My sister is getting married in a just a few short months in a beautiful castle in Scotland. No, I’m not making that up, it really is going to be like a fairy tale. With the destination wedding we decide to nix the bridal shower and engagement party and focus solely on the bachelorette party weekend (hens weekend if you prefer). I was keen to make it as eco-friendly as possible.

Most people would say the most eco-friendly tip is to get rid of it all together, for people who don’t want that option,  here are 5 areas where you can reduce your waste and still have an epic bachy bash!

Location

1. If you decide to keep it local, keep it close to where people can car-pool together. However if you are flying somewhere, fly during off-peak seasons and recommend everyone off-set their flights. I like using Mindful Flights because it shows me exactly where my dollar is going to off-set my emissions.
2. We stayed in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico because it was actually more affordable to travel here during off-peak time season than staying in the USA.

Accomodation

1. Opt for a boutique hotel or airbnb’s to support local tourism and smaller businesses. Our airbnb in Playa del Carmen is absolutely perfect! It is close to the main streets, not too crowded and has plenty of amenities for the girls. We felt very safe too, which is top priority!

Party Favors and Decorations for the Bachelorette Party

The place is set and now its time to gift all the friends who attend the fun-filled weekend.

1. Choose gifts that can be reused. I loved these plain one-piece swimsuits and sustainable turkish towels for the girls. They are perfect for travel and fit all different body types! They can be worn with jeans, skirts, and more.
2. The idea of a reusable cup is great because the drinks will be a flowin’ plenty and red solo cups are so college. (Sorry young readers ;))

1. Sunglasses that say “Bride Tribe” are popular and you can reuse them for the next Bachelorette party weekend.

1. We wanted our girl to feel special so we decorated the place using tissue paper decorations or reusable plastic wall decor. I made sure to get signs that didn’t have the year on them –> “Bride to Be” “It’s a Party” “Bride Tribe” are all great ones that can be reused for years to come! **save a reusable bag to store for the next party* (if you can find eco-fetti locally before leaving, that is also fun and waste-free!)

Shopping

It is great to stock up on food so you aren’t going out for every meal.  Bring reusable bags with you when you head to the shops! Some countries still opt for plastic bags and this is great way to reduce unnecessary plastic. Buy in bulk over small bags.

**If you are going to a destination that you cannot drink the local water (and you don’t have a filter bottle), opt for larger water jugs over bulk plastic bottles** They last longer and are more likely to be recycled due to their size.

Dining

Eating out is so much fun with the whole group.

1. Share food with the table so there are fewer leftovers and opt to go for more plant-based options.
2. We had a home-cooked meal by Private Chef Playa, who made it all plant-based. It was delicious and a fun way to spend time together!

Activities

1. Pack your reusable cup, sunscreen, and try to get information ahead of time if the venue uses reusables.
2.  Our boat had all reusable glasses so we didn’t have to worry about unnecessary plastic.
3. HAVE FUN! Do the best you can and that is more effort than most 🙂

More Tips?

1. Need the starter kit to travel more sustainably, click here.