How to throw a 'divorce party' as one in four Brits can't wait to celebrate

Kate Ng
Updated
Group of friends enjoying out with sparklers. Young men and women enjoying with fireworks.
The end of a marriage doesn't have to be a sad event anymore, as more people want to celebrate their divorces. (Getty Images) (Getty Images/iStockphoto)

The growing popularity of ‘divorce parties’ shows no signs of stopping, as more people lean towards celebrating their divorces in the UK.

New data from greetings card marketplace thortful found that there has been a 33% increase in searches for ‘How to celebrate a divorce’, as well as a 100% increase in searches for ‘What is a divorce party?’ over the last 12 months.

More than a quarter of Britons who are going through a divorce have even expressed a “joyous” sentiment when discussing the topic on social media, thortful found. It suggests that people are turning the notion that divorce should always be a sad event on its head, and are instead embracing a fresh start for their future.

The rising interest in throwing a divorce party has also been reflected in sales from Etsy, which saw a 266% increase in searches for items celebrating divorce earlier this year.

The global online marketplace saw shoppers purchasing items like divorce party invitations and break-up cards to mark the occasion of separating from their partner.

Dayna Isom Johnson, Etsy trend expert, said: "There are a tonne of ‘traditional’ celebratory moments in the UK calendar that usually call for festivities - like birthdays, engagement parties, and baby showers, all of which often come with a party and gifts.

"But there are other milestone moments that can happen in life that some might find comfort in ‘marking’ in some way - with moving on after a divorce being one of them.

"Life after a big break-up can be seen as something to celebrate and look forward to, and we’re clearly seeing a rise of these attitudes through our website search data here at Etsy."

If you’re looking to throw a divorce party of your own, the experts at thortful have provided their top five tips for how to host the perfect party.

"Try to keep the party as low-key as possible. It’s important to remember that the guests you invite will have spent a lot previously on the hen or stag party, as well as the wedding itself.

"Planning extravagant holidays or weekends away could prove to be a financial issue for friends and family, so bear this in mind and create something affordable. A great idea is to host it at your own house, to have complete control over a minimum spend for yourself and your party guests."

"If you’re planning on having a divorce party, the chances are you’re feeling positive about the future, which should rub off on your guests. The event needs to be light-hearted, with ‘Just Divorced’ balloons, tongue-in-cheek décor such as black roses, as well as a divorce cake.

"If you wanted to take things to another level, you could even ask your guests to help redecorate parts of the house you disliked, that were to the taste of the ex-partner."

knife cutting between bride and groom figurines, relationship breakup
Divorce parties can be fun when thrown tastefully and sensitively. (Getty Images) (Getty Images)

"Be as conscious as possible about the connection your guests may have with your ex-partner. Ensure it’s a close group of friends or family that are completely on your side. The last thing you need is any awkwardness from friends or relatives of your ex.

"Depending on your preference, it may also be worth keeping the party adult-only, as discussing divorce and relationships whilst there’s children around may not be appropriate."

"At this stage of a person’s life, it’s important to be hopeful and excited about a new beginning or future. Creating mood or vision boards with your friends and family is a great way of expressing optimism on what you want to do next with your life, encouraging guests to get involved on their next goals.

"If you prefer to cause more of a ruckus, you could hold a bonfire in the garden. Remember to be safe of course, but this is the perfect opportunity to find closure by disposing of any relationship mementoes that you want to rid from the house."

"Depending on how you feel about your divorce, create an event that matches your emotions. If the whole process has been exhausting, a pampering spa evening with rom-coms in a movie marathon could be perfectly suited.

"If you want to blow off some steam, a mini-hen or stag do could be created with cocktails and the perfect 'moving-on' party playlist."

Watch: Divorce parties: Inside the trend that makes ending a marriage look fun

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