In my years of being a bridesmaid, or friend of a bride, I have found the planning of bachelorette parties can either be a super fun experience, or an awfully daunting one, depending on your crowd. I was lucky enough to plan, and be a part of an awesome bachelorette party this past weekend, and it got me thinking about how it can be this fun, and easy all the time. This weekend's festivities took place in NYC with bar hopping and tickets to a free Bon Jovi concert in Central Park, which is a perfect way to celebrate any bachelorette party! But for those who aren't so lucky, I thought I would share some planning tips, in hopes of easing the pain for other bridal parties out there!
Lower your Expectations: I think it's inevitable that you want to make the night special for the bride, giving her a "last" night out that she will remember. But, that doesn't mean that you have to break the bank and completely go out of the norm. Think about the bride and what she likes to do on a regular basis, and start from there. Meaning, if the bride is the kind of girl who is more comfortable in a sweater and jeans, drinking a beer at the local bar, why plan a night out at a club, sipping champagne and paying a couple hundred dollars for a bottle of vodka? Or maybe your bride doesn't like the attention at all, and would prefer to just do a nice dinner out. The idea is to take the pressure off of yourself, and when you stick with what interests your bride, you can pretty much plan the perfect night out, regardless of the activities involved.
Feast at Home: A great cost cutter is to plan on having the girls all meet at someone's house before going out on the town. We all met at a friend's apartment, and with a run to Trader Joe's already made, we cooked up a bunch of appetizers and finger foods, to start the night off with a little food in our bellies. This really saved us the time, and money, of going out to dinner before heading out to the bars.
Signature Cocktails: They aren't just for weddings! If you are starting off at someone's home, another great way to keep things simple and costs down is to figure out a signature drink that you can serve that the majority of your guests are going to enjoy. We chose Sangria, making batches of both red and white. It alleviates having to buy beer, wine, and liquor because you are trying to have something for everyone.
Bar Hop: Who says you need to stay at one place all night? Go out in an area that has a few different options, so if you don't like one place, you can move down the road to another. This definitely helps to take away the overwhelming pressure of picking the perfect place to go out. Options are a good thing.
Tiara's are NOT a necessity: This goes back to knowing your bride. Not all brides want to stick out like a sore thumb, with tiara's, sashes and penis paraphernalia adorning their outfit. Don't force them to do what makes them uncomfortable, this is after all their night, not yours!
Relax and Enjoy: You have planned all you can plan, just remember to give up the role of party planner and have some fun. It is a given that no matter how small or big a bar/restaurant/home is, when you get a group of girls out for the night, you are guaranteed a good time!
(photo from Gourmet Gal)