The First Bachelor Party Happened In 5 B.C., But Brides Wanted To Join In On The Fun Too, So Bachelorette Parties Were Born In The 1960s

After all of the stress of wedding planning, bachelorette parties offer soon-to-be brides a chance to unwind and let loose with their friends before the big day.

Whether it’s an extravagant vacation or a simple sleepover with your BFFs, celebrating with your friends before your wedding day is a fun tradition that many brides get excited about. Have you ever wondered how this tradition came about?

Bachelor parties started many, many years before, the first one dating back to 5 B.C., where a feast was held for a groom before the night of his wedding in ancient Sparta.

The tradition still stands strong today and has for many decades. While some men may joke that they view this night as their “last night of freedom,” the get-together should be all about spending time with close friends before the upcoming special day.

Interestingly, bachelorette parties first began during the 1960s as an act of feminism. The rise of the bachelorette party went alongside numerous other acts during the women’s liberation movement of the 60s.

These nights were new and separate from traditional bridal parties and allowed women to exchange gifts and celebrate in ways that were perhaps more non-traditional.

By the time the 1980s rolled around, bachelorette parties were just as popular as bachelor parties and were seen as a right of passage for many brides to be.

Today, the parties themselves differ depending on the bride, but they can often be fun parties filled with drinks, jokes, games, and laughs with her closest friends.

Destination parties have become increasingly popular for bachelorettes and their crew, and taking a girls’ trip is a great way to spread out the celebration.

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