Host a ‘Bachelorette’ Viewing Party

By Andrea Woroch

I don’t watch much television, aside from an hour of news to go along with my morning latte. Yet there’s something about this sappy, reality dating show that makes me scramble to the couch every Monday evening. Though I hate to admit it, I eagerly awaited the premiere of season eight of ‘The Bachelorette’ as America’s favorite past contestant and single mom, Emily Maynard, took the stage in her quest for love.

Though Emily weeded out some of the weirdos in the first episode, there’s still plenty of drama, tears, exotic destinations and heartfelt goodbyes to enjoy. So whether you’re looking to gossip with some gal pals over your favorite eligible bachelor or you simply have nothing better to do on Monday nights, consider hosting a ‘Bachelorette’ viewing party, using these tips to make it memorable and fun.

Related: Reality Stars Who Found Real Love

1. Create an Entrance: What’s a ‘Bachelorette’ party without any roses? To set the mood, hand out red roses to each guest upon arrival. Depending on the number of friends attending, you may consider red carnations as an inexpensive alternative. Otherwise, pick up some faux flowers from a nearby craft supplier.

2. Dress to the Nines: Request Rose Ceremony-appropriate attire. Ladies should come dressed in fancy gowns, and men should sport a suit or coat with a tie.

Related: First Date Outfit Ideas: Dinner and Drinks

3. Be Refreshing: ‘Bachelor’ and ‘Bachelorette’ contestants are always sipping on a cocktail, enjoying a glass of wine or toasting with champagne, so decide what drink you’d like to serve at your party. Ask guests to chip in with their favorite beverage to keep costs under control, and pick up inexpensive plastic flute glasses from the dollar store.

4. Serve Exotic Food: In addition to festive cocktails, you may also consider offering ethnic finger foods based on the show’s upcoming destination. Check out Pinterest for recipe ideas, and load up your supermarket loyalty card with mobile coupons from CouponSherpa.com to score savings.

5. Drink Up: Reality TV drinking games are an exciting way to get your friends into the show, especially those who could care less about which bachelor is sent home. Identify a common word or phrase that gets overused by a specific character, and ask everyone take a sip of his or her drink each time it is said.

6. Vote On It: Ask guests to vote on which bachelors they think will be picked for a one-on-one date and which guys will be sent home during the Rose Ceremony. Make sure that anyone who read a spoiler blog keeps his or her lips sealed!

Related: Date Idea: Couple Up with Game Night

7. Try Trivia: During commercials, quiz your guests on their ‘Bachelor’ and ‘Bachelorette’ IQ. Grab details about past episodes and contestants on TV.com, and create a trivia game using index cards.

8. Offer Goody Bags: You can’t play games without handing out prizes to the winners. Keep it cheap with inexpensive treats like candy and candles for the goody bags.

Andrea Woroch is a nationally-recognized consumer and money-saving expert who helps consumers live on less without radically changing their lifestyles. From smart spending tips to personal finance advice, she transforms everyday consumers into savvy shoppers. Woroch has been featured on top news outlets such as Good Morning America, NBC’s Today, MSNBC, New York Times, Kiplinger Personal Finance, CNNMoney and many more. You can follow her on Twitter for daily savings advice and tips.

For all media inquiries, please contact Andrea Woroch at 970-672-6085 or andrea@kinoliinc.com.