Okay, so let's get real. Planning a bachelorette party these days is an accomplishment worthy of adding to your resume. From booking the travel to managing the budget and coordinating the itinerary, there is no shortage of tasks to juggle when organizing your bestie's last fling before the ring.
Well ladies, we're here to help! We sat down with one of our favorite partners and bachelorette party planners, Allison Odhner of Bach to Basic, to get some tips on planning an unforgettable bachelorette party. Allison has planned parties in Miami, Austin, Tulum and beyond in a range of budgets, so has no shortage of experience in the bach party department. Take a peek at her advice and don't forget, you can always call in reinforcements like Allison if ya need a helping hand!
Hi there! I'm Allison Odhner, owner of Bach to Basic, an all inclusive bachelor and bachelorette party planning business. We are big fans of Stag and Hen, and are so excited to be coming to you with a guest blog post!
Sometimes the first steps in planning a bachelorette party can be the most difficult. I am here to help with five tips on how to get your I Do Crew on board and excited about celebrating the Bride to Be, while also making the process manageable, and dare we say...fun?!
1. Set a date early. Like six months early.
In the midst of weddings, bridal showers and other bachelorette parties, friend's calendars will fill up fast! If you do nothing else, try to set a date as early as possible to secure your weekend and make sure the most people can attend as possible. We recommend getting the crew together six months in advance to get a date in the calendar. This gives the girls plenty of time to make sure they are available and prepare for the adventure!
A Bach To Basic party in Austin! Here the girls are hanging out in their bachelorette party pad before hitting sixth street.
2. Be flexible with location, especially if flying.
Unless the bride is hard set on a specific place, base your adventure on flight prices! There are a couple of tools in particular that are great for this - Kayak Explore and Google Flights both let you input dates or time of year and see how much it costs to fly to any destination. You might go somewhere you hadn't thought of! If driving, you can even base your location around an awesome house rental. Although seeing a new city is always exciting, the most important thing is having all your girls together in one place!
Take me to the lake! You can't go wrong with a party boat for a fun afternoon bach party activity.
3. Be realistic about budget.
Budget is a huge element to a bachelorette party. As a general rule, your guest's lives will be moving in all different directions, and that can affect how much they are willing to spend. Set the expectation early of how much this bachelorette party may cost! Give people enough time to save up, allow them the opportunity to decline, or adjust as necessary so that all can attend.
A Bach to Basic party in downtown Playa Del Carmen before heading to dinner. Reservations coordinated by us!
4. Let someone (or a couple people) take charge.
If you've got a big group, it is much easier to let a couple people run the show with some input versus having 12 people throwing ideas around and trying to land on just one. Whether this be the bride herself, maid of honor or bridesmaids, a planning service, or a combination of the three, it will make the process run smoothly and the bride's requests will be sure to be accommodated!
Hello, Miami! At this party, we booked a private yacht charter for the girls to cruise on during the afternoon.
5. Have fun with it!
Sometimes this is easier said than done when trying to wrangle a group and get everyone on the same page, but this should not be a stressful experience. Ultimately, you are putting together a weekend for one of your best friends and it will be all worth the trouble in the end when you're celebrating together!
Fiesta, Siesta, Tequila, Repeat. Bach party in Tulum? Count us in!
With all the excitement surrounding a wedding, it is important to realize the girlfriends who got you to where you are today. The bachelorette party is the perfect way to celebrate these friendships. I hope these tips help you get started in putting together your, or your best friend's, dream bachelorette party!
Feel free to visit us over at www.bachtobasic.com to help with your planning!
XO,
Allison
There you have, it ladies! Some helpful tips from a pro for planning your bestie's bachelorette party. Have you organized a bachelorette weekend before? What tips do you have?