Last Fling Before the Ring | Alexandria Catherine Events

By Jackie Furia | Spring 2018 Intern

You've been planning your wedding day like crazy; you have chosen the dress, the bridal party, and all of the small details in between. Now it's time to take a step back and have a little fun! It's time to plan your bachelorette party! Although this is a job that's usually assigned for the maid of honor, you definitely want to have your say of where to go and what to do. By having clear communication, a theme, price range and organized timeline, the planning of the bachelorette party will go very smoothly.

Communication

Communication between the bride and maid of honor is crucial. Typically, your maid of honor already knows you really well, but it's important that she has an understanding of your style and comfort level. Do you want more of a laid-back approach, or are you going all out for a weekend and flying somewhere fun? You'll also want to discuss what is OK and what is off-limits for you. Have a plan, discuss it with those going, and then start to develop the rest.

Theme

Not every bachelorette requires a theme ... getting married and celebrating with the girls is theme enough for some; however, sometimes adding a little twist can add an extra element! It can be anything from a color scheme that you want to use to a more specific and elaborate idea like tropical or casino night. Go ahead and match the theme to your girls' gifts and outfits for the night/weekend! You can find affordable shirts and bags on websites like Etsy and Amazon that won't break the bank, or enlist the DIY gal in your group to be on top of customization for everyone. Your bachelorette party is exciting, so go with something that you'll all enjoy!

Budget

Just like when you're planning your big day and we have to bring up the least sexy part of the planning process (budget), we need to do it here too. Regardless of that fact, it's really important to take into consideration. You should have a budget laid out and keep everyone else's in mind too. Figure out what you will be responsible for paying for and what your friends are going to be covering. Be sure to have a general range to use for research purposes. Flight and hotel rates fluctuate constantly, so be on the lookout for when they are at their most affordable!

Itinerary

After you have developed your idea, know where you're going and who is going to be joining you, it's time to start working on your itinerary. At this point, you and your maid of honor have probably already worked out some ideas for what you'd like to do, so go ahead and pick a date and send out the invitations (she should do this, not you!). A few months before, make sure to make any reservations for hotels, flight, rental home, etc. As it gets closer, make sure it's someone's job to confirm all reservations. When it's time to head out and celebrate, make sure that your maid of honor is keeping track of any gifts received and when you return, send out thank you cards to your girls for taking time  to celebrate with you! 

It's your bachelorette party and you should relax and enjoy this time with your friends before the wedding day!