Bachelorette Party Planner
Bachelorette party planners abound! You’ve been given the glorious task of planning a bachelorette party, and all the feels are rushing through you.
You’re honored, you’re excited, you’re ready to party. Don’t let “overwhelmed” and “stressed” make it on that list!
This is a FUN time for the bride and that doesn’t mean it has to be business for you. The more fun you have planning it, the more fun the end product will be.
To help you get started, we’ve compiled some advice from the experts. You’ll be on your way to being the best bachelorette party planner in no time!
First, you’ll definitely want to download the HeadTable app and get all the girls on there. Consider this your meeting ground.
Maintain your group messages, share the party agenda in your calendar of events, and track expenses all in one place with HeadTable, plus so much more. Nothing will be a more valuable resource to you as a bachelorette party planner.
Next, read on below to see what the professional bachelorette party planners have to say!
How do I even begin to get organized?!
@samlovevox: Check with the bride first to see what type of event she has in mind and who she'd like to have invited (i.e. just bridal party or bridal party + close friends). Then email blast everyone to narrow down and select a date.
@jennagward: I start with a group chat to introduce everyone. Decide on a location and confirm the price point. I want to make sure everyone feels comfortable from the start and is committed to going.
@mallory_paige2: Create an Excel spreadsheet with color coding and make a to-do list by date. I have my running to do list in Excel with EVERYTHING that needs to get done.
If it's done, color it green. If I need to work on it, yellow. If I contacted someone or the ball of responsibility is in their court (vendor, bridesmaid), blue.
Once I reach out to the person, I have my to-do list in my notes app and I sort items by date. I follow up with people after a week. For the stuff I have to do, sorting by date to do things also helps me stay sane and not overwhelm me with action items.
Julie Mullen: The most important thing to get locked in is a location and a date and things can go from there. You start with the bride’s availability, go to the bridesmaids, and then ask the rest of the group.
@stephanieeskersiegle: Start bookmarking Instagram and Pinterest ideas.
What are the main components of a bachelorette party?
@Mrscaptainmo: At least one activity per day - party boat, nice dinner out, party bus to winery/distillery, etc. Every bachelorette I’ve planned or been to has been similar. Decorations are needed as well for the house.
@alyssa_darlia: Good friends, good drinks, and decent dance moves. Everyone’s preference is different on how they like to celebrate. Just make sure it’s the bride’s style and what she would love!
@Nicolelopes10: Location, somewhere to stay, activities and food!
@samlovevox: Most I've attended/planned have had a dinner component, and then an after-dinner entertainment component, like dancing, bar hopping, hunk-o-mania type of show, etc...
@ericaleigh14: I think this depends on the bride. From the bachelorette parties I've been to, there's always at least one "thing" or planned group activity. I think having one bigger activity to work around is the safe bet, which is what I’m doing for my friend because she wants to do a boat for the afternoon and that'll be more expensive, so I'm planning around that.
@Laurenr.s: That the Bride has fun!! I think it is important to tailor a Bachelorette party to the Bride, and that is going to look different for everyone. A Bride who is a homebody and who would prefer a spa day with high tea would probably not have fun at a loud club with strippers...
@stephanieeskersiegle: Each bachelorette party should be different because each woman is different - and so is her love story! The main components are food, fun, and a blend of goofy and sentimental moments to commemorate her upcoming marriage.
Should the MOH be the sole bachelorette party planner, or should she enlist the other members of the bridal party to help her?
@rachel.berlinski: The MOH should take the lead on planning the event. However, she should definitely lean on other party members for help and even possibly advice.
Abby: I think it depends. Some MOH take the role seriously and don’t want help, but others want the input to make sure everyone enjoys and because everyone usually knows different sides to the bride.
Julie Mullen: Always ask for a plus one in planning. You can ask opinions of guests but it's better to limit the amount of decision makers.
@Laurenr.s: I like to be as inclusive as I can be in the planning process. Especially when it comes to decisions where I am asking others so spend their own money. Any big financial decisions are made by the group.
However, I do like to have elements of surprise for everyone. It keeps the night fun and interesting. Delegating tasks to the rest of the bridal party also keeps everyone involved, and takes some of the stress off of the MOH.
@alyssa_darlia: Sometimes too many cooks in the kitchen makes it harder to plan.
@mallory_paige2: It depends! My sister is planning my Bach party for in town and my BM are all out of town so it's hard to get their take on things. I absolutely love planning, so my sister is bouncing ideas off of me.
It should be determined ahead of time if the bride wants to be surprised or not. My sister does not like to plan at all so I reached out to her bridesmaids and my mom for help.
Whose responsibility is it to pay for the party? How much should each attendee expect to pay?
@rachel.berlinski: The bridesmaids should split costs (including the bride’s portion) for decor, lodging, activities. The bride should pay for her transportation to/from (i.e. if a plane ticket is involved) and should pay for her own food, outside of, say, a main dinner. Under $500 each.
@stephanieeskersiegle: I would say the bride pays nothing, unless her expectations are above what the other gals are reasonably able to pay for.
That’s why it’s helpful to meet and discuss the bride’s vision and what you’re thinking for her early! And, document that conversation and send her a recap email/message. Sounds silly, but it’s always a good idea to ensure you’re on the same page. Under $500 each.
@michellewhitley: It’s a good idea for the bridal party to pay for the bachelorette event(s). However, it is partially the bride’s responsibility to decide on activities that are reasonable in price for everyone involved. Under $500 each.
@Mrscaptainmo: The MOH or a bridesmaid pays for the house and activities up front. Bride pays for her own flight and stay every time since she picked an out-of-state adventure. The bride pays for NO activities and that’s split by all the girls attending. Under $1,000 each.
Feeling inspired yet?! You’ve got this! Just remember, the main goal as a bachelorette party planner is for the bride to have a good time, and that doesn’t mean all the bridesmaids need to break the bank.
Communicate, get organized, and personalize, and you’re all set! Next time, you’ll be giving the advice as a seasoned bachelorette party planner yourself. ion and a date and things can go from there. You start with the bride’s availability, go to the bridesmaids, and then ask the rest of the group.
