Plan for the Best Bachelor or Bachelorette Party Ever

Bachelor & Bachelorette Party Planning

Photo credit: Frank Masi.

Bachelor and bachelorette parties have been part of the pre-wedding traditions for a long time. They have evolved from frivolous weekends into fun nights to celebrate with close friends. Now everyone has their own definition of what a bachelor and bachelorette party should be and this article will lay out some planning guidelines to make sure you’ve got it covered

Usually the best man/groomsmen and the maid of honor/bridesmaid plan the respective parties. Other close friends can help with the party planning as well. Have one person take the lead role in the planning, this way people have someone to report back to. Split up some of the roles needed between the bridesmaids or groomsmen, so that not just one person is planning the party. Before you start cranking out party ideas, ask the bride/groom what they have in mind for their bachelor or bachelorette party. If they say they don’t want a certain thing then it is important to respect that, instead of forcing them into something.

Planning Areas:

Invitations, guest list and RSVPs. Stick to the guest list provided by the bride or groom and don’t just start inviting everybody.
Event Schedule, addresses, reservations, confirmations, etc. These should be booked in advance so that you can make sure that your group is accommodated. Plan ahead for having party guests stay at someone’s house or a hotel and make the proper arrangements.
Notifying guests of any changes, special items or payment due
Event transportation, especially if drinking will be involved it is best to have someone pick you all up or hire a chauffeured transportation company to take care of everything.
Payment; the bride and groom should not be paying for anything during their trip, unless they purchase souvenirs, etc. So if you are going out to a restaurant, staying in a hotel or going to a show the groomsmen/bridesmaids should pool together to cover everything. The rest of the party guests will pay for their own way, but should not be expected to help cover the bride or groom unless they offer.

Who to Invite

Normally, the bride/groom tells their party members who they would like to have invited. These parties are usually a lot smaller than bridal showers. Typically, it is under 20 people that are close friends of the bride/groom. Ask your bride or groom first for a guest list with contact information and go from there. Sending out a formal invitation is proper etiquette, but nowadays people are using Facebook as well to coordinate the party. Just make sure to tell everyone to RSVP, especially if you need to book reservations, hotel rooms and more.

Here’s what to include on the invitation:

Event Date/time
Event locations and addresses of restaurants, bars, etc.
Sleeping and transportation accommodations
Amount of money owed for reservations, etc.
For girls: Bride’s clothing sizes for gifts
RSVP date and contact information

Party Ideas

Golf outing
Wine tasting
Sports game
Destination vacation, i.e. Las Vegas, Florida, etc.
Sports weekend; skiing, kayaking, boating, fishing
Cruise
Camping
Comedy show
Dancing
“Broadway” show
Beach party
Food tasting or cooking class (cheese tasting, etc.)
Getaway weekend in state; skiing or shopping
Themed party
Spa Day
Casino

What to Bring

Depending on what the plan is for the party you should plan accordingly. If you are having party guests come to your house then be ready with some snacks. You don’t have to make a full meal, but it would be good to eat some things before heading out. Let everyone know that if they are sleeping over to bring their own bedding as well. It is definitely okay to tell the party guests to also bring over their own drinks. For example, for a bachelorette party have all the girls bring a bottle of wine over.

As far as gifts go, it is not like an engagement party or bridal shower where you buy gifts off a registry. For a bachelorette party, the gifts normally consist of lingerie and other fun things, as well as ridiculous items for the bride to wear out and about that evening. For the bachelor party, dudes normally bring over some drinks or offer to buy drinks that evening. There is usually no gift giving for the gentlemen.

Don’t forget to book transportation as well! Aristocat offers are variety of vehicles for every party size. Call us today or fill out a quote online to book your ride!

Get ready to have a good time with your friends and the bride or groom. Remember that this party is for them and don’t let any drama queens in the group steal the spotlight. Have fun and don’t get stuck on any hotel roofs or find a tiger in your hotel bathroom!

Posted on July 29th, 2013 in Special Events, Weddings.