Plan a budget-friendly bachelorette weekend with these 11 simple tips for saving cash
We get it. You and your girls are ballin’ on a budget. BUT, that shouldn’t stop you from ballin’ out at your bachelorette bash! We’ve been to a party or two, and we’ve got several crucial affordable bachelorette trip ideas that will help you save a buck without compromising on fun, fashion and food.
Planning an affordable bachelorette trip isn’t as hard as it sounds. There are several tiny tweaks you can make to the trip that will save everyone time and money, while still creating a bachelorette bash that the bride deserves. Things like airfare, over-the-top hotels, cover fees and high-end restaurants can cause expenses to spike. Use these affordable bachelorette trip ideas to help you kickstart your planning and have the whole group smiling at the savings:
1. Travel the during the off-season
Estimated cost-savings: $500+ per person on flights and lodging
Hotels and Airbnbs raise their prices during peak seasons and weekends of big events. Trying to plan for an “off season” or “off weekend” will help you save on lodging, not to mention avoid massive crowds and horrific traffic. Going to Florida during spring break, 4th of July or Labor Day might not be your best bet, but Florida in the late fall or winter is a relaxed, affordable dream! We found a list of the cheapest times to visit all 50 states, so that seems like a good starting point! Here’s a sneak peak of the off-seasons in a few of our fave destinations:
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Nashville: January is the best time to fly to Tennessee, with an average round trip of $366. To save your sanity, try to avoid football season and CMA Fest altogether.
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Austin: September is the prime time to fly to Texas, with airfare of around $316. The summer heat will finally be coming to an end and if you book in advance, you can find an affordable hotel in the Lone Star State as well!
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Miami: The average round trip flight to Florida in February is just $271 and the temps (and tourists) are much more tolerable.
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Charleston: If you (and your hair) are okay with the humidity in August, the average flight fare to South Carolina is $339.
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Napa Valley: October is the cheapest month to fly to California, with an average round-trip airfare of $299, not to mention it is the perfect time to go apple picking and vineyard hopping!
Flights to Florida in February are only $271 on average! For more ideas for a Miami bachelorette party, check out or Miami Bachelorette Party Guide.
2. Pick a drive-able location
Estimated cost-savings: $200-$500 per person for flights and at least $30 per person for Ubers throughout the weekend
One major way you can save a ton of cash upfront is by selecting a destination that is within driving distance for the majority of the group. There are so many financial perks to driving: you can avoid airfare costs, pack snacks and drinks in coolers, save money on ridesharing apps and split the cost of gas with friends to further reduce the spend. Not to mention, every girl loves a road trip!
3. Stay at a friend’s place
Estimated cost-savings: $200-$300+ per person
If you have a friend who is open to hosting a group of bachelorettes at her place, take her up on it! There’s also a solid chance that someone in your crew has a family beach or lake house that your crew can take advantage of. Save the money you would’ve spent on a hotel or house rental and spend it on gifts, decorations and food. There’s nothing quite like a wild house party to celebrate the bride-to-be!
4. Create your own digital invitations
Estimated cost-savings: $75+ for printing, envelopes and stamps
Fancy invitation websites and online printers will often upcharge you for their designs and prints. Invitations can be totally unreasonable when you don’t know where to get them! We’ve created downloadable, customizable invites that are budget-friendly and practical. Insert your bride’s details, download, and send via text message or email to save on printing costs without stiffing the attendees of a legit invitation.
Final Fiesta Bachelorette Party Invitation Template | $8 from Stag & Hen
5. Eat a few meals at your house or hotel
Estimated cost-savings: $80+ per person
Meals at restaurant can easily be $40+ a person when you factor in food, drinks and tip. For a fun breakfast at your house or hotel, pamper the bride with a waffle and mimosa bar. You can make it cute with matching PJs (a great party favor idea, we love these), her favorite breakfast foods and a wide range of flavored coffee. Just ask each member of the party to chip in cash or bring a breakfast item! Host a taco or pizza bar for dinner and we estimate the bride squad will save at least $80 per person... not too shabby!
Load up on floral Team Bride plates, $8 for a set of 8, for a waffle or taco bar at the bachelorette party pad
6. Throw an epic bachelorette night to remember
Estimated cost-savings: $500+ on flights, hotels and food and drinks over a three-day trip
Instead of an entire weekend, what if you planned ONE epic night in a nearby city!? Do it up. A fancy dinner, a night on the town, a limo with a chauffeur and a nightcap at her fave late night restaurant. When you choose this option, you can do it big for one night, knowing that you’ll be returning home, saving money on a hotel and flights and you won't have to ration cash for the rest of the weekend.
Skip the three-day bachelorette weekend in favor for one single, but totally epic, night out. Photo by Elle Harper.
7. Look for deals on Groupon
Estimated cost-savings: $100+ depending on the size of the group
This might seem obvious, but don’t book or buy the first things you see! Check websites like Groupon and Honey before you commit to a reservation or make a purchase. Some of our favorite bachelorette activities like pedal bikes, party buses and booze cruises can be found on Groupon on the reg. Compare hotel prices on Trivago or Kayak before booking your stay. Be sure to check out Airbnb and VRBO to ensure you’re getting the most bang for your buck. Lots of times, you can find group deals and price drops that save everyone a little cheddar.
8. Find free party activities
Estimated cost savings: $20 - $50 per guest
Sometimes the best things in life really are FREE! If you do a little browsing online, you’ll be able to find all kinds of free events that your group can attend during a bachelorette weekend. Look for things like outdoor concerts, rooftop yoga classes, popular hiking spots, farmer’s markets, drag shows, festivals and parks where you can BYOB! A good place to start is with the city’s events calendar.
Another great resource for planning your party activities are our bachelorette party city guides. Each guide has a round-up of the best activities in each bachelorette trip hotspot, including plenty of free options.
Explore our bachelorette city guides for free activity ideas like hiking or a self-guided wall mural tour. Make sure to check the city's event calendar, too, for other free events.
9. Pregame before hitting the town
Estimated cost-savings: $10-$15 per drink per person...we’ll let you do the math.
Catch your buzz without breaking the bank! Bring your favorite alcohol, mixers and party cups and have a few drinks before you head to dinner. After a round or two of our drinking games, you’ll be your own cheap date ;)
Download our FREE Bachelorette Party Games for the perfect pre-game bachelorette party activity!
10. DIY your party favors and decorations
Estimated cost-savings: $50+ or more
Make some of the decorations and favors yourselves to save on purchasing and shipping of store-bought decorations. Here’s a cute photo backdrop idea that you can totally create yourself. We also love this affordable nail polish option for an inexpensive party favor. There are so many things you can do to customize the party to fit the bride’s personality. Now, this is the part where you fall into a Pinterest blackhole, good luck.
11. Host an old-school girl’s night in
Estimated cost-savings: $50+ per guest
The first night of the trip is the perfect time for a good old fashioned slumber party. Guests will be arriving at different times and everyone will be tired from traveling. You can plan to have a girl’s night in with face masks, pizza, games, gossip and a lingerie shower for the bride. This is the perfect way to rest up for the next day and save money on a dinner that everyone might not be able to attend in the first place!
Save cash by hosting an old-school slumber party. Wear matching PJs and watch your favorite romantic comedies!
Our affordable bachelorette trip ideas are sure to keep you on-budget and on-trend. Rest assured, the bride is going to enjoy the trip simply because all of her best friends are taking the time to celebrate her marriage to the love of her life. Don’t feel like you have to go overboard by over-planning and overspending because the bride will be over the moon no matter what!
For more bachelorette trip ideas, we have tons of real party recaps and city guides that will help you get some major inspo!