You’ve probably heard of coed bashes, but joint bachelorette parties are another popular way to join forces with someone during your prewedding celebrations. Perfect for best friends or sisters whose engagements coincide together, a joint bachelorette party could be a smart choice for you. But “double the brides” doesn’t necessarily mean “double the fun.” Here are the pros and cons of pairing up with a fellow bride, whether you’re trying to stay local or planning for somewhere exotic.
Con: Not all of the attention will be on you.
This is likely the biggest sticking point for brides who aren’t comfortable sharing the spotlight during such a momentous occasion. Your bachelorette party will still be yours—but it’ll be someone else’s too. That means two ladies in white, two “bride-to-be” sashes and two Instagram hashtags. Your friends should do the work to make sure you both feel the love equally, but if you want all eyes on you (and only you) during your prewedding bash, this probably isn’t the best option.
Pro: You (and your friends) will save money and time.
If you and your fellow bride have the exact same friend group, this is probably the best case scenario for your besties. Obviously, when you’re consolidating two weekends into one, you and your friends will save money in just about every area: travel, hotels, food and so on (and package deals and hotel blocks are better for bigger groups, in the case that you both have some one-off guests). It’s also important to keep in mind that your friends with busy schedules will get to kill two birds with one stone by knocking out both parties at once. Essentially, your crew will thank you.
Con: All decisions will have to satisfy both parties.
Although your bridal party will take care of a lot of the planning aspects and logistics, some of the major decisions are often left up to the bride (like location, for instance—very important). And if there are two brides, well, those decisions will have to be made collaboratively. Your friends, additionally, might have difficulty planning activities for two different people with distinct personalities. (Say, maybe you love the idea of going on a ghost tour but your fellow bride hates spooky stuff.) It might be challenging making sure both parties are satisfied every step of the way, and this is something you wouldn’t have to worry about if you had your own.
Pro: The planning workload will be cut in half.
Bachelorette parties are typically planned by the maid(s) of honor, so assuming you and your friend have two different ones, the planning workload will be cut in half for them. That means less phone calls, less reservations and, most importantly, less stress for your right-hand woman (or man)—the biggest gift of all.
Con: Some activities might be challenging or even out of the question.
You’ll notice the difference between the idea of an intimate bachelorette party (say, if you just chose four of your closest friends) and a huge group (five times that size) immediately. Especially while trying to do something as simple as go out to dinner, since popular places will typically have trouble accommodating larger parties. It’ll be difficult to do things spontaneously without having to split up into smaller groups.
Pro: Your friends will get to bond with each other.
Maybe you don’t have the same friend group as your friend. No matter! We can guarantee you’ll have an amazing time mixing your people together, introducing your closest and most cherished friends to one another, and making lifelong memories together as a large crew. It’ll be a bonding opportunity like no other.
Con: But any stray friends might still feel uncomfortable.
So maybe you do share a large, overarching friend group with your fellow bride, but you probably still have family members (like cousins) and friends from different circles that might not be acquainted with everyone else (or the other bride). They might feel awkward celebrating—with phallic props, no less—the impending marriage of someone they just met.
