Whether you’re the bride, the maid of honor in charge of planning the bachelorette party or a lucky attendee, you’re definitely hoping this is a party to remember. A true celebration of the bride, everyone involved is invested in making sure this is a perfect party. The party is an ideal excuse to spend some time with great friends and to celebrate one special bride-to-be who has found her perfect match.
The planning part, however, can get a bit daunting. A surprising amount of details and coordination are involved with planning the best possible bachelorette party. Just like all of our travel/wedding/party/reunion/anniversary tips, our absolute #1 recommendation is to start planning early. An early start leaves plenty of time for mitigation if roadblocks arise. Beyond that, here are our tips for planning an epic bachelorette party. And if you’re the bride, go ahead and send this to your wedding party who will be planning for you.
1. Have a pre-party party to discuss desires
Grab your bride and the bridal party and have a mini-party to discuss desires, goals, and anything completely off limits. While the bride shouldn’t have to plan (or pay for) her party in any way, it’s best to ask her some important questions before the real planning can be done. Some brides would like nothing more than to spend a day at the spa while others are looking for a trip to Greece. Or your bride might like to take a cycling class followed by some at-home manis or maybe you’re going to rent a sailboat and spend the weekend in the San Juan Islands. Every bride is different and it’s best to not completely guess what she’s into for her bachelorette party. After all, the goal is to make her the happiest bride ever. Get a feel for what she’s wishing for.
2. Don’t narrow down your planning too tight (in the beginning)
Once you have a general idea of what the bachelorette plan will look like, get to the meat of the planning. But before you settle on something incredibly specific, have a brainstorming session where you write down everything – including stuff you think is probably totally out of the question. Here’s why: you may assume that a wonderful bachelorette weekend in Palm Springs is way too expensive, but perhaps with a bit of research (and help from us!) it will actually be cheaper than staying local. So write it all down and then get to researching! A short cruise, a great resort with a great deal on rooms for groups, or a mountain chalet – none of it should be off the table just yet!
This might involve checking flight prices. Check out our guide for booking cheap flights here.
3. Discuss the big B word
It’s not an especially comfortable or fun topic, but every bachelorette party needs to have some idea of the budget the bridal party and each attending guest is going to be happy with. Some are ready for it to be the vacation of the year, while others will be a smaller (but no less amazing) and consist of dinner and a night of dancing.
If things are getting too expensive, but seem essential (like hotel rooms) consider other areas to cut down on costs. Making it a no-gifts party or buying supplies to have drinks and snacks in the room/house instead of going out to eat are easy ways to lower the budget without sacrificing on fun.
4. Communicate often
Once the guest list has been finalized, it’s a great idea to set up a communication channel between everyone. E-mail works well, but we also like the idea of setting up a fun group chat. This can also be used during and after the party to share pictures. Be sure to keep everyone up to date on plans, dates, and costs. The sooner everyone knows what’s involved, the better prepared everyone will be for making sure they can attend.
5. Delegate tasks and make sure they’re known
One person does not equal an army. Try as you might, it’s best to enlist some help with planning a bachelorette party. Of course, we’re here to help you book the right resort, the right activities, and get you that VIP room at the vineyard for extra special wine tasting.
It’s helpful to tackle the bachelorette planning together as a bridal party, rather than having it all fall to the maid of honor. Delegate the tasks that need to get done, and be sure everyone knows what they’re responsible for getting done.
6. Make it personal for the bride
The bachelorette party is all about the bride, so the activities should match what she enjoys doing. This may include enduring the worst workout class you’ve ever been to because you despise aerial yoga, but it’s your girl’s day and it’ll be over before you know it.
If she loves rosé, choose a winery that specializes in rosé, even if you’re more of a red girl. Eat at her favorite restaurants and pick a location or setting you think she’d like. If you’re really stumped about what she’d prefer, you can check in with her fiance or her family.
7. Get your ducks in a row
Down to the small details, don’t save things until the last minute. With your bachelorette party planning team, be sure to cover all aspects of the party including often forgotten elements like who is someone going grocery shopping beforehand, who is collecting funds from the other attendees, and how will the bride’s costs be covered. Better, and early, planning leads to a stress-free and amazing party.
8. Don’t overschedule
Just like great vacation, the bachelorette party shouldn’t be too packed with activities, times to be at places, or appointments. Some schedule is necessary to keep the party moving and to make sure you get to everything you’d like to, but some calm time to relax together is also a huge part of making a great party. Your favorite memory from a bachelorette party could be the evening you hung out by the pool together.
9. Plan the date thoughtfully
When you should have the bachelorette party is mostly up to the bride’s schedule and what she prefers. There’s a sweet spot that isn’t too soon before the wedding that it stresses everyone out, but close enough to the wedding that everyone still has fresh and fond memories of the bachelorette party. Check with your bride about what she feels is the best fit.
Ready to plan an incredible bachelorette party?
We love party planning! We’re happy to help with planning the best bachelorette party for any budget, attendance numbers, and desired activities. This is gonna be one that leaves your face sore from smiling. Let’s get planning today!