Bachelorette parties are a time-honored tradition to celebrate your engaged friend before their wedding day.
Some people hear the words “bachelorette trip” and get excited, while others can feel overwhelmed and may start avoiding the pings of the group chat as plans are made and expenses are tallied.
I’ve now attended four bachelorette weekends as a guest, planned my own bachelorette weekend in NYC, and am currently planning one as the matron of honor for my friend’s wedding later this year.
With all that experience, I’ve learned what works, what doesn’t, and how to plan a fun bachelorette weekend without getting overwhelmed.
If you’re looking for destination inspiration, check out my Savannah bachelorette itinerary post for ideas on how to plan the perfect Southern getaway.
Bachelorette Planning – How to Plan a Fun Weekend
If you’re gearing up to plan a celebration for yourself or someone else, here’s a step-by-step guide to make the process easier.
1. Invite your guests
Your first task is to draft a guest list. Aim to strike a balance between inclusivity and practicality.
The most popular way to create a guest list for a bachelorette weekend is to simply invite your bridesmaids.
However, some people like to invite wedding guests and close friends to their bachelorette weekend in addition to their wedding party.
Others may forgo a wedding party altogether and your bachelorette may end up being a small group of friends.
Keep in mind that the more people you invite, the more back and forth you and the bride will need to manage with logistics and opinions.
2. Local vs destination bachelorette
This decision will set the tone for the event and impact attendance:
- If the wedding is local, attendees may be more willing to travel for the bachelorette weekend. On the flip side, if the wedding is a destination event, a local bachelorette might be the best option.
- For trips requiring a flight or more than a two-hour drive, expect some people to decline the invite.
- In most cases, it will be easier to organize a destination trip with a smaller group.
3. Decide on the length of the celebration
From one epic night out to a four-day getaway, there’s no “right” length for a bachelorette weekend.
Consider what fits best with your schedule and budget and think about what your dream bachelorette celebration would look like.
Typically the shorter the celebration is, the more affordable it is and the more likely people will be able to attend.
One of my friends chose to do one night out in NYC—we met up in the afternoon, went out to dinner and ended the night at karaoke.
Since the timeline was short and everyone was able to commute back to their homes, we had a bigger group (about a dozen people) for the celebration.
This past month I flew to attend a bachelorette trip that was four days long and we had seven girls in total.
4. Narrow down dates and weekends
Finding the right date can feel like a puzzle, but here are some tips:
- Pick a weekend before the wedding that works for the bride’s schedule and put feelers out to the invitees.
- To see who is available on what weekend, consider making a poll with a few weekend options and select the date that most people can attend.
- You can create polls for free on Google Forms and Survey Monkey. If you want to keep it even simpler, you can send a message in a group chat and ask people to “like” the weekends that work for them.
- Summer is typically tricky due to travel, so consider planning during spring, fall, or winter.
5. Confirm dates and request RSVPs
Once you’ve chosen a date, finalize the group with an RSVP deadline. Be transparent about costs upfront:
- Have one person handle booking the accommodations and request payment from others on Venmo, Zelle or PayPal.
- If the trip involves plane travel, be sure to share which specific flights you are planning to take in case others want to book all together.
- You can also create a potential carpool group text if people can drive together.
- Let attendees know if payments are non-refundable past a certain point to avoid last-minute dropouts.
6. Start planning the weekend
Now for the fun part! Choose activities that fit the group’s vibe and the destination:
- Whether it’s spa days, wine tastings, or a night out, prioritize the bride’s preferences.
- Need inspiration? Check out my related blog post on bachelorette weekend activity ideas.
- You can even poll your friends to ask if they have any ideas for what to do—that way you can split up the planning and ensure you’re planning a weekend that takes everyone’s suggestions into account.
- Also, consider leaving some downtime for the group and resist the urge to over-stuff the itinerary with activities.
7. Communicate details to the group
Avoid confusion by keeping everyone on the same page:
- Create and share a detailed itinerary with the group. This can include things like the address of the hotel/AirBnB where you plan to stay, outfit ideas, a schedule for the weekend and more.
- Two things that I think are a must to plan ahead of time are meals and transportation.
- Transportation: Think about who may volunteer to be a designated driver if needed or who can coordinate Ubers for the group
- Meals: If you’re going out to eat, choose one person to put their card down and keep track of costs and make sure you have reservations. If you’re cooking at a house, split the responsibilities and ask your friends about any allergies and dietary restrictions.
- I’ve created a Bachelorette Weekend Planner template where you can easily share all of these details and more in a cute and aesthetic PDF. If you’d like to grab a copy, check it out in my Etsy shop here.
8. Discussing money
It’s not always easy to chat about money, but when planning a bachelorette trip it’s necessary.
Aside from disclosing up front costs like flights and hotels, you’ll also want to keep track of expenses that arise throughout the trip.
Here are a few examples from a recent bachelorette trip I was on:
- Decorations for the house
- Monogrammed bags for everyone with goodies like silk sleep masks, eye masks, fuzzy socks, Emergen-C, hair bows, Advil, etc.
- Food and drinks out at restaurants
- Groceries we brought to the house
- Transportation
- Games
- Movie rentals
Apps like Splitwise can help you track costs and apps like Venmo, Zelle and PayPal make it easy to exchange money virtually.
Other tips/things to consider:
- Some brides like to be super involved in their bachelorette planning and others love the element of surprise. Check with the bride to see how she feels.
- Think about how costs may be offset and communicate that to the group.
- For example, choosing a super nice house and cooking meals at home can save on dining out and transportation costs.
- You may also want to discuss as a group if you want to treat the bride to any specific activities or meals.
- Sometimes the best bachelorette weekends are the simple ones! At the end of the day, the bride should have fun and relax.
Closing thoughts
I hope that this helps alleviate any stress you may have felt when you first clicked on this blog post if you’re knee-deep in the planning trenches.
By staying organized, communicating clearly, and focusing on what’s most important to the bride, you can create a memorable and enjoyable bachelorette experience for everyone involved.
Happy planning!
yours,
Austen
