Hey there, bride to be! I know, it’s been a while. I am in the last few weeks before my big day, and boy I am I feeling the stress. I know everything is going to be fine and I have mostly everything done, but yet, I feel like I am completely forgetting something! People don’t joke when they tell you that wedding planning is this up and down battle… But today, I want to give you all some essential bachelorette party planning tips to having one of the best and most fun weekends during your entire wedding planning process!

THE BACHELORETTE PARTY!

I could go on and on about how amazing this weekend is going to be for you. Regardless of where you go and what you do, you are with your bestest friends from all walks of life, and it is quite frankly the best thing you will ever experience. Going into my bachelorette weekend I didn’t realize just how much this weekend was centered around me… It truly is ALL ABOUT YOU!

Wedding planning may be stressful here and there, but this is one thing that shouldn’t be. Here are some tips and tricks to having the best weekend of your entire life!

I’m going to go ahead and say this first… If you are open to it, ask your friends to throw you a surprise Bachelorette weekend. They pick the location and what you do, and don’t worry, you get some input, but for the most part, you have no clue what to expect! I did this, and it was the best idea ever! EVER!

Tips for the Bride…

1. BUDGET
   • Make sure you are accounting for budgets. Going to Vegas or a cruise or Disney just might be the best thing ever, but if that means friends can’t go and you’ll have a huge dent in your pocket, pick a more local location!
   • You already have to spend enough money on the wedding! This weekend is about spending time with your girls, not where you are in the process.
   • If your mind is set on a fun location, book in advance and find affordable options (AirBNB, Groupon, etc.) Your maid of honor will do most of that work though! (More on this below)
2.  THEME
   • Come up with a theme for your weekend! Do something based on what you love or your location! Mine was Mexican themed! Pinatas, bright colors, maracas, and sombrerooooos! It was the best thing ever!
   • Pinterest is the best source for fun and creative ideas!
3. SIT BACK AND RELAX
   • It is not your job to full on plan this event! Let your bridesmaids do all the planning and communicating, and you sit back and relax until it’s time to pack for the exciting event! You should be only planning the fun parts of your weekend!
   • If you are a planner though, really try and fully trust that your friends know you and know what you love! You don’t want to stress over something that should be one of the best weekends! Let them do the work; it only happens once!
4. INVITE LIST
   • Now, who do you invite? I suggest inviting the girls or boys in your life that have impacted you in one way or another; invite people that you could not imagine not being there.
   • Your invite list doesn’t just have to be your bridal party. It’s your weekend, do what YOU want!
5. HYDRATE
   • Go ahead and start drinking water now… You’re going to need it.
   • You literally need to drink water ever second you can because once you start your weekend there is no going back! WATER. FRIENDS. WATER.
6. OUTFITS
   • My favorite part. Depending on how long your weekend is, pick out themes for your nights out! The options are literally endless!
   • What I did was the typical bride wears white and the other girls where not white haha, but for my second night, the best idea ever, I decided 80s workout! Why was it so amazing… No bra, yoga pants, and sneakers!
   • Think outside the box and go 100% with it! We literally stopped traffic. You can too! HAVE FUN!!
   • IF YOU READ ANYTHING, READ THIS! Pick outfits that are easy to go to the bathroom in… I picked to wear this adorable romper the first night and then I went to the bathroom… The zipper was too high to reach, so I had to have someone go to the bathroom with me every time!
7. ADVIL
   • Whether you are dehydrated, sun burnt, or hungover, you are going to want some Advil. Don’t forget it!
   • ALSO, I heard that Pedialyte works wonders on hangovers… At the rate you’ll probably be going, it won’t hurt to try!
8. SHOES
   • Don’t try to be fancy. You do a ton of walking, and the last thing you want is to be complaining about how much your feet hurt. Just do the comfy… You will thank me later.
   • Wedges over heels any day!

Tips for the MOH…

1. BOOK EARLY
   • Start planning for this weekend as soon as possible. There is nothing worse than planning something last minute and things being booked up and not available!
   • Booking early also gives others time to save money, ask off work, and prepare for the amazing weekend without any stress!
   • ALSO, things are WAY cheaper when you plan months before the actual weekend!
2. THE NITTY GRITTY DETAILS
   • No matter what you plan, there will always be the nitty gritty details. Make sure you create a group text or Facebook group, so communication is always open and you are making sure everyone knows where to be when, dates, money, and everything else in between!
   • Make an itinerary! This will keep the Type A people calm… 😉
   • Communication is really key to having a stress free and fun weekend!
3. WIGGLE ROOM
   • When planning the amazing weekend, make sure to leave wiggle room! You never know what will happen, so keep things open.
   • My best friend did such an amazing time with this! She had a general idea, but it was also open to doing what you wanted! It was amazing! So well planned while letting people chill or go do something!
4. DECORATIONS
   • Head to Party City or the Dollar Store! Make this weekend one she will never forget, and those little details will make the world of a difference!
   • Photo Walls are awesome! Personalized shirts and cups! SO many options!
5. GAMES
   • Definitely plan some games to play with everyone. This will help everyone get to know one another! Also if you decide to go out at night, games are SO much fun to play! Who doesn’t love some friendly competition?
6. TRY TO NOT STRESS THE BRIDE TO BE
   • Not going to lie, she is already stressed with everything that she is planning for her wedding day. Unless she asks to be a part of the planning, try and keep her out of all the stress and planning of the weekend!
   • It may not seem stressful to you, but it probably will add on to the things the bride already has on her mind!
7. TAKE PICTURES. SO MANY PICTURES.
   • Take pictures all the time! The bride is going to be so busy enjoying herself that she isn’t going to necessarily take pictures of every thing, also she needs to be in them!
   • Every moment should be documented! Ask if anyone has a nice camera they can bring to take some pictures here and there!

My Bachelorette Weekend was so amazing for so many different reasons! My friends are overall the most amazing people and this weekend proved that in every single way. I’m truly the luckiest girl in the whole world.

Brides, have fun! Do not stress over a single thing… This weekend will be amazing! If you need any advice or anything, let me know! I would love to help! Leave a comment below!

Check out these links for more wedding planning advice:

The Budget

What NOT To Do Before Your Engagement Session

How To Pick Your Perfect Venue