27-05-2025
The Rise of the Solorette: Why Brides Are Taking Themselves on a Solo Bachelorette
It's the time of year when bachelorette season is in full swing. The pre-wedding celebration with friends has long been a rite of passage—and in recent years, it's become a full-fledged event, complete with themed itineraries, matching outfits, and Instagram-ready backdrops. But a growing number of brides are quietly opting out of the group trip altogether or adding another one to the mix, embracing a new kind of send-off: the solorette, or solo bachelorette. Equal parts solo retreat and personal reset, the solorette is a one-woman bachelorette designed for reflection, indulgence, and a little solitude before the big day. So what's driving this shift—and could the solo bachelorette be the new bridal essential?
According to Fora travel advisor Rachel Havens, the rise of the solorette is part of a much broader change in how women—and especially brides—are thinking about travel. 'There's been a noticeable shift toward solo travel, especially among brides who want to carve out intentional time for themselves before the wedding,' says Havens. 'Whether it's a wellness retreat, a reset trip, or simply a chance to reflect before the big day, more clients are embracing the idea that celebrating yourself can start with a solo adventure. It also takes the pressure off trying to coordinate with everyone else's schedules and preferences—there's something really freeing about planning a trip that's 100% for you.'
Kristine Thomason, a lifestyle journalist, experienced that firsthand when she went on a solo trip before her nuptials in July 2024—a month before her wedding in August 2024. She loved the idea of terming the trip a 'solorette' as opposed to a solo bachelorette. 'Rather than refer to it as the solo version of a bachelorette party, I wanted the occasion to have its own term and identity. So, I combined the words solo and bachelorette into 'solorette'—while it's incredibly simple, something about mashing the words together seemed to give it the same kind of fun, joyful energy as a bachelorette,' she says.
While also partaking in a traditional 'bachelorette,' Thomason wanted to have a trip pre-wedding that emphasized reflection and moving into a different way of living, from solo to partnered. 'To me, it felt like a missing puzzle piece in pre-wedding culture: It's easy to get swept up in all the excitement, but I also think it's crucial to be mindful and clear as we enter this new chapter,' she says.
