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By: Aimee Lyons

Who can Plan a Bachelorette Party?

Basically, anyone can plan a bachelorette party, so long as they are connected to the bride and the wedding in some way. While the maid of honor (or equivalent) is the traditional choice for planning and hosting the bachelorette party, it is entirely possible for the bride herself to do the same. This doesn’t necessarily mean that a bride hosting her own bachelorette party is a controlling bridezilla or is on the path to becoming one. Some brides want certain things for their bachelorette party, and sometimes there may be issues with maids of honor or bridesmaids honoring those requests.

Why Have a Sober Party?

For brides who are recovering from substance abuse, hosting your own bachelorette party may be your best option to make the event a sober one. Many people think of bachelor and bachelorette parties as debauchery extravaganzas where the alcohol both flows freely and is a requirement. It’s become an expectation that many of those people have and are hesitant or unwilling to go against. As a recovering bride, you may have justifiable concerns about relapsing because someone fails to respect your commitment to your sobriety at your bachelorette party. But it is your party and your guests need to respect that; if you don’t want to drink or have alcohol present, then they shouldn’t try to force you to do otherwise.

Still, it’s completely okay if you want to plan your own sober bachelorette party in order to maintain your sobriety and it may even be a relief for your bridal party members who may not know how to do that in the first place. So what can you do for a sober bachelorette party? Surprisingly, you can do basically whatever you want and make it alcohol-free. Go to a fancy restaurant, a spa, girls’ weekend, festivals, or whatever it is that interests you and that you want to do. For some recovering brides, an at-home bachelorette party is viewed as a better option because it can be easier to avoid triggers and control what comes into the environment around you.

What to plan?

Bring the fun to you and keep anything (or anyone) that you don’t want present as you celebrate your singlehood. Consider your interests, budget, the date and time for the event, and who will be there in order to come up with some ideas. If you are hosting at home, keep in mind any space restrictions that may impact what options are feasible. To make it different than a traditional bachelorette party and keep things sober, you need to plan it right. Most recovery experts recommend taking extra care with your guest list, choosing people who are important to you and will be okay with an alcohol-free event. In most cases, keep it around or under 20 people to avoid things from getting out of hand and to be in line with the activities planned.

You should also take care with the activities planned, choosing a few at a time to keep things going and provide enough entertainment for everyone involved. For example, pick a theme for the party and choose activities or events that match it. Make sure that you plan things out enough in advance to allow for arrangements and adjustments to be made for yourself and your guests. If you plan on going somewhere for your bachelorette party, you should consider what actions you can take if faced with alcohol or other triggers.

Some brides are perfectly fine with their guests drinking and will find a non-alcoholic alternative like a mocktail or sparkling beverage for the celebrations. However, that does not mean that you will not be tempted or pressured [http://www.drugrehab.org/staying-sober-temptation-parties-events/]to break your sobriety by others. Planning what to do just in case in addition to the other facets of the event can help you stay sober and have fun at your bachelorette party. Share these plans with your guests—especially if you may need help in certain situations—to allow things to go as smoothly as possible.