Don’t let these bachelorette party mistakes ruin your fun!
Wedding planning isn’t always about venues, flower choices, and playlists — you’ll definitely want to save time for your bachelorette party!
Some brides look forward to their bachelorette parties even more than their actual wedding days. What’s more fun than getting together with your best gals and celebrating in style?
But before you book those Nashville tickets, keep in mind a few common bachelorette party mistakes that can throw off your entire vibe.
1. Not communicating your ideas
You love your maid-of-honor, but let’s be real — sometimes your versions of “fun” don’t exactly match. If you’re more inclined to enjoy a spa day over a “Thunder from Down Under” night, make sure you let your planning committee know! As a bride, communicating your ideas is vital in every aspect of wedding planning — bachelorette party included.
If you’re planning a bachelorette party for your bride-to-be bestie, remember — SHE is the focus! You’ll want her bachelorette to reflect her personality, and include things that she’ll enjoy.
2. Unrealistic budgets
Would every bride love to spend their bachelorette on a Caribbean beach, in a luxury ski lodge, or an epic week-long adventure at Disney World? Of course! But if your bridal party consists of a mom with 3 kids under 3, or a grad student that eats ramen for dinner every night, or a newlywed that just dumped her savings into a new home purchase, the likelihood that they’ll be able to afford something extravagant is slim. Consider a realistic budget that still suits your vision — maybe instead of a week at Disney, it’s a weekend!
If you’re a bridal party member, communicate your budget constraints during the planning discussions. You’ll also want to be realistic — don’t say you can afford something when you know you can’t.
This is why Ring Leader was invented! Brides, you can anonymously poll your bridal party about ANYTHING, bachelorette budgets included. Save yourselves the awkward money talk.
Image courtesy of Camp No Counselors
3. Unrealistic time commitments
This goes along with budget. The more money you’re spending, the more time you’re probably taking for the bachelorette experience. Let’s go back to our example of a week at Disney — can your new mom, grad student, or newlywed bridesmaids realistically ask for that much time away from their commitments? And even if they could, would that cause them lots of stress, or would it mean they have to sacrifice another vacation they have planned later in the year? You’ll want EVERYONE to have a good time on your bachelorette trip. Stress over time away can definitely hamper the fun.
4. Waiting until the last minute
This one’s for the planning committee. If you fail to plan, plan to fail! Waiting until the very last second to settle the details may mean that you pay way more, have to compromise when first choices are sold out, and exclude bridal party members that can’t make it on short notice. Depending on the wedding date, start discussing the bachelorette party 3-6 months in advance — especially if you’re traveling anywhere.
5. Packing the itinerary
If you’re traveling to a fun location for the bachelorette, you’ll definitely want to see all the hot spots. But be wary of planning TOO much in a short time frame. Not only will this wear everyone out, but it’ll also increase the dollar amount your girls have to spend. Schedule in some pool time or a leisurely afternoon window shopping!
6. A bad attitude
Once you’re in the car or on the plane, it will be time to have fun. Even if the location or the activities wouldn’t be YOUR first choice, that’s okay! This is the bride’s celebration, and the most important thing is that you’re there to support her. Find the enjoyment in your friendship and spending time together! Now is not the time to pout, complain about the itinerary, or fret about all the money you’ve spent.
If you’re the bride, remember that your girls put a lot of effort into your bachelorette party. Even if things don’t go EXACTLY as planned, you’ll still be together having a great time.
