Whether you have just been given the supremely significant job of being your best friend’s maid of honor and are now facing the large task of planning her bachelorette weekend, or else you are a bridesmaid who is helping organize parts, you have certainly arrived at the right place.
Bachelorette weekends are simultaneously the most exciting, hilarious and party-filled trips you’re ever going to take, let alone plan; there is, however, a substantial amount of responsibility that comes along with planning one. So here, for your information, and hopefully for some clarity, continue reading for a comprehensive guide to planning an entire bachelorette weekend.
First Things First
Before you do anything else, the first thing you should do is to have a chat with the soon-to-be bride to find out if there is anything she wants out of her bachelorette and to ask her a few key questions.
In an ideal world, it would be lovely to keep as much as possible as a surprise for the bachelorette until the weekend of celebrations arrives, but in terms of some things, it is important to ascertain how she feels. Once the key questions, as outlined below, are taken care of and answered, then you are more than able to keep absolutely every other detail as a surprise.
- What dates is she free for her bachelorette weekend?
- Ask her for a detailed list of every girl she wants to invite, including their Facebook page name and their mobile phone number.
- Is there anything she absolutely and categorically does not want to partake in?
- Are there any girls who simply do not get on with each other and need to be kept apart?
After speaking to your best friend, you and you alone should choose the dates of the weekend based on the options she has given to you.
Inviting the Girls
Once you have decided on the date, as soon as possible, you should create a social media page, private and separate to the bride-to-be, inviting everyone to the bachelorette weekend. At this point, you simply need to add each and everyone into the group (calling or texting any invitee that isn’t on Facebook) with an introductory post stating the date of the weekend and simply asking people to confirm whether they can come.
If the group of friends is a large one, even if just one or two or even several more cannot come, be sure not to deviate on the date; you have to start somewhere and it is simply impossible to please everyone.
Additionally, leave your e-mail address and phone number in the group as well and be sure to check back on the group extremely regularly.
Location
Once you have made everyone aware of the exact weekend they need to keep free, your next priority task is to choose the location.
Obviously, you will know your best friend intimately and will therefore know what she enjoys and the types of activities she thrives in, so ensure to choose a location that has activities, events and plenty of nightlife, so there is something for everyone.
Accommodation
Obviously, every bachelorette weekend is different and one of the hardest elements to organize is to plan and book the accommodation. There are essentially two different ways to do this; either ask for the payment on the accommodation in full before you book, or else book it yourself and give the girls a deadline to pay.
One thing to note is that it is complicated when you start to ask for deposits and let people ‘pay as they go’; it is much easier and a lot simpler to collect the money in one go. When looking for the right kind of accommodation to house all the girls, consider the following:
- Remember the price listed on the website may not be the final price
- Check to see how much the damage deposit will be and if it is refundable
- Ensure to enquire how many people the house sleeps comfortably, rather than the number including possible pull-out beds and sofa beds
- Consider the amount and the size of the bathrooms
Activities in the Day
Depending on the number of girls coming to the bachelorette weekend, different activities and sports can be planned and one of the best ideas is to contact a specific company that deals with bridal parties and bachelorettes who can accommodate large groups.
For more of a relaxed evening, a meal in one of the most prestigious and beautiful private party venues followed or prefaced by cocktails and nibbles are in order and you can always ask to see if you can arrange to come earlier so you can decorate the table.
In addition, the best way to ensure that the entire group has enough food for the whole weekend back at the house is to book in a supermarket delivery to arrive the morning of the party. To make sure you are not considerably out of pocket, divide the estimated cost of the food delivery between the number of guests, minus the bride of course, and add that to the final amount each girl has to pay.
Nights Out
Obviously, a huge part of planning a successful bachelorette party centers around the main night out, which is usually on a Saturday.
Again, for both ease and affordability, use the internet to research specifically designed bachelorette bar crawls to ensure the bars and clubs you are booked into accept large groups in fancy dress.
Packing List for the Guests
As part of the pack you provide, either online on the private Facebook group, or else through the post or by e-mail, remember to send a list of things each and every girl needs to bring.
Systematically go through the weekend schedule and include any change of clothes they will need for the various sporting activities or outdoor events in the list. Remind each bridesmaid to bring their own share of alcohol and to ease the burden on yourself, you could even also ask each girl to bring decorations and novelty and comedy items for the bride to wear on the big night out.
Don’t forget to send the bride a separate packing list, too, especially if you intend to keep the details of the weekend secret from her.
Other Important Considerations
In addition to the ones discussed in detail above, there is also a wide plethora of other considerations to think about when planning the
for your best friend, including, but not limited to, the following:
- Plan a party playlist on Spotify or a similar music streaming service to stick on in the house and also in the car or in any other form of transport you have booked
- Remember to pack slightly less interesting but just as essential elements such as paper plates, cups, straws and cutlery
- Make sure to send a reminder of the initial plan and schedule to every single guest both forty-eight hours before you leave and again the day before you leave
- Check that everyone has your mobile phone number and e-mail address on their person
- Have one or two back-up party games on hand just in case you find you need a form of entertainment in-between the activities you have booked
