Last Updated on December 20, 2022
Divorce is usually the last thing on our minds when we enter romantic relationships. But being the last thing doesn’t necessarily eliminate it from the list of probable’s.
And if recent statistics are anything to go by, then the prospects of divorce in current relationships are at an all-time high. Some findings suggest that a whopping 41% of all first marriages end in divorce, with 8.60% of second marriages suffering the same fate.
People divorce for all manner of reasons, ranging from a loveless relationship to a toxic marriage characterized by gross infidelity and spousal abuse. Some partners may also choose to divorce by mutual consent.
But despite the reasons for growing apart, one thing’s for sure – going through divorce is one of the most painful processes in life. Even for divorces born of mutual consent, the parties will always be left nursing deep emotional wounds.
Fortunately, you don’t need to grieve the end of a relationship forever. Not when you can throw a fabulous divorce party to mark the end of an unfulfilling relationship. In this post, we look at 12 amazing divorce party ideas to help you usher in the next chapter in your romantic life.
1. Throw a Lemon-themed Party
When life gives you lemons, make lemonade ~ Elbert Hubbard
The figurative meaning of this phrase is to approach life’s adversities with a positive mindset. In this case, the adversity is your painful divorce process. And there’s no better way to invoke this adage than by throwing a lemon-themed party.
Now, there are plenty of ideas to experiment with here.
You’d want to start by ordering a faux lemon tree. Position the tree on strategic locations, such as on the doorway or in the patio. This is a seamless way of broadcasting the theme of the party.
Other ideas besides a faux lemon tree include making lemon-based drinks like lemonade and decorating your house with lemon cuttings. If possible, also ask your guests to don lemon-themed colors.
The more lemony the party is, the more likely it will capture the essence of the occasion.
2. Throw a Karaoke Party At Home
Setting up a karaoke event at home doesn’t necessarily require a karaoke machine. You can always improvise your very own sound system.
Just remember to do a trial run before the big day to ensure the system is fully functional. As a courtesy, you may also need to notify your neighbors.
But perhaps the biggest challenge is coming up with a playlist. Fortunately, there are hundreds of divorce and breakup songs you can line up for the event. Examples include:
• All You Had To Do Was Stay by Taylor Swift
• Heartbeats by José González
• I’d Rather Go Blind by Etta James
• I Will Always Love You by Whitney Houston
• Love Is Stronger Than Pride by Sade
• Love Yourself by Justin Bieber
• Neither One of Us by Gladys Knight & the Pips
• Someone Like You by Adele
• Somebody That I Used to Know by Elliott Smith
• You’ve Lost That Lovin Feelin’ by the Righteous Brothers
3. Host a Divorce Movie Night At Home
It might take a fairly long duration before you can find another partner with whom to snuggle on the couch as you watch your favorite romantic film or Netflix series.
However, one final movie night can serve as a perfect divorce party idea.
Invite your boy or girl gang and put on your favorite casual wear. Pour the wine and sip away as you enjoy divorce-themed movies back to back.
Some movies you can line up for the evening include:
• The Awful Truth (1937)
• Scenes From A Marriage (1973)
• An Unmarried Woman (1978)
• Kramer Vs. Kramer (1979)
• Betrayal (1983)
• The War Of The Roses (1989)
• The Squid And The Whale (2005)
• A Separation (2011)
• What Maisie Knew (2012)
• Things to Come (2016)
4. Spend a Weekend Away
A weekend getaway is an incredibly refreshing way of dealing with divorce. That’s especially if you happen to be the partner that kept the mansion after the divorce, in which case there could be lots of unpleasant reminders of your ex-spouse.
To make the most of an out-of-town divorce party, you’ll need to grab your best friends. Line up a series of fun activities. The more adrenaline-pumping, the better.
You can also consider playing dating-themed games, such as ‘Truth or Dare.’ Don’t forget to do lots of shopping, road drives, and nature walks in between.
5. Go Bar-hopping
Far be it from us to advocate for irresponsible drinking. But we all know the therapeutic effects a few glasses of wine can have on a grieving heart.
Therefore, it’s not surprising that one of the best ways to nurse a broken heart is by hopping from one bar to another, sampling your favorite wine brands.
Just remember to tag your friends along for the ultimate fun. Most importantly, have a designated driver to safely deliver you home if you end up all too wasted.
6. Broadcast It on Social Media
Sooner or later, the ‘whole world’ will know that you’re no longer married. But instead of letting everyone find out from the grapevine, why not be the one to break the news?
You don’t have to do a long social media post explaining to everyone why you and your partner decided to go your separate ways. A simple hashtag, such as #ILovedButLost or #ItWasGreatWhenItLasted, will do the trick.
The real party here is the warm and goodwill messages that will begin to stream in from your social media friends.
7. Ditch Your Wedding Outfit
Ditching your wedding outfit can offer the much-needed comfort and closure, especially after an acrimonious divorce.
The best part is that you can host a divorce party centered on discarding your wedding suit, gown, and even the ring. And there are plenty of ideas to experiment with.
You can invite friends over and have them bury the outfit or burn it over a bonfire. Although this idea may sound gross, it’s the best indication that the marriage is irredeemably over.
8. Say ‘I Don’t’
By now, it’s abundantly clear that you tied the knot with the wrong person. How about you went back in time and untied the knot?
To throw this bash, you’ll need a couple of friends or family members – preferably the very ones that graced your big day. Designate those who’ll play various roles, including your now-estranged partner, the priest, best man, and bridesmaids, as well as the bride and bridegroom parents.
The party’s climax will be the point where the partners would normally take their vows and say ‘I do.’ Except that in this case, you say ‘I don’t.’
9. Walk Out On Your Partner on the Wedding Day
This divorce party idea is nearly similar to that of saying ‘I Don’t.’ The only difference is that you don’t get to the point where you take your wedding vows.
After all the wedding preliminaries, your invited guests will assemble in a dummy church or other wedding venue. Then, the designated actors would recreate the events where the bride and groom walk down the aisle.
Since you’re walking down the aisle with the wrong partner (in retrospect), the most logical thing to do is walk out on them. You can weave in more emotions to the occasion by breaking down and rushing out to a waiting limo cab, then vanishing into thin air.
10. Throw Your Own Divorce Shower
There are all manner of showers, including baby showers and bridal showers. So, why not treat yourself to a divorce shower?
The good thing about divorce showers is that they don’t need to be too costly or glamorous. You can simply model the party after your favorite details of bridal and baby showers.
One excellent divorce shower idea is dressing up in your favorite attire and preparing a sumptuous brunch complete with finger foods and cupcakes. You can also decide to make a wish list for everything you want, focusing on the specific qualities you’d be looking for in a new partner.
You can then follow up the brunch with fun, cheesy games before winding up the event by gifting your guests some party favors.
11. Plan a Slumber Party
The chances are that you’ve never thrown a slumber party since you got married. Well, the best time to rekindle the memories of sleepovers is when writing the last chapters of your just-ended marriage.
Invite your friends over and order your favorite martinis. Consider an exotic recipe for the dinner.
Once everyone has had their fill, pour the wine and while the evening away as you reminisce on the good, old times. A perfectly-themed movie or playlist will add more fun to the evening.
12. Focus On Self-Care
If you’re not a fan of big parties, then this is the perfect divorce party idea for you. A self-care party is exactly what the term implies – treating yourself to the finer things in life.
You’ll need to make an appointment at your local spa. Tag as many friends as you want, provided you can afford the treatments. Enjoy heartwarming banters with your buddies as you receive steamy massage therapies, manicures, pedicures, and facials from professionals.
If you prefer a low-key party, you could invite the professionals to your home instead.
Final Word
There goes our definitive collection of divorce party ideas.
Remember that a divorce party shouldn’t focus on mocking your ex-husband or ex-wife.
On the contrary, the party should balance between celebrating the good times in your just-ended marriage and opening yourself up to new possibilities.