Congratulations! Your best friend has given you the Maid Of Owner (MOH) powers! By now, you’re aware that one of your primary duties is to throw your girl a badass bachelorette party. Chances are that planning a girls-only getaway is getting you giddier than ever. Don’t panic yet. After reading this bach itinerary and guide, planning your girls out will be seamless.
Create a Guest List
The bachelorette party is the most fun of the plenty before wedding activities. Workers, family, and the bride’s friends typically grace the party. So the guest list is a sunset of many colors; you can’t afford to mess it up. That’s why this bach itinerary exists. Also, you must actively involve the bride to ensure everyone worthy of the event is onboard.
You can invite non bridesmaids to the bach party. However, you must work hand in hand with the bride to ensure that the attendees are very close to her. Doing so allows the bride to thank them for their love and support. Remember, it’s the bride’s special moment, and she’ll love to create worthwhile memories with the people dear to her.
Don’t attempt to add the groom’s mother to the guest list. You don’t want to create an awkward moment between her and the bride, do you? The bride is the heart and soul of the party. She deserves all the fun and attention, and it’s better to keep it that way. Unless the mom and the bride share a special bond and the bride asks you to include her in the list. Only then can you add her to the guest list.
Pick a Location That the Bride Fancy
A proper bach itinerary isn’t complete without picking a perfect location for the event. It may sound easy, but it’s not. Typically, the starting point to getting an ideal location is to inquire from the bride and bridesmaid. Don’t be alarmed.
The maids may bombard you with many ideas. Some maids may prefer fine dining in an Asian restaurant, while others may consider visiting a steak restaurant. However, it would be best if you always prioritized what the bride wants.
Does the bride prefer visiting the local tiki bar? Or perhaps she fancies a thrilling night at the casinos? Remember, it’s her party, and it’s best to make it an unforgettable experience. For this reason, it’s only fair to go with her wishes.
You should also ensure that the plans center togetherness. Ensure that the location offers some adventure to everyone at a pocket-friendly price. Get creative on how to cut costs while maximizing the experience. Get to know who pays for what (it’s a long tradition for everyone to chip in for the bride), and don’t forget to keep it festive.
Develop an Estimate Budget
There’s no standard budget for a bachelorette party. In fact, according to The Week, in 2023, a typical attendee spends roughly $1,200 per party. What’s more nerve-cracking, according to Newsweek, more than half of the attendees typically take debt to attend the bachelorette party! For this reason, before jumping to the fun stuff, you should settle on a budget the crew is comfortable with. Sailing on the same boat prevents problems upfront.
Typically, factors influencing a bach budget include the group size, destination, travel method, accommodation style, date, and duration. For instance, if you settle on a destination bachelorette party, cities like Miami and New York are more expensive than Austin or Nashville. If the majority of the batch party will involve hopping across cities via a small airport with limited options, it’ll drive the cost up significantly. Also, the lengthier the stay, the more the party will cost. On the contrary, a night out in the bride’s hometown will be pocket-friendlier than a weekend getaway.
Additionally, the group size can greatly impact the budget. For example, a larger group will help in splitting costs which helps with lodging. On the other hand, you may get hit with higher automatic gratuity when presented with the dinner bills.
Pick an Appropriate Date
Let’s face it. It sounds tempting to wait last minute to throw the bachelorette party. However, with attendees from everywhere and several moving pieces, it’s best to pick a date early. Make party arrangements four to six months early in advance to be on the safe side. Additionally, if the guests have to book travel and accommodations, notify them in advance of the dates early to ease planning.
With many event schedules clashing, settling on an appropriate date that works well for all attendees may seem impossible. Regardless, your first step should be to check with the bride to identify the dates that will work well with her schedule. The popular days to have the party are usually the wedding week.
However, the date will heavily depend on the schedule of the bride and the maids. Also, you should consider the party’s location and how busy the bride may desire to be during her wedding week. Picking a date early helps everyone to plan seamlessly. Also, bridesmaids with pets can arrange for early dog boarding or pet-sitting services early.
Traditionally, the most appropriate dates for the bachelorette party happen within the wedding week. Most bridesmaids will be in the same location in preparation for the wedding. Also, the final days may overload the bride due to plenty of planning and wedding activities. For this reason, you should always consult with the bride to get the go-ahead with the party plans.
Prepare Accommodations Where You Can Have Fun
After the dates are set, and you have your RSVPs, nothing’s stopping you now. It’s time to book your stay for the trip. A pro tip is to go for VRBO or Airbnb over booking individual hotel rooms. The plan is to have fun with the girls, and any bach itinerary should prioritize getting a shared space to hang out, play games, and cook. Additionally, it would be best to go for spaces with amenities such as hot tubs and pools, a perfect downtime activity that doesn’t cost any extra dime.
If you’re working on a budget, your best accommodation option is to lodge at an affordable vacation rental or someone’s house. Having a huge sleepover with all the maids will be fun and games. However, if you plan on getting a little rowdy, please be courteous with other people’s spaces. Also, it is good to adhere to the house rules.
If you don’t intend to foot the bill by yourself, consider getting accommodation payments from the guests up front. Also, do the same for any pre-booked events to avoid payment hiccups.
Pick a Theme
While a bachelorette theme rarely makes it on the bach itinerary, it’s a fun and spicy addition to the party. There are many unique theme ideas, from ‘Let’s Get Naughti-cul’ or ‘Baches Be Crazy.’ However, keeping the bride’s wishes when picking a theme would be best. For instance, if she’s a relaxed homebody, don’t stress her out by forcing her to look for unnecessary camping equipment for a night outdoors that she won’t enjoy. Pick a theme that suits her style.
The theme of your choice should marry perfectly with the bride’s character. For instance, if the bride is free-spirited and relaxed, a boho bash will suit her well. For this theme, you must arrange an outdoor activity such as a happy hour picnic, an outdoor movie theatre, or a yoga class.
If the bride fancies glitz and glam, arrange a 70s-themed disco party. In this theme, the more sparklier, the better. Putting a disco light in the middle of a room will be a great idea. Also, ensure that the lights sparkle to the funk music’s beat.
Additionally, consider adding balloons and mini disco balls to ensure a realistic journey back in time. You can also hire a party bus to spice up the party. Be creative.
Plan Fun-filled Activities
If it’s your first time planning bachelorette activities, you’re probably wondering where to start. Don’t worry; relax, for this bach itinerary will give you a hint at how to go about it. Firstly, for weekend bachelorettes, consider having a perfect mix of activities. Depending on the time and the energy required, spread the big activities and have smaller ones that require less energy in between.
Consider the bride’s interests, hobbies, and personal traits when planning the activities. Ensure the activities marry well with her hobbies. You want to make sure that she enjoys herself to the maximum. Remember, she’s the party’s highlight and must have a memorable experience.
Plan a big event that’s a treat to the bride. It could be anything she loves, such as a fun-filled jazz dance class, visiting a theme park, to dancing. Also, consider downtown activities, including prepping meals, hanging by the pool, giving her a list of nail salons to pick where she wants her nails done, sharing funny stories, or watching fun movies. Any activity the bride loves to do must be included.
A pro tip: Anything requiring reservations, such as hotel rooms or boat rentals for a fun day on the river, should be done early to avoid booking disappointments.
Set a bach Itinerary The Right Way
A pro tip when planning the bach itinerary is to space out the activities. By doing so, guests will have ample time to rest in between. A thrilling night out is great, but it’s equally essential to rest after the big events. Also, it would be best to account for the meal times – they can be a great time to hang out and relax. Here are incredible examples.
A Thursday to Friday Bachelorette Weekend
- Friday Evening: Arrivals, Games, and Moderate Activities
- Saturday Morning: Breakfast, Gifts, Lounge
- Saturday Evening: Major Activity
- Saturday Night: Girls’ Night Out
- Sunday Morning: Breakfast, Pack Up
A Thursday to Sunday Bachelorette Weekend
- Thursday Evening: Arrival, Games, and Moderate Activities
- Friday Morning: Breakfast, Moderate Activities
- Friday Evening: Major Activity
- Friday Night: Fun Night In
- Saturday Morning: Low Key Games, Lounge
- Saturday Evening: Major Activity, Night Out
- Sunday Morning: Sleep In, Breakfast, Pack Up
Pro tip: Send the guests a creative and fun invite. Doing so will make them excited and look forward to a fun-filled bachelorette event. Also, you may suggest a packing list, especially if you want them to do activities that involve a few props or wear specific clothes for a night.
Choose The Perfect Gift for the Bride
Every bachelorette’s tradition is to gift the bride. Typically, the most usual gift is a lingerie. However, the bride may request the maids to bring something else. Or perhaps go in together on a much bigger gift. Even so, the best way to choose the most appropriate gift is to marry it to the bride’s personality.
If the bride fancies glam, sparkles, and glitters will give her the ‘wow’ moment. Keep it attention-grabbing but playful. Perhaps a glitzy necklace will do the trick. Also, consider gifting her rimmed shades or a bejeweled tiara.
The classy bride will fancy elegant gifts such as silk bridal robes or custom socks. The sporty one will appreciate bridal tank tops and shots, while the wild bride will love hot lingerie. Get the idea? Match the gift to the bride’s hobbies if you can.
Meal Plan, Decorate, Party & Settle Up
You must ensure that the groceries or snacks for the party are ready a few days before. Also, it will be nice to delegate the job to another party attendee. Ensure you keep all the receipts to add them back to the final budget.
After the meal arrangements are ready, it’s time to decorate for the party. However, try not to go overboard with the decorations. Keep it simple and classy, and if all is well. Get ready, set, and party. After a successful event, divide the costs by the number of maids minus the bride. Use a check-splitting app to make the money transfer seamless.
Planning a bach itinerary is no longer rocket science. It’s pretty straightforward. When armed with a proper guide, everything fits perfectly. All the arrangements work seamlessly, from creating a guest list to settling up. A good guide makes planning easy.