Margaret Wilson opted for a healthier environment for her bachelorette party last year, instead of a raucous weekend of late-night dancing and drinking at clubs and bars.
Wilson, her sister, and four close friends spent four days at a wellness spa in Sedona, Arizona, in February 2023, hiking Boynton Canyon, meditating, enjoying a soothing sound bath, and relaxing in the pool. I relaxed around them.
said Wilson, 32, a dermatology physician assistant in Milwaukee. “This trip was meant to enrich my relationships with my loved ones and myself, and it was exactly that.”
Wilson said she chose Sedona because it was an “interesting part of the country that offered a unique experience that wasn’t just about nature and parties.”
Wellness travel is now one of the biggest travel trends for 2024, with more brides choosing destinations they think will help prepare their mind and body for their wedding day.
Christian Davis, general manager of Me Amo, the wellness spa where Wilson and her group celebrated, said bachelorette parties are on the rise. Other spa managers have also been in high demand in recent years.
Sarah Margulis, chief executive of honeymoon registration site Honeyfund, said: “This singles trend could track a broader shift in the way people celebrate milestones.” She says, “There’s a strong desire to go beyond boozy parties and get out and connect with nature and enjoy each other.”
In a January survey, Greenback Expat Tax Services, which provides tax services to Americans living abroad, asked 1,000 men and women attending bachelor and bachelorette parties (including brides and grooms) about their party location preferences. 3 out of 5 respondents selected “Quiet health resort”.
Tiona Breon, 28, chose Rush Creek Lodge & Spa in Groveland, Calif., to celebrate her bachelorette party with five bridesmaids in July 2022. She was drawn to both the lodge’s appearance and its access to nearby Yosemite National Park.
“I’m not one to be drawn to the bachelorette drinking and partying scene. I want to prioritize my mental and physical health, so this was the perfect environment for me to enjoy that,” said Breon, who works in the landscaping industry. Design plant engineer based in State College, Pennsylvania.
During their four-day trip, she and her bridesmaids spent time hiking and “enjoying nature, finding moments of tranquility and rejuvenation.”
Wellness-focused parties have become more than just your typical pre-wedding spa day. Many brides are now considering extended trips to spa resorts near outdoor destinations.
Leticia Fernandez, spa manager at Grand Velas Riviera Maya in Playa del Carmen, Mexico, says, “Bride-to-bes are reminded of the need to prioritize their physical, mental, and emotional health in the lead-up to their wedding. “We are becoming increasingly aware of this,” he said.
Tammy Pahel, vice president of spa and wellness operations at Carillon Miami Wellness Resort in Miami Beach, Fla., says popular spa requests at bachelorette parties include “pairing it with traditional treatments like facials. It also includes experiences such as meditation pods, infrared saunas, and vitamin B drip therapy.” And a massage. ”
Treatment costs can be expensive. His 45-minute session at Carillon’s Himalayan Salt Room costs $125, and facials there start at $239. The average spa package at Rush Creek is about $250, but a bridal package (which includes additional treatments) can be as high as about $550, said Gigi Richardson, the resort’s spa and wellness manager. That’s what it means.
“On average, a bachelorette weekend costs $1,000 per person,” said Allison O’Donner, founder and CEO of Bach to Basics, a bachelor and bachelorette party planning company based in Philadelphia and Nashville. “We’re seeing groups spending up to $2,000.”
In preparation for her bachelorette party in October, 38-year-old Samantha Lawrence took a three-day getaway with five of her closest friends and family to the Kananaskis Nordic Spa in Kananaskis Village, Alberta, Canada. are planning.
Lawrence, a health and safety manager based in Calgary, Alberta, who is planning her next wedding, says, “I don’t really like parties these days. It’s like a dream to be able to do it.” Year. “I chose this spa because it offers a unique hydrotherapy circuit. Not to mention, the spa is nestled in the breathtaking Rocky Mountains, so the location itself is tranquil.” Hydrotherapy Circuit The cost for her one-day access to is approximately $170 per person.
In addition to location and activities, brides are extending health concerns into every aspect of their pre-wedding celebrations, including menus and gift bags.
In August 2022, about a month before their wedding, Ililiana Balaji, 30, joined her current husband Matthew Balaji and 16 of their friends and family for a five-day joint wellness party in Tulum, Mexico. It was sponsored.
“We naturally chose a location that had healthier food options that were organic and locally sourced, as opposed to other common singles spots,” she says, offering health supplements, teas and low-toxins. said Ms. Balaji, founder of Live Healthillie, an online store that provides beauty products. “I wanted to appeal to everyone’s excitement level, considering that many of my friends don’t consume alcohol for health reasons.”
Balaji and her group stayed at Tribe House Tulum and spent their days at Nomad Tulum Beach Resort, while Balaji and her friends stayed in a separate rental room and went on a nature trip.
Ms. Balaji also provided guests with goody bags filled with items such as mineral and reef-safe sunscreen, natural skin care products, and organic herbal energy booster capsules.
Balaji, a holistic health coach, gave up alcohol three years ago and can no longer relate to wild bachelor parties, she says.
“I think the current trend of people becoming more focused on wellness is also inspiring more mindful bachelorette parties, surrounded by simple good vibes and memories,” she said. .
