Bachelor and bachelorette parties began way back when. At their inception, they were about “the last hurrah”. In those times, after a couple was married they would barely see their friends anymore – no more poker nights or girl’s nights out.

Considering the reason why these parties were started, a wild night out with your best friends makes sense. These days, the traditional “final night of freedom” is not necessary. Couples are free to mingle with whomever they please after their nuptials.

For this reason, co-ed (or jack and jill) bachelor/bachelorette parties are becoming more and more popular. This is perfect for the bride and groom who don’t want to be separated the night before their big day! Some may still prefer the traditional style of these parties however, and that’s okay too.

Here are some pros and cons of a joint event:

Pro’s

– Saving money 

You’ll save money in almost every area of planning including travel, food, accommodation (if its relevant), decorations and more. Package deals and block bookings will extensively lower your costs, as will splitting the bill!

– You’re there for each others fun 

You’re getting married to each other, so we’re taking a wild guess here and assuming you love spending time together. With a joint party, you get to have fun together. That’s probably the best part.

– Everyone gets to know each other

All your friends will get comfortable with each other, for all the upcoming dinners and games nights you’ll be hosting as a married couple. The groomsmen and bridesmaids will also get to mingle before the wedding, which means they’ll be much more comfortable on the day.

Con’s 

– Some guests may be disappointed 

Some of your friends may be expecting a traditional affair. For this reason, they may be a bit disappointed when they see that it’s a mixed occasion. Be sure to indicate on the invitation that the event is co-ed, and be as clear about it as you can.

– You’ll have less time with your friends 

While you will get some extra time with your special person before the big day, you’ll be sacrificing some quality time with your besties. Make sure you’re willing to give this up before you decide to go for a co-ed party.

– Plans will have to be good for both groups 

This one is difficult. You and your partner may be into the same things, but that doesn’t mean you do the same activities with your friends. Finding an activity that will suit everyone may pose a bit of a challenge, but it’s definitely doable.

Image: Unsplash 

A surprise proposal, a public proposal, a quiet and intimate proposal. All considered extremely romantic. But, you almost never see people talking about mutual proposals while gushing about how romantic it is. We’re here to tell you they can be just as great.

A mutual proposal is exactly what it’s name suggests. Both people propose to each other. Getting engaged is a choice; a choice made by both parties involved. So why not have both parties be involved in the proposal too!

Take Love is Blind couple Giannina and Damian for example. While Damian was unaware the proposal would be mutual, he was tearful with joy as Giannina proposed in return. This is one of the best pro’s of a mutual proposal – both parties get to feel adored, special, loved and wanted. What could be more romantic than that?

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Another reason couples are choosing to go the mutual proposal route is because of the greater meaning of equality. More and more, people are shedding the expectations that come with being a certain gender.

“Couples we’re seeing who are doing mutual proposals really want to be equal partners in every way, and don’t subscribe to heteronormative, socially prescribed gender roles,” said Kirsten Palladino, editor of Equally Wed magazine, to the Guardian.

On top of all of this, proposing can be a huge source of anxiety! You want it go be perfect, so you put extreme pressure on yourself to ensure everything run’s smoothly. If both parties are in on the proposal, this stress is significantly decreased. This means the proposal will be much more enjoyable.

While a mutual proposal may seem as though it takes some romance out of the equation, we beg to differ. It actually prolongs the proposal period, which means more romance. Everything that one partner usually does alone, can be done side-by-side. Choosing a ring, planning the day, making dinner reservations, you name it.

If you really want to surprise your partner, but still want a mutual proposal there’s a way around it! Each partner can take one half of the day to carry out their proposal plans. This way the plans are a surprise, but the proposal remains mutual.

If you’re not yet convinced about how great they can be, check out these real life mutual proposals. They’ll definitely change your mind:

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Image: Instagram / proposetoo

The engagement-moon is a new trend worth participating in, and we have Meghan Markle and Prince Harry to thank for it. This trend is ensuring couples are stress-free throughout their wedding planning process, while allowing them to celebrate their recent engagements at the same time!

We know millennials love to jump on board with any trend that comes their way, but this one – with more than 16 000 hashtags on instagram – is really taking off.

Essentially, it’s a pre-wedding, post-“yes i’ll marry you” honeymoon. As if you needed a reason to take a vacation, right?

The time away will give you an opportunity to celebrate, and will allow you to take a step away from the stress of wedding planning. You’ll also get some quality time together to discuss things about the wedding without the opinions of anyone outside of the relationship!

It seems that most couples take the engagement-moon just before they start their wedding planning. However, it could be a good idea to plan for the getaway to be halfway between the time you said yes and the date of your wedding. This is perfect for a mid-planning breather.

Megan Velz of DestinationWeddings.com told Brides that the marriage is about the couple so they should go off on a pre-wedding getaway to “put a cherry on top of their love”.

“Couples love to celebrate their soon-to-be-nuptials, and while an engagement party is often the first thought, we’re seeing more couples jet off to celebrate the big moment with an engagement-moon,” says Velez.

“An engagement-moon allows the couple to decompress while enjoying some one-on-one time, and it keeps your budget in check by avoiding the costs of a lavish engagement party,” she added.

Relais & Châteaux (a resort in Quebec) has capitalized on this trend by hosting engagement-moon weekends. Julia Broulillard, the resort’s groups and events co-ordinator told Brides that they expect the trend to become as popular as baby-moons. “Couples often get inundated with all the details of planning their wedding, and many feel like the wedding day itself is a blur and goes by too quickly,” she said.

Image: Unsplash