Bachelorette Party Planning Basics

If you are a bridesmaid or maid of honor for the first time, you may be confused about how best to plan a bachelorette party. How do you tailor the party to suit the bride-to-be? Do you have to go out? Do you need to stay in? Should the party be naughty or nice?

There are a few key points to remember to plan a successful bachelorette party. First, determine, based on your knowledge of the bride or an actual conversation with her, what level of wild and crazy adventure she wants from her bachelorette party. Some girls love a last night out on the town with harmless attention from guys, lots of drinks, and dancing. Other girls prefer a night in with their closest friends, talking about guys, watching movies, and having a few margaritas. Either way, once you have determined whether you are planning an out on the town or an in the home party, you can begin to choose a theme for your event. If the bachelorette wants a low key home party, you might think about themes like "little girl slumber party," or "80s fest!" If you have a set of girls who want to go out to a club, you may want a theme of a color - so you can all wear the color and get party favors in that hue. Everything you bring with you to the club can match, like all the girls in pink except the bride who wears white with pink accents.

Next, think about party favors and decorations. You want to match the theme of your bachelorette party, and also the tone. For a tamer party, focus on girly touches and party favors like nail polish and hair accessories. For a wilder party, decorate with penis balloons and make a cake shaped like a penis. This is not for the faint of heart, but for a wild bunch of ladies, it can be a real riot.

Another consideration is the date of your party. It is recommended to keep the bachelorette party well in advance of the wedding. Gone are the days of a bachelor and bachelorette party the night before the wedding, because you don't want a jittery bride or a hungover bride the next day! Think of planning the bachelorette party for about a month before the wedding date, but remember that you must carefully schedule with the other bridesmaids and the bride herself, and getting schedules to match can be tricky. Try to start your preparation as early as possible.

Finally, make sure you have a good guest list. You should of course invite all the other bridesmaids, honor attendants, and sisters of the bride. You may also want to consider some of the bride's other friends who aren't in the wedding party. Often great girls are close enough to the bride to want to celebrate with her but aren't necessarily in the wedding. Don't forget to include these special people! You are best served if you consult with the bride about the guest list for her bachelorette party.