AUSTIN (KXAN) — Spring isn’t the only season just around the corner, with bachelorette parties about to spring into life.
Along with Austin’s explosive population growth in recent years has come its respect as one of the top bachelorette cities nationally, with one resident partnering with local businesses to help curate the quintessential Austin experience.
Mallory Strange was living in Nashville in 2020 when a friend who was visiting for a bachelorette party asked her to help her make an itinerary of the best places to visit. At the time, Strange said she hadn’t seen many other companies designed specifically for bachelorette party planning.
Fast forward three years, Strange has spent the last year and a half living in Austin and bringing her business, Bach Babes, to the Lone Star State. Aided in part by the TikTok algorithm, Bach Babes began to gain traction, with enough inquiries that she was able to quit her job and start a full-time business.
“It takes the stress out of the weekend, so yeah [the bridal party] I can focus on really celebrating my bride, which I love,” she said.
Here in Austin, Strange said bachelorette season usually peaks from March to June and again in September and October. With many engagements taking place during the holiday months, she said now is the time for many parties to start booking travel and planning a variety of things to do.
As part of her services, Strange said she wants to support local businesses so that these wedding parties benefit the local economy and in turn provide guests with a more authentic Austin experience.
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Mallory Strange started Bach Babes 2020, a company that organizes bachelorette trips to the capital of Texas. (Courtesy: Bach Babes) -
Mallory Strange started Bach Babes 2020, a company that organizes bachelorette trips to the capital of Texas. (Courtesy: Bach Babes) -
Mallory Strange started Bach Babes 2020, a company that organizes bachelorette trips to the capital of Texas. (Courtesy: Bach Babes) -
Mallory Strange started Bach Babes 2020, a company that organizes bachelorette trips to the capital of Texas. (Courtesy: Bach Babes)
“We’re also partnering with a lot of local businesses to make sure the local economy is touched by all these big groups coming in — from restaurants to bars to Airbnbs, hotels,” she said. “We kind of make sure that when we plan those itineraries, we tap into the local economy that we love and that I personally visit when I’m out on a Friday night.”
Nationally, Austin is ranked as one of the best bachelorette destinations, known for its live music, culinary scene and outdoor recreation. The July 2022 Timeout rankings ranked it sixth in the Top 15, behind Miami, Santa Barbara, Nantucket, Nashville and Los Angeles.
“Austin can please anyone,” Strange said. “It’s kind of the best of all worlds here in Austin: we have great food, we have great restaurants, we have great scenery. Almost anything you could want, Austin has it.”
Looking at Google Trends for the term “bachelorette” in the Austin area over the past year, searches peaked in mid-September, usually in conjunction with terms like “disco,” “snack” and “bachelorette games.” Some of those key searches highlight growing trends in bachelorette party themes this year, Strange said.
“Disco cowgirl is obviously big, but I think the biggest theme this year will be ‘Dazed and Engaged,'” she said. “The disco will be big this year. We also saw a lot of people saying ‘Reckless in Texas,’ which I’ve never heard before, but it’s cute.”
For local businesses, Strange said, now is a great time to make sure all of their special offers, contact information and benefits are up to date on their website so visitors can best prepare for their trip. As for area residents, she said traffic jams are not uncommon, whether on Austin roads or downtown restaurants and entertainment venues.
“These girls bring so much money to this local tourism economy — the same economy that was struggling so much during COVID when no one was coming to visit and the restaurants and hotels weren’t getting much money,” she said, adding, “You just learn to laugh at girls who come with hats because they’re having a good time.”