For many, the end of a marriage that just wasn’t working isn’t something to mourn; it’s something to celebrate.
Whether you go lavish or modest, all-out or all-in, these 35 divorce party ideas will help you jumpstart your celebration of freedom.
35 Divorce Party Ideas
Here is a list of divorce party themes, including activities, costumes or dress-up ideas, food and drink and even potential budget. Have fun and be safe!
1. Karaoke Night
Whether you’re renting a karaoke machine or heading out to a karaoke bar, you and your friends can belt the night away with the best break-up songs, like “We Are Never Getting Back Together” by Taylor Swift, “Happier” by Ed Sheeran or “I Will Survive” by Gloria Gaynor.
For snacks, if you’re at home, just bake or air fry finger foods (or have food delivered) and keep wine and beer on hand. If you’re in a bar, cover everyone’s food order and first round of drinks. Either way, have everyone dress in their “going out” best.
The budget will depend on whether you stay in or go out, with staying in on the high end of the low budget spectrum, and going out in the medium range.
2. Movie Marathon
Ladies, gather your girlfriends for a movie marathon, complete with snacks, like popcorn and pizza or Chinese food, lots of blankets and pillows and, of course, wine. Dress is casual, from yoga pants and t-shirt to full-on PJs.
There are so many movies to pick from, from the First Wives Club, Waiting to Exhale, Gloria Bell and even Marriage Story, a recent one starring Scarlett Johansson and Adam Driver.
This party is firmly in the low budget range, as the only expenses you’ll incur are for food and drink and perhaps a negligent fee for renting any of the films (though you could base your decision on what to watch on what’s available on the streaming services you have).
3. DIY Cocktails
Get a group of friends together for a night of tipsy fun as you learn to make cocktails, like the classic martini, Old Fashioned or Negroni. Choose two or three to make and then make sure you have all the ingredients, including the liquor, fruits and mixers.
Set up YouTube videos or TikTok tutorials on your tablet so that everyone can follow along, and put out light hors d’oeuvres and/or finger foods; plus, keep plenty of water ready so that no one drives home inebriated.
Toast your newly-found freedom! This party is in the medium budget range, due to the price of liquor and depending on how many people you invite.
4. Las Vegas Getaway
For the guys and the gals, there is nothing more freeing than a weekend getaway to Las Vegas, NV. It can be done on the cheap, but “cheap” is relative when it comes to Vegas, so for that reason this party is firmly in the medium to high budget range.
Enjoy all the sights and sounds of the Strip – gamble away some of your money (it’s yours, you can do with it what you please!), try some of the famous buffets and catch a show.
Get dressed up, go all out, in sparkly dresses for the ladies or suits and ties for the gentlemen – who knows, you might catch the eye of a mysterious stranger.
5. Beach Vacation
Say goodbye to the married portion of your life with a beach vacation with a few of your closest pals. Rent out a beach house or condo (AirBnB has plenty of options) and spend at least a few days with your toes in the sand as the waves crash against the shoreline.
Indulge in all the good food the area has to offer or find a good fishmonger and market to buy up the freshest ingredients to prepare a feast. Call it your “Goodbye Dinner” – as in, goodbye to your married life. Toast with plenty of wine, beer or cocktails.
This beach vacation party is in the medium to high budget range, depending on what time of year you’re booking the beach house and how much you shop/eat out, etc.
6. Solo Travel
While it might seem counterintuitive, solo travel – to anywhere! – can help you re-find yourself after a divorce. The party is in the people you meet along the way. Say yes to as many activities and adventures as you (safely) can.
Sample the local cuisine, see the sights, even go out and experience the night life of a new city all by yourself. You might even treat yourself to one very nice dinner as a gift to yourself for making it through a tough time.
Solo travel can be done on the cheap or in the lap of luxury, so for that reason the budget is in the low, medium or high range, depending on your destination and activities.
7. At-Home Spa Day
Invite your friends over for an at-home spa day that’s as soothing as your new life post-marriage. There are tons of at-home recipes for face masks and skin treatments, and you could even book a nail technician to come into your home and do everyone’s nails.
Put out green tea, light sandwiches, fruit and veggies, and no spa day would be complete without a few bottles of wine. Invite your guests to come dressed in comfortable clothes; you could even have nice robes on hand for them to wear.
You deserve a little pampering and self-care after the stress of divorce. This party falls in the low to medium budget range.
8. To The Salon!
If you’re going to get bangs after a break-up, you might as well invite your gal pals to join you at the salon to revamp their looks as well. Some salons also offer facials, nails and even massages.
Ask about food options or if you can bring in snacks and wine or hard seltzers; most salons will be lenient about it, especially if you’re booking up their afternoon.
This party, if you’re covering all the services for your friends, is definitely in the high budget range.
9. Wedding Dress Bonfire
Hold a bonfire in your backyard or on a beach for you to symbolically burn your wedding dress), and invite your guests to do the same. Give a little speech about the symbolism before putting your dress on the fire.
Serve up hot dogs to roast over the fire, with all the fixings and toppings and/or the ingredients to make s’mores, and get a few cases of beer, hard seltzer or bottles of wine to keep the libations flowing.
This party can certainly be done in the low budget range, but may reach the medium if you need a lot of food and drink to accommodate your guests.
10. End Of The Marriage Tattoos
Have a tattoo party in your home by bringing in a tattoo artist to do little pieces of work on everyone. You can pay for everyone’s artwork or have everyone pay individually if there are guests who want to come and celebrate your divorce but don’t want to get inked.
Put out food and drink for everyone to enjoy: finger foods and pizza or even a build-your-own taco bar. Set out liquor so that people can make cocktails, plus wine and beer. Dress is comfortable casual.
This party can range from low to high, depending on whether you cover the costs of everyone’s tattoos or not, but whatever the case: make sure you tip the tattoo artist well!
11. Escape Room
Make “escape” your theme – escape from a marriage, that is, and invite your friends to partake in an escape room, if your city has one. You can cover everyone’s admission (it typically ranges between $15 and $50, depending on your area) or have everyone pay individually.
After, grab drinks and food at a nearby bar or restaurant; pick up the tab on everyone’s food and first one or two rounds of drinks.
This party is in the medium range of budgetary considerations, whether your spring for everyone’s admission or not, because the food and drink will likely cost $100 or more alone.
12. Making Camp
Whether you prefer camping or glamping, nothing will mark the end of one chapter of your life like disconnecting from it all with friends.
Take a serene couple of nights to yourselves under the stars, complete with campfires and cookouts, and if you’re near a body of water, swimming, kayaking, canoeing, maybe even some fishing.
The budget will vary based on whether you rent a cabin or camper (versus tent camping) and how much gear you already have. For this reason, this camping excursion is in the low to medium budget range. Dress in layers, as even during the summer it can get cool at night, especially if you’re in the mountains.
13. House Party
Why not just throw a good, old-fashioned house party to celebrate your divorce? Especially if you have just moved, it could double as a housewarming party, as well. Find a party pack on Amazon or at Party City with divorce decorations or DIY your own.
For food, put out a spread of snacks and finger foods, or if you’re feeling very fancy, have it catered. You could even hire a bartender for the night to keep everyone’s glasses full.
This party falls under the low to medium budget range, depending on whether you splurge for catering and a bartender. If not, you can certainly put a party of this caliber on economically.
14. Bachelor/Bachelorette Party, Redux
Go out on the town like it’s your last night of being single – except it’s the first night of the rest of your life! A “Divorcette” party (if you’re a woman, anyway) is a great way to celebrate the end of one phase of your life and the beginning of another.
Do a bar crawl and drink and dance the night away – you could even get a sash that says “Newly Divorced” with a tiara, if you’re a woman. Take shots and cheers to different aspects of divorced life: “I call the shots in my own life now!”
This party is in the low to medium budget range, depending on whether you hit up dive bars or more upscale lounges/clubs.
15. Rage Room
If the divorce proceedings were tough, you might have a lot of pent-up anger to express. You can do that healthfully in a rage room with a handful of friends. Say (or scream) what frustrated you as you swing that hammer.
Because rage rooms don’t allow alcohol (swinging a hammer and swigging a beer do not mix), grab drinks and food after you get your rage out, at a local bar or restaurant. Offer to pay for everyone’s food and one or two rounds of drinks.
The food and drink alone will likely put you in the low-medium budget range. If you opt to pay for everyone’s admission, this party will likely put you in the high-medium budget range.
16. Brunch
Take your friends out or host at home – either way, holding an “I’m newly single” brunch party is one way to celebrate your divorce. Decorate the space with your favorite colors and encourage everyone to dress up in their brunch best.
Whether you’re making it or having it catered, be sure to serve up bacon and sausage, eggs two or three ways (baby quiches, anyone?), waffles and pancakes, plus brunch favorites like savory casseroles, muffins and crab cakes. And what brunch would be complete without mimosas!
This party is in the low to medium budget range; low if you host at home and do all the cooking yourself, medium if you opt to take your friends out or have the party catered.
17. Piano Bar
Take your friends out for a night on the town to your city’s finest piano bar (if it has one); even better if it’s a dueling piano bar. Get dressed up in your “going out” best.
Sip cocktails and put in requests for all the break-up classics, like “Irreplaceable” by Beyonce, “Thank U, Next” by Ariana Grande or “It’s Too Late” by Carole King.
If you can convey to the pianist that it’s your divorce party, they might even dedicate a song to you! This party is in the medium budget range, because depending on your city, those drinks and tips aren’t going to be cheap.
18. Cocktail Party
Go all out in declaring your newly single self back on the market with a fancy cocktail party. Rent out a party room in your favorite restaurant and decorate it with balloons, streamers, tablecloths and table settings in your favorite colors.
Arrange for a food spread that includes shrimp cocktail, heavy hors d’oeuvres or even a buffet with hand-carved prime rib. Don’t forget the dessert, either, or cocktails – in fact, why not formulate a signature cocktail to serve all night?
This party is obviously in the high budget range, but if you have the money, it’s so worth a splurge.
19. Everything They Didn’t Like
Grab a few friends and spend the day celebrating your divorce by doing all the things your ex didn’t like, starting with an outfit he or she didn’t approve of and a food or drink they didn’t have a taste for.
Didn’t like a certain TV show? Binge it. Didn’t like a specific restaurant? Go to it. Didn’t care for an activity, sporting event or class? Attend it! Look, if your ex-spouse kept you from skydiving, and they are no longer a part of your life: then now is the time to skydive!
The budget for this day depends on the activities you choose, so it could range from low to high.
20. Famous Divorcees
Host a party where everyone comes dressed up as famous divorcees. Whether it’s Nicole Kidman walking away with arms outspread after signing divorce papers from Tom Cruise or Pamela Anderson and Tommy Lee and Kid Rock, Hollywood celebs provide rich pickings for costume ideas.
Decorate with split hearts, serve up typical party fare (snacks, finger foods) and keep the wine and beer going all night long.
This party can definitely be pulled off in the low budget range, but may go up to medium depending on how many people you invite and how much food and drink you need.
21. The Big Game
If your divorce coincides with football season, you’re in luck; celebrate your new beginning with a good old-fashioned tailgate and then continue the party in the stadium, rooting for your favorite team.
Tailgate classics include hot dogs and hamburgers, but get creative with jalapeno poppers, chili or hot artichoke dip with chips. Get fully arrayed in your favorite player’s jersey and go all out with face paint.
This party is in the medium to high range, because while the tailgate can be done on the cheap, NFL tickets certainly cost a pretty penny.
22. Wine & Wedding Gowns
Ladies, grab your wedding gowns and a bottle of wine and head over to the new divorcée’s place for a night of drinking, reminiscing and looking forward to the future.
The dress code? Wedding dress chic with a side of nostalgia. Go around in a circle and say one good thing about the wedding…and one thing that told you the marriage was over. It’s a way of acknowledging the good, while staying present and true to what’s happening now.
This party is in the low budget range, as the only costs incurred should be the bottles of wine.
23. Golf Outing
Fellas, treat yourself to a morning or afternoon of hitting the links. Get everyone together, including those you haven’t seen in ages. The dress code is whatever you wear on the course, like polos and khakis.
If one person has a membership at a club and can get everyone in, that’s terrific, but otherwise there are plenty of public golf courses you can visit. Or, you can make it a destination party and travel to a famous golf course in the U.S. or Australia or even Scotland.
This party is in the medium to high budget, depending on what course you choose and whether or not you incur travel expenses, such as airfare, hotel and restaurants.
24. Divorce Shower
If you have a newly single friend, throw her a Divorce Shower, especially if she’s moved out and is starting all over again, with a need for home goods. Decorate with a shower theme, including shower head cutouts and encourage dressy casual dress.
Encourage the divorcée to set up a registry with things she needs, so everyone knows what to buy her. Rent out a party space, whether it’s a restaurant or church, and get catering or have everyone bring a dish.
This party can be done on the cheap or in the medium budget range, if you opt for catering and a nice restaurant.
25. Wine Tasting
If you live near vineyards, celebrate your divorce by touring wineries and having tastings; if your ex was a big baby, call it the “No More ‘Wining’ Tour.” Make sure you have a designated driver or you can Uber from the wineries.
You’re kind of at the mercy of the wineries in terms of what food is possible, but most have at least charcuterie of some sort. You can also arrange to go out to eat after the tour is done.
The cost for a party like this is the medium range, whether you’ve booked a private tour, complete with transportation, or you’re touring on your own and paying the tasting fee at each individual stop.
26. Ranch Hand
Say you’re going to lasso up some positive vibes for your new future with a visit to a local ranch (one that is open to the public, of course) with a few friends. Dress in jeans and cowboy boots if you have them if you’re going to be on horseback.
From horseback riding to tomahawk throwing, many ranches that are open to the public also offer activities like archery, volleyball, sledding in the winter and even campfires.
The budget for a day or weekend like this varies, but will most likely fall in the medium category, unless it’s a higher-end ranch, in which case the budgetary consideration will fall under the high category.
27. Shopping Spree
Whether you’re looking for a whole new wardrobe or just want to splurge on that one watch or piece of jewelry or electronic, going on a shopping spree with a few friends is a great way to kick off life as a new single.
You can make it an even more memorable experience by traveling for the shopping, to a different city or even a different country. Who wouldn’t want to get a fabulous Dior purse straight from the French showroom?
This party is in the medium to very high budget range, based on how far you’re traveling and how much the item in question costs.
28. Ski Pass
Celebrate your divorce with a ski trip, whether it’s an afternoon of hitting the slopes or a full weekend getaway. Say you’re leaving behind all the negative energy from your divorce every time you ski down a hill.
Treat yourself to a nice dinner and drinks at the lodge afterward, and if they have the amenities, go for a soak in the hot tub. It’s a nice way to reconnect with friends you may have grown distant from while you were married.
This party can fall in the low budget region if it’s just an afternoon of skiing and only a single-day pass is needed or the medium or high range if you stay overnight at a ski resort.
29. Retreat From It All
Divorce can be stressful, to say nothing of painful, and it can be difficult to process those emotions when you’re in the thick of it. So take a few days to yourself (or with a friend) and find a wellness retreat to recenter yourself.
Food and drink will likely be included in your stay, and you should dress comfortably (or according to the retreat’s guidelines).
Retreats vary in pricing, but chances are good it will fall in the medium to high budget categories.
30. Free From The Ball & Chain
For a tongue-in-cheek take on divorce, throw yourself a Free From The Ball & Chain party, complete with ball and chain motif and decorations.
You could even commission a cake that is decorated with a ball and chain and simply says the words “I’m free!” Add a costume element to the party and have everyone dress up in their best “jailbreak chic.”
This party can be accomplished in the low to medium budget range, depending on how many people you invite and how much food and cake you have to order.
31. Cooking Class
Embrace new meal ideas with a cooking class party, with you and a handful of friends. Plenty of places offer lessons, or you can get someone to come give a private cooking class in your home, or you can just follow along with one on YouTube.
The only thing you’ll need to bring is yourselves; typically, aprons and knives are provided (you can ask about wine).
The budget for a party like this varies based on the route you choose to go for the class; if you’re just following along with a YouTube, it’ll be free; if you join a class, it’ll be in the low to medium budget region, and if you bring someone in for a private class, it’ll be medium.
32. Theater Booking
Grab your blankets and pillows and a bunch of friends for this party, where you are going to book out an entire theater for a showing or two, and you’ll definitely want to pick movies that your ex dragged their feet about watching.
If you’re feeling extra generous, you can also cover the cost of snacks, including popcorn, candy, soda, hot dogs, nachos, etc. Keep dress casual, from jeans and a t-shirt to full-on pajamas.
This party is in the upper-medium budget range, though it depends on how many hours you’re booking for and, in some cases, whether you pick new releases or old favorites to screen.
33. Sweet Newly-Single Life
Host a divorce party that shows everyone that your new life is going to be oh-so-sweet – literally. Set up a table filled with all your favorite candies, whether that’s Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, Pixie Stix, Crunch Bars or even candy corn.
Decorate in your favorite colors and you could even create a banner that says something to the effect of “Life Is Sweeter” or “Single Is So Sweet.” You could even create your own sweet drink to mix up for your guests.
This party is in the low to medium range, depending on how fancy you get with the decorations, the candy table and the drinks.
34. Vision Boards
Ladies, invite over your girlfriends and have them bring old magazines they might have lying around. Provide posterboard, glue, scissors and wine and create a vision boards (a way of manifesting the future you want by putting it down on the board).
Even if your friends are happily married, they must have ideas about what they still want in life. As for you, now that you’re newly single, what are your hopes and dreams? What do you want to accomplish in life?
This low-budget party is a terrific way to manifest all the things you want in life and bond with your girlfriends.
35. Wingman/Woman Party
Throw a party where all your friends bring one single person, in an effort to meet and mingle with new, eligible people you’ve never met before. You could even play ice-breaker games so everyone can get to know each other.
Lay out your typical party fare, snacks and finger foods, and plenty of libations, to ease social anxieties and grease the wheels of conversation. You can either keep dress casual or go for a fancier evening with a cocktail chic dress code.
This party ranges from the low budget region to medium, depending on how many people are invited, how much food and drink you have to put out and even location, if you can’t fit everyone into your space.
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