Being asked to arrange your best friend’s bachelorette party is a great honor, but it can also give you sleepless nights and make you question your own sanity. Just how can you throw a party to celebrate her last throws of being single that is memorable, affordable and fun? The line between having a raucous event and one that humiliates the bride-to-be is a thin one, so care must be taken when making any decisions.
1. The Guest List
You first need to have a list of people that the bachelorette would like to attend. This is a vital piece of information and will impact on all future decisions. A party with the future mother-in-law and mother of the bride will be very different to one that has only longstanding friends, and you need to be sensitive to this.
The list that you are given needs to be reviewed. You need to understand the demographic of the group that is being invited. You can use social media to check out the attendees who you don’t know – this seems a bit extreme, but by getting a fuller picture of the other party girls you will be able to put together a party that everyone can afford to go to. You don’t want to out price some of the women by making choices that they will struggle to find the money for and put them in an awkward position of having to decline the invite.
2. Ask the Bachelorette
The details of the party are meant to be a surprise, right? Yes, but this does not mean that you can’t ask her in loose terms what she would like and not like. You may not take any of her comments on board, but you will be able to gauge how the land lies. For example, she may be a spa loving urbanite, but that does not mean that a weekend camping should be ruled out. You want the party to be a success but memorable too, and that may mean taking her out of her comfort zone. Sometimes alternative and unconventional ideas, while not being her first choice, may be a surprising triumph.
3. Budget
Having done a little investigative work as to the financial situation of the partygoers, you should have a fair idea of what people will be able to afford. Don’t forget that the budget you set needs to cover the price of the bachelorette. It is best to plan for a figure that covers everything for the attendees, so people know the total amount of money they need to personally economize for:
- Accommodation
- Decorations for the accommodation
- Food and alcohol
- Transport to and from the accommodation to any activities
- Activities
- Mementoes and goody bags
4. Location
It’s always tricky trying to decide where to go that is within budget, but as you have done your homework about the other attendees, you will already know where they live and so the destination of the bachelorette party should be convenient to all, or at least the clear majority. There is no point organizing a party for somewhere that people begrudge having to take too much time off work to be able to get there in good time – be mindful of peoples’ family and work commitments.
5. Theme
You may be shuddering at the thought of plastic phallic straws and faux bridal veils, and who could blame you. One way to avoid these standard bachelorette accessories is to choose a theme for the party – remember humiliating the bride-to-be is not a priority, and she will thank you for being considerate and thoughtful, especially when the pictures are posted on social media.
You could ask all attendees to wear a black dress, a pink item or something along those lines. By doing this you are marking the group out with a type of uniform, but not being over the top. You can replicate the theme that you choose into the decorations for the accommodation and the mementoes and goody bags that you provide the attendees.
6. Mementos and goody bags
It’s a nice touch to provide each of the partygoers a goody bag of weekend essentials and a memento to remind them of the party. Weekend essentials could be eye-make up remover pads so that those morning panda eyes are avoided, vitamin C supplements and headache tablets to make the hangover more bearable, and a small bottle of champagne to kick start the party.
In each goody bag, you can also include a take home memento of the party. A great idea is to give custom coins that mark the location of the party, the date and the bride-to-be’s name or ‘I survived X’s Bachelorette Party’. Or, you could provide custom hoodies that have each person’s name embroidered on; if you go for this option, try and make sure that any text you include means that they are able to be used again after the party.
7. Activities
The activities you choose will be location and budget dependent, and suitable for all people of mixed abilities. The great joy of bachelorette parties is that it is the last time that the bride will be able to spend quality of time with her best friends, and so you need to make sure that it is an occasion where all are able to do the activities – no body should be left out.
Whether you are going for a time of rest and recuperation at a spa, or a cocktail making event at a bar, you will find that the activities play second fiddle to the fact that most fun will be had by just being together. Don’t forget to make playlists for when you are at the accommodation – either to carry on the party after hours, or for those mornings when you just need to chill.
So, there you have it, a guide to planning a bachelorette party to remember. You have plenty to be doing and the weeks leading up to the party will be busy: chasing RSVPs, money and managing others’ expectations. Try not to overschedule the time that you have together, you will need time to eat, sit and chat, and enjoy this last get together before the big day.