By How To Plan the Ultimate Bachelorette Party
First things first, you are never going to make everyone happy, it’s just the cold, hard truth. You will be juggling a group of girls with lots of opinions, personalities, and scheduling conflicts! Someone might have prior engagements, someone might be on a tight budget, someone might not be comfortable with the plans. But the bachelorette party isn’t about anyone but the bride. All you can do is your best to make her happy.
Ask Questions to Get Started
Questions to Ask the Bride:
- Who would you want to invite? Only the bridesmaids? Extend the invite to all close girlfriends?
- Where do you want to go? Destination event or keep it local or within a short drive?
- What are some potential dates that work?
- Any important elements to include?
- Any restrictions or expectations?
Questions to Ask the Guests:
- How much are you comfortable spending?
- Are you able to travel out of town? out of state? out of the country?
- Ask for ideas and suggestions! They are friends with the bride too and might have great ideas.
- Ask if everyone is interested on taking lead on a certain task? (Booking dining reservations, making the hangover kits, etc)
Apps and Tech to Stay Organized
Get on the Same Page
Create a shared document! We are huge fans of the Google Drive and recommend creating a shared Google Sheet to share with everyone. Use this to keep track of the guest list, payments, and itinerary!
Communication
We highly recommend getting all the invitees cell phone numbers and emails as well as adding on social media! Facebook, while not as popular as it once was, is a useful tool for planning.
Create an event or secret group (don’t add the bride) to discuss details, ideas, themes, etc! Another great tool is the group messaging app, GroupMe. It works for iPhone and Android phones and is handy in sharing photos, creating polls, and sharing information!
Get Paid
Venmo, Cash App, PayPal are all simple ways to easily transfer money without dealing with cash!
Snapchat
Create a customized Snapchat filter for the home base! You can also create a group snap so you can watch what everyone captured at the party.
Booking Accommodations
Whenever it is time to book your stay, there are a lot of variables to keep in mind. Here are some of the most important:
- Group size to determine how many beds/bathrooms needed? Depending on your number of girls, you’re going to want more bathrooms than less! Think about everyone trying to shower and get ready when booking accommodations
- Hotel vs House Rental?
- Walking distance to key areas/restaurants/shopping
- Uber distance to key area/restaurants/shopping
Budget Friendly Tips
- Cook a few meals at the rental home!
- Ask each party goer to bring a snack or bottle of booze to share!
- Ask for group discounts (typically 10+ people) when booking activities!
- Pre-Game before heading out! Play games, catch up with each other and get your drank on before heading out on the town.
- Minimal or DIY Decorations
Planning Timeline
Pin The Ultimate Bachelorette Planning Timeline!
6-8 Months Out
- Getting guest list from bride
- Get potential dates / location ideas from bride
- Set up communication with the group (We recommend a Facebook Group/Event, or the app Groupme)
- Set up a poll for dates with the group
4-6 Months Out
- Book accommodations and request a non-refundable deposit for all guests (this protects the planner if someone needs to drop out)
- Create a doc to keep track of payments, guests, and schedule (we recommend a google doc so you can invite all invitees to view it)
- Check the city event calendar to make sure no major events are happening causing pricing flairs
2-4 Months Out
- Make dinner/brunch reservations
- Book a group activity
- Research things to do around town
- Order any decorations, swag, matching tanks, etc
- Ask for shirt sizes, if needed
1 Month Out
- Send out the final schedule
- Discuss attire with the group
- Arrange carpools, if needed
- Collect any final payments from the group
2 Weeks Out
- Check weather for your trip
- Create and send a packing list
- Double check all reservations
- Order any last minute decorations
1 Week Out
- Schedule grocery pickup or delivery (make sure you have snacks, mixers, booze, etc)
- Pack up everything you are brining
- Make a playlist for pregaming or road tripping
- HYDRATE so you get get your drink on!
If you need location ideas for your next trip, be sure to check out our recent trips!
