Pop the champagne, it's time to start planning the bachelorette party!
The bachelorette party is symbolic of one of the last get-togethers of your single life. It should be a happy send-off into your married life with some of your favorite girls by your side. With the planning of the bachelorette party comes many questions. Let's dive into some answers!
Who Plans It?
Typically, the Bride's Maid of Honor plans the bachelorette party. This is listed as an essential Maid of Honor task in my blog post "Maid of Honor Survival Guide."
Who's Going?
As the person planning the bachelorette party, there must be some consideration in who is attending the party. This will help decide on the vibe you're going for. The attendees usually consist of all of the Bride's bridesmaids, and any other friends or relatives she might want to invite (usually all closer in age. Aunts/Mother/Grandmas of the Bride typically aren't invited). You'll want to have a conversation with your Bride about who is determining the guest list. Then, once you have the guest list from the Bride (or in curating the guest list yourself), really think about everyone's personalities. Will they get along well? Are they all similar in their likes and dislikes? Do they have similar personalities? Are they all at least 21 years old, or will you have to find activities for younger people to partake in as well? Do they all drink? If not, there are many other things that you can do to have fun. These are just some things to think about when it comes to the guest list. Don't invite people that won't make the time fun for the Bride (unless of course she asks you to).
What's the Vibe?
Once you've got your guest list, it's time to decide on what vibe overall you want for the bachelorette party. Your Bride may have a preference on the type of vibe she's going for (I'd recommend asking her first). Does she want a major party up-all-night type of vibe? Or a more laid-back spa day with the girls kind of vibe? If she doesn't have a preference, think about her personality and what she might like. Take into account (to an extent) what the attendees are like and what might be fun for everyone. Another huge thing to take into account is the budget, which I'll go into next.
How Much Do I Spend?
Budget is the most important factor when it comes to planning the bachelorette party. Typically, the Bride does not pay for ANYTHING at her bachelorette party. This means travel, hotel, food, matching T-shirts, drinks, etc. But the Maid of Honor is not expected to pay for everything herself. Usually all of the bridesmaids chip in for the trip. To determine your budget, I would ask everyone attending what the maximum amount that they're willing to spend is. If you can come up with an agreeable price from that for each person, just multiply that number by the amount of people going and you'll have your budget. Most of the budget goes towards hotel and travel (if you're not staying local). You'll also want to allot some money for food and drinks, some fun swag (sashes, T-shirts, swimsuits, tiaras, etc.), and activities. What activities depends on what type of vibe you're going for.
How Long is it?
Bachelorette parties can be anywhere from one night to a week (or even longer!). My recommendation is to do it longer than one night, but shorter than one week. I think the sweet spot is celebrating the bachelorette party over the weekend. That way you have 2 nights and 2 days of activities.
Best Bachelorette Destinations:
Nashville- Nashville is quickly becoming the most popular bachelorette party destination. Known for it's night life and music scene, the country music capital is a great place for brides who want a little bit of a party scene in a big city. Nashville also boasts some beautiful hikes and some of the coolest country music bars. The Grand Ole Opry and the Country Music Hall of Fame are certainly a must-sees for the bride who's got a little bit of country in her.
Palm Springs- The city that movie stars would flock to hideaway for the weekend back in the day is now a quiet desert refuge for visitors. Palm Springs is the perfect city for a bride who wants to chill in the day and go out to a couple of bars at night. This city is more lowkey than Nashville, Vegas, or New York City, but there's something to be said about a relaxing getaway far away from the city.
New York City- What better place to get ready to marry the apple of your eye than the Big Apple? Known for it's hustle and bustle and wide array of options to please any bride, New York City is sure to be a great "going-all-out" type of bachelorette destination. The big city vibe means that you can remain anonymous and be whoever you want to be for the weekend. Sounds alluring, doesn't it? This city is perfect for a bride that is okay with big city crowds and likes to do a lot of activities.
Los Angeles- La La Land, to some, is what dreams are made of. Los Angeles is one of the most exciting cities in the US- there's always something exciting around the corner. Everyone in the city has big dreams of making it big, and it's not too hard to find someone who kn
San Diego- Much like Los Angeles' more calm cousin, San Diego is the perfect balance of daytime fun, night life, and chill vibes. There's always a beach volleyball tournament, music festival, concert, club, or pool party to go to. This city is perfect for brides who love the beach, aren't a huge fan of the big city crowds, and want a lot of day and nighttime activity options.
Miami- This city is for brides looking for a total party vibe. Beautiful beaches and colorful night life, this is perfect for brides who love the beach, boating, and booze. Think Las Vegas style parties, but on the shoreline. There's a reason that Mr. Worldwide settled down here.
Napa/Sonoma- Wine not? Wine country is the perfect place for any bride who wants a more chill hangout vibe. If all of her girls are 21 and up, wine tasting would be the perfect activity for a low-key weekend. Wine tasting and eating great food with your besties can be a real bonding activity.
Las Vegas- Vegas is the quintessential bachelorette party city. Known for the secrets it keeps, the city of sin is the perfect place for brides who want the cliche bachelorette experience. It's a great place to go out with your girls and have a wild weekend- whether that means Chippendale shows, strip clubs, night clubs, pool parties, casino nights, or top notch meals cooked up by world class chefs, Las Vegas has it all for the ultimate party.
What gifts do I give?
Typically, the gifts given at the bachelorette party are very different than gifts given at the bridal shower or the wedding (yes, it is expected to get gifts for each of these occasions, and yes they are usually all different types of gifts). Because the bachelorette party is usually a girls who are your close friends, it is usually customary to get more raunchy/ funny gag gifts. Cute pjs, lingerie, and other couple items are very common bachelorette party gifts. This doesn't have to be the case- you can always request other gifts. Especially if that's not your style. But make sure you let people know what kind of gifts you would like to receive instead, so you make sure you get things you will actually like/use.
That's all for this blog post! If I left any of your bachelorette party questions unanswered, please comment below! Until next time,
