Planning a wedding is an awfully stressful endeavor. From flowers to guest lists to last-minute dress fittings, the typical bride to be usually finds herself inundated with follow-up tasks for the entire month leading up to her wedding. To help the bride to be ease some of her tension, many bridal party members are choosing to forgo the stereotypical wild and crazy bachelorette night out in favor of a relaxing spa party.
What is a bridal spa party?
A bridal spa party has the members of the bridal party and sometimes others getting together and receiving a variety of spa treatments. While some bridal spa parties take place in an actual spa, an increasingly popular option is a mobile spa party, where the spa professionals come to you. Many companies specialize in these mobile spa parties, and often times, it is far more affordable and convenient to have the experts come to your location of choice.
Companies that specialize in bridal spa parties will create a relaxing yet celebratory environment for the occasion. The typical spa setting will include soothing music, candles, and exotic scents. To tailor this atmosphere towards a bridal spa party, the company might include some specially-themed decorations and party favors.
Treatments offered during a bridal spa party can vary, but popular options include manicures, pedicures, and massages. These services are easy to offer on a mobile basis and fall on the less expensive side of spa treatments.
There are also many specialized skin care treatments to choose from during a bridal spa party, including facials, peels, and acne treatments. These services can be rather costly, and some might only be available at an actual spa. The members of the bridal party will often agree to treat the bride to the specialized services but stick to the simpler options themselves.
Who can participate in a bridal spa party?
While a typical “night out” bachelorette party usually involves the bridal party in addition to many of the bride’s female friends, a bridal or bachelorette spa party is often limited to the members of the bridal party plus, of course, the bride herself. This is especially true if the bridal spa party is set to take place in an actual spa, since many spas have limited space available and cannot always accommodate a larger group. However, if the spa or mobile spa company in question can handle more of a crowd, then inviting some of the bride’s friends who are not members of the bridal party is a great idea. This way, more people can be included in the fun, and the extra participants can help defray the cost of the bride’s spa treatments by splitting the expense across the board.
Benefits of a bridal spa party
A primary benefit of a bridal spa party is that it can give the bride to be a chance to relax during an otherwise hectic time. A bridal spa party also provides a quiet, calming atmosphere - a stark contrast from most bars and nightclubs – which can lend to easy conversation and quality time amongst the members of the bridal party. Another great benefit of a bridal spa party is that some treatments can improve the skin so that the recipients look more refreshed in time for the wedding.
The downside to having a bridal spa party
Since spa parties offer specialized, professional services, they are usually more expensive than a standard night out on the town, which can often be done on the cheap. The average cost of a spa party is $100 to $150 per person involved. There are ways to keep the cost down, such as limiting the services offered during the party or having the bridesmaids tackle the set-up and decorations themselves. Even with certain cost-cutters in place, a spa party is far from cheap.
Bridal party members should discuss the cost amongst themselves to determine how much money they are comfortable spending, keeping in mind that a bridal spa party will usually not replace the actual bridal shower, just the bachelorette party. While the bride will sometimes offer to pay for her own treatments, this cost is usually covered by the members of the bridal party and other spa party guests.
Another thing to keep in mind is that some brides will still want the experience of the “last hurrah” and prefer a wild night of partying to a quiet afternoon of spa treatments. Before you go spending hundreds of dollars on a bridal spa party, talk to the bride about what she wants. Unlike bridal showers, most bachelorette parties are not planned as surprises, so running the idea by the bride should not ruin or take away from the experience in any way.
The bottom line
Bridal spa parties are a great way for the bride to be and her bridal party members to unwind together in the weeks leading up to the big day. The typical bride to be will tell you that she considers her wedding day to be the most important day of her life. While the cost of a bridal spa party might deter you at first, consider it a contribution towards the bride’s happiness on her wedding day; and really, it’s hard to put a price on that.
