the bride…	Budget
At home	Wants something small and relaxed	Low
Spa and wellness	Needs to unwind before the wedding	Medium
Dinner and a night out	Loves a good night in the city	Medium
Weekend trip	Loves to travel and the group can take a few days	High

At home

• A sleepover with rom-coms, snacks and face masks.
• A brunch or afternoon tea with a pretty table and photos of the bride through the years.
• A cooking or cocktail class taught by a friend who knows her way around the kitchen.
• A craft session: painting mugs, arranging flowers or decorating boxes for the wedding.

Spa and wellness

• Massages, manicures and pedicures as a group.
• A yoga or dance class, followed by a healthy lunch.
• A pool day at someone’s house, with music and food.

Dinner and a night out

• Dinner at a restaurant with a reserved area for the group.
• Karaoke with the bride’s favorite songs.
• A salsa or bachata class before you go dancing.
• A pisco or wine tasting, if the group is into it. Pisco is Peru’s grape brandy.

Weekend trip

From Lima, the most popular getaways are the beaches south of the city, Paracas and Ica, with their vineyards and desert, and Lunahuaná, known for river rafting. For a longer trip, there’s Cusco or the beaches of northern Peru. Before you pick:

• Add up the total cost (transportation, lodging, food and activities) and share it before anyone pays.
• Think about friends who can’t travel, and plan a way for them to join in.
• Choose licensed operators for adventure activities.

Bachelorette party games

• Who knows the bride best? Questions about her life; whoever gets the most right wins.
• The partner quiz. Record her partner answering questions ahead of time; the bride guesses what they said.
• Guess the photo. Baby pictures or travel shots of the bride; everyone guesses the year or the place.
• Rom-com charades, in two teams.
• Bachelorette bingo with lines or moments you’re likely to see that night.
• Advice jar. Each guest writes a piece of advice or a wish, and the bride reads them later.
• Night missions: light, fun dares, as long as the bride is on board.

Skip any game that could embarrass her in front of relatives or coworkers. Several of these travel to any grown-up gathering: there are more in games for an adult birthday party.

How to split the cost

Talking about money up front saves awkwardness later.

1. Set a per-person budget before booking, and ask about it openly.
2. Split the cost among the guests. The bride usually doesn’t pay her share, and her part is divided among everyone else.
3. Have one person collect before the party—in Peru, usually by Yape (a popular mobile wallet) or bank transfer—and track it in a shared list.
4. Keep the receipts and share the final tally.
5. Offer options for anyone who can’t cover it all: they can join just the dinner or part of the plan.

If you also want to give her a gift, agree on that amount separately so it doesn’t get mixed up with the party costs.

Etiquette: what not to do

• Ignore what the bride asked for. If she said no, it’s no.
• Post photos without asking, especially if coworkers or family follow her.
• Pressure anyone to drink. Everyone decides how much, and whether to drink at all.
• Invite people who aren’t invited to the wedding. It creates awkward moments.
• Leave the money for later. Unpaid balances strain friendships.

Safety: everyone gets home okay

• A designated driver who doesn’t drink, or rideshares for the trip home.
• Nobody drives after drinking. No exceptions.
• The group sticks together, and nobody leaves alone.
• Share your locations in the group chat for the night.
• Water and food throughout the celebration.
• If you’re traveling, double-check the lodging and leave the trip details with someone who isn’t going.

What the friends planning it ask

Do you invite the bride’s mom and her future mother-in-law?

That depends on her and on her family, so ask her. If the bride wants everyone together, invite them. If the plan involves racy games or a long night out, the usual fix is to split it in two: a lunch or afternoon tea with the older relatives, and the night with friends only. What doesn’t work is inviting them out of obligation and then leaving them uncomfortable all evening.

Can you throw a joint party with the groom and his friends?

Yes, and it’s increasingly common: one party for both groups, or two separate plans that meet up later that night. It works when the friends already know each other and when neither person wanted a party of their own. If you go joint, agree on the budget in the very first message, because one group usually pictures a dinner and the other pictures a trip.

What do you give the bride at a bachelorette party?

If the group is giving a gift, settle that amount separately from the party costs so nobody ends up paying twice without realizing. What usually lands well is something for what’s ahead: the honeymoon, the wedding day itself, or a contribution to the registry she already has. Pooling gets you something none of you would buy alone. Hand it over at the end, sitting down, so she can thank everyone.

What if the group wants different things?

It’s the most common snag: some want to travel and others can’t. Decide by what the bride wants, not by vote, and build the plan in two parts—one short, affordable piece everyone can join, like a lunch, a spa day or a dinner, and an optional piece for whoever can manage it. Give both costs in the first message, so nobody has to say out loud that it’s too much.

After the bachelorette, the wedding

With the party done, there’s still planning ahead. Our month-by-month wedding timeline covers what’s left, and if you want the reception to end on a high, check out these ideas for the hora loca, the wedding’s “crazy hour”.

With parati, the couple’s invitation and gift registry live on one link they share on WhatsApp.

• Friends can give a gift together: a big gift can be split into parts so several guests share it. See our wedding registry ideas.
• El Sueño (The Dream): one big gift, with the goal and the minimum contribution the couple sets.
• All from the phone: guests RSVP and give gifts without creating an account, by card or Yape.
• The couple sees who RSVP’d and who gave what.