Couples Parties

You may think that the idea of a couples party belongs in adolescent life — that it is the stuff of high school girls who want to show off their boyfriends, as if the act of being in a relationship is, in itself, a status symbol. Unfortunately, there are plenty of examples of mature adults indulging in the same behavior. They will organize a dinner party , game night, or even a night out on the town that includes only couples.

The stated advantage of a couple-only party is that it changes the atmosphere of the event. Women don’t have to worry about being hit on and they don’t have to worry about their husbands being tempted by single women. The attendees can focus on the purpose of the event, whether it be dancing, conversation, games, or some other form of entertainment.

Some parties are not obviously couples, but cause people to self select based on whether or not they are part of a couple. Take for example a costume party that encourages people to come as famous lovers from history and art. This means that couples will choose Beauty and the Beast costumes or come as Romeo and Juliet — costumes that are meaningless without the corresponding partner. While a few brave people may be willing to come as half of a couple or a solo lover, such as Don Juan or Mata Hari, the majority of those in attendance will end up being couples.