The bride’s last fling before the ring – a bachelorette party – is a sacred rite of passage. It’s a time for the bride and her best girlfriends to let loose, have some fun, and enjoy a few (or many) drinks before she gets married. Many bachelorette parties can be expensive, especially if the bride’s friends are looking to go all out.
When you’re planning a bachelorette trip, or any other party on a budget, there are a few things you need to consider. From the location to the decorations, here are 5 tips for planning a bomb bachelorette on a budget!
- Know Your Bride
Before you head to Google and search "Bachelorette Party Ideas", you should think about the bride and what she likes.. Ask yourself the questions below to help narrow your focus on activities and locations to look for so you can plan a trip she will enjoy (and not just because it's her bachelorette). By knowing your bride, you can cater the event to include things she’ll love.
- Does she prefer to fly or take road trips? - If your bride is afraid of flying, it's not a good idea to pick a destination where she needs to get on a plane.
- Is she more laid back or the life of the party? - Don’t plan crazy nights out on the town if you’re planning for a wallflower bride
- Does she want to be involved in the planning? -Surprises can be fun but make sure you know whether or not to share details with the bride so you don’t spill any info
- Location, Location, Location
The location of the bachelorette events can have a big impact on the overall cost. When saving money, it’s important to consider things like special events and peak season dates for a specific location. Oftentimes, peak seasons mean more people which could lead to price increases and long wait times for restaurants and bars.
PRO PLANNING TIP: The closer the destination is to the city center, the more expensive things typically will be. Remember, convenience costs.
When looking for accommodations, search for spaces that have a kitchen or kitchenette. You may be able to save on food costs by buying groceries for family-style meals designed to feed large groups. Eating dinner in reduces the need to dish out money for expensive meals eating out.
If the bride has friends in different cities, one option is to host the bachelorette at someone’s home instead of doing a vacation rental or booking a hotel. This is an amazing money saver that still provides everyone with enough space to mingle, have some fun, and rest (remember: it's a marathon, not a sprint)! Don’t forget to gift something special to the host as a thank you for using her home. Check out this blog post for an easy DIY gift idea that uses items right from your pantry.
- Make it Fun!
When thinking of activities to include on the trip, aim to schedule a good mix of individually priced activities and group rate activities. This will allow guests to choose how much they'd like to spend while also being inclusive, so everyone enjoys the trip. To keep costs low, look for inexpensive activities that are unique to make the trip more memorable. Bonus points if you can plan something the bride has never done. Every time she thinks back to her first time doing the activity, she'll always remember her bachelorette!
PRO PLANNING TIP: People value experiences more than temporary enjoyment. Give them something to remember!
If you're wanting to give favors, try scheduling make-and-take activities as part of the trip. Candle-making or a crafting activity doubles as a favor and everyone who participates can create their own unique item!
4. Go Glamorous on a Dime
Just because you’re on a budget doesn’t mean you can’t go all out with the decor. There are plenty of ways to create a glamorous setting without spending a fortune. Choose decor that will last the entirety of the trip to keep the aesthetic and vibe going. For custom decorations choose one large item (like a banner or sign) instead of multiple, smaller items (like bags or cups) to maximize the space and save some coins,
Another way to save costs is to DIY the bachelorette decorations. For example, you could make your own wall decor by hanging photos of the bride and her guests using string lights. You could also create a photo booth backdrop using fabric, streamers, balloons, and other supplies. Create a cutout of the bride's future husband that she can use for photos or as a travel buddy when heading out to do activities.
- Sprinkle in Surprises
The goal of the bachelorette trip is to make it memorable. Keep things interesting by surprising the bride at different points of the party. One way to do this is by making cards for the bride to open throughout the trip. This works well if she was not involved in the planning and makes it fun for her to guess what she'll be doing next. You could also have each guest bring a gift for the bride to open throughout the trip as well. Even the future husband can get in on the action by sending his gift too!
BONUS TIP: Manage Great Expectations
Planning for a group is difficult. It can be hard to organize everyone, especially when there are a lot of ideas and opinions. Establish ground rules when planning the trip like when input will be requested versus decisions that will be yours alone to make. Over-communicate the timeline for receiving any deposits and if they will be refundable, especially if the per person price of an activity or event is based on the total number of participating guests.
Remind guests that the location and activities are all catered to the bride and what she would enjoy - not necessarily what they would plan for themselves.
PRO PLANNING TIP: Make sure to share the itinerary well in advance so everyone knows the plan and any associated costs.
******************************
Now that you have these tips, do you feel ready and equipped to plan the most bomb bachelorette trip EVER?
Let me know in the comments!
1 comment
Yesss!! Just what I needed — some easy to implement words of wisdom! Thank you!