How to Throw the Best Bachelor or Bachelorette Party
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So, your closest friend is tying the knot and they’ve asked you to be their best man or maid of honor… Now what? Amongst many other duties, it is traditionally going to be your job to plan the bachelor/bachelorette festivities. While this sounds exciting at first, it can quickly become quite overwhelming. Here are a few tips to help you throw the BEST bachelor and bachelorette party!
Get the Bride or Grooms Input
While you don’t want to add anything else to the soon to be Mr. and Mrs.’ to-do list, it’s important to find out if they have anything specific in mind for this event. The party is for them after all. There’s no need to include them in all the details, but maybe they have a preference in a theme or a destination weekend. They could even just want to have a relaxed night in, so the last thing you want to do is plan a wild weekend in Vegas.
Choose your co-planners.
Planning the bachelorette or bachelor party is going to be a lot of work. There is no rule that says you have to do it alone though! Think of the people in the friend group or even close family members who could be helpful. The secret to planning an unforgettable weekend (or night) is to have these 3 roles filled:
The Adventurous One: This is the person who will have ideas about all the fun and exciting activities that should occur! Whether you’re thinking of bar hopping, something that keeps everyone active, or a relaxed weekend at the lake - this person will be able to come up with something for any scenario.
The Planner: This will generally fall on the shoulders of the maid of honor or best man, but not necessarily. The person who takes this role should be a detail oriented person, at a minimum. They will be responsible for contacting everyone, creating an itinerary (if needed), and making sure that all the bases are covered!
The Financial Advisor: Generally speaking, each member who attends the bachelor/bachelorette party is responsible for their own portion. This role requires a number guru who can give everyone a fairly accurate estimate of what the event is going to cost. This eliminates any surprises for those in attendance!
Create the Guest List
So you’ve got your A-team lined up, now it’s time to create the guest list for the rest of the party. First, determine if it should be a small or large group participating in the planned theatrics. Aside from determining who the bride or groom would want in attendance, there are a few other details to consider. Should you invite people who are not a part of the wedding party? Should any family members be included? And most importantly, will everyone get along for a drama free event? If there are people who could potentially take away from the experience of the last hoorah, they probably shouldn’t be invited.
Discuss the Budget
It’s important to remember that being a member of the wedding party can be a costly commitment and not everyone always has the same financial situation. Once you’ve determined who will be attending, throw some numbers out there to see what everyone is comfortable with. Also, don’t forget to factor in meals and drinks for the soon to be wed, if that is something everyone agrees to help cover.
Pick the Location
Location, location, location. This is probably one of the most important pieces of the party. Good and bad news, the possibilities are endless! Try to keep both bride or groom’s preferences in mind while also factoring in the financial aspect for the attendees. Here are some of the top places known as the best bachelor and bachelorette party destinations.
Choose a Date
This can be one of the easiest tasks, if done early enough in advance. Life is busy, so you’ll want to pick a date as soon as possible to ensure everyone can make arrangements to be available. Generally, this type of event is thrown within a month before the wedding. Sometimes holiday weekends are a great choice because people may already have time off work and there are always plenty of events going on! Whatever you do, do NOT throw their bachelor or bachelorette party on their last night of being single. The wedding day is too important to add any potential mishaps, created by the previous night's events.
Plan the Festivities
This is where the adventurous role takes the lead! There are a few key things to keep in mind when planning the night’s or weekend’s events:
Try to come up with activities that everyone will participate in.
Plan things that Bride or Groom would be ecstatic about.
Don’t go overboard with activities - leave space for downtime (or recovery).
Get the Party Supplies
Oftentimes, it can be more memorable to go with a themed bachelorette or bachelor party. This means you’re going to need to get decorations, props, and memorabilia ahead of time. There are an endless amount of options out there for not only the man or lady of the hour, but for the whole party as well! Check out this Etsy shop for personalized t-shirts for either group!
Food and Beverage
Generally speaking, it’s pretty common for adult beverage consumption to take place during these festivities. So, whatever you do, remember to make sure everyone is eating well! Even if alcohol isn’t involved, everyone is going to need fuel for whatever activities are taking place. And don’t forget to stay hydrated! Stock the fridge with plenty of water and gatorade, and maybe some coffee for the morning after too.
Follow the Leader
Now that all the details have been planned, supplies have been purchased, and guests have arrived… There's only one key thing left to remember: The bride or groom is the most important person there. From here on out, it’s best to follow their lead and make sure they are having the best time possible! You’ve done a great job making it all happen, it’s time for you to join everyone else and participate in the fun!
Do NOT Lose the Leader
Although this isn’t something that many need to be reminded of, there’s a reason the movie, The Hangover was filmed. The last thing you want to be responsible for, is informing the soon to be married partner that you’ve lost their person during a night of shenanigans. If this could even slightly be a possibility, go ahead and order some of these fun temporary tattoos and turn on location sharing…just in case.
Transportation
The last detail is transportation to and from the activities. Especially if you do a destination bachelorette or bachelor party, you’ll want to know your options ahead of time. If you end up staying local, it’s even more significant to make sure that everyone is getting home safely and refraining from being behind the wheel when they shouldn't be. Besides, who doesn't enjoy a good party bus?
Follow these tips and you will surely pull off a great bachelor/bachelorette party that everyone will continue to reminisce over, for years to come! And, if you are still searching for the perfect gift for the happy couple, check out our gift guide for gifts they will actually use!