Let’s Talk About Hosting A Joint Bachelorette (Or Bachelor) Party
Updated: Feb 20, 2019
Are you thinking of hosting a bachelor or bachelorette party for 2 people? No matter your couple, whether it's 2 Brides, 2 Grooms, a Bride and a Groom, or 2 Besties just wanting to celebrate together, I have a great guide to navigate you through the stresses of planning a Joint Bachelor or Bachelorette Event! Check out my BONUS tip at the bottom!
Many couples prefer their last hurrah as singles do be done individually but some couples choose to just throw one big party! These days, a lot of bridal parties don’t fit the norms. Legalization of same-sex marriage brings a whole new mindset when it comes to Bachelorette/Bachelor Parties. Some brides want all the stereotypes- sex paraphernalia galore, while others want a low-Key fishing experience with the bros. In this blog post, we’re going to look at various ways to throw a bachelorette party for 2 brides or Grooms or Bride and Groom. Once you’ve decided who is planning, send them my way and you’ll be GUARANTEED a fantastic event!
1. Talk to your couple.
This is always your first step. You want to get a feel for how your Guests of Honor want the party to go. It might be beneficial to talk to each partner individually before you sit them down together. How do they envision the event? Does the couple want one big night on the town or a whole weekend full of memories with their closest friends? Either way, REMEMBER, you want to plan the event around the people getting married; ask yourself “What do they envision as their last HURRAH!”
2. Set Important Details.
This would be the time to compile a guest list, calculate a budget, and decide on a destination! Now, I’m going to break this step down into smaller steps. There are several ways to go about the next steps, does the budget decide the guest list or does the guest list decide the budget. For some couples, it is important to have all their friends attend, while for others, the destination is the highlight. Remind the couples that have big destination dreams that their guest list might not be as long as it would be for a night on the town. (Although, it is possible to throw a Destination Joint Bachelorette Weekend for 13 people and keep it in budget, stay tuned to see how!)
2a. Guest List-
When compiling the guest list, keep in mind, the Couple of Honor might want more than just the bridal party. This should be one of the questions you ask in your sit down with the couple. It is important to include new family members, such as future sisters-in-law, even if you know they will not attend. Collect phone numbers and emails to reach out to everyone and maintain communication throughout the process. Be up front about costs and make sure to pick a date that works for a majority of the guests.
2b. Budget-
When budgeting it will be useful to jot out a rough itinerary of events. It’s easier to plan your spending, if you know what you are doing. Does your couple want an all-inclusive weekend cruise? That’s easier to budget because there is a set price, most things are included, and everything is paid up front. If your event is a night on the town, the guests pay their way throughout the evening and you might have a couple joint expenditures where you’ll need to collect money in advance; this might include transportation or that VIP bottle service in the club. But, if your event is a destination weekend- full of accommodations and activities, you are going to want to collect funds before putting down any deposits- it is extremely important that you figure out a number that everyone is comfortable with before making any non-refundable plans. REMEMBER- the couple of honor never pays so make sure to separate out there portion evenly among all guests.
2c. Destination-
If it’s a night on the town, where to eat, where to drink, and where to party are a few questions that come to mind. Maybe you start out at a fun Dinner and Drag show, move on to drinks at a great bar and end dancing the night away at the best club in town. For the Destination couple, it is important to start off by picking the destination that works for everyone and is in budget. This is when you would be looking into Hotels, Airbnb’s, and VRBO’s (if you haven’t already done some preliminary research to form your budget.) a destination weekend doesn’t have to mean an expensive Cancun beach or and all-inclusive cruise, some of the best memories are made in the coziest of Airbnb's. You might not even have to look far to find what you are looking for. For South Florida Brides, Orlando is a short drive away and packed with plenty of fun activities, many that don’t even include the amusement parks. Email me to Find out how I planned a Labor Day Weekend full of unforgettable nights out, days drinking and floating in the Florida Springs, endless catering, and bottomless boozy brunches for 13 people FOR LESS THAN $200 PER PERSON!
3. Start booking!
For a Bachelorette party with a destination, you’ll want to start booking at least 60 days in advance, if you’re booking club services, book within 60 but no less than 30 days in advance. When looking at places to stay, it might make the trip more affordable for everyone if you look just 10 or 15 minutes outside the city in which you plan on staying; you are also more likely to find a larger space with more bedrooms and better amenities such as pools and BBQs. Sometimes, if it is a bigger property, you can reach out to the owners and find out if they offer Extra services. In the past I have found wonderful catering services through my rental space bookings. Don’t forget transportation! If you are having a boozy party, you will want to make sure everyone gets to and from the destinations safely!
4. Plan Activities.
Some groups are their own party but many need a little guidance. Not every couple wants to party all the time, some do- and more power to them- but others want a more laid back weekend where they can kick it with their friends. This is where its important to keep both partners interests in mind. Maybe one partner is more outdoorsy- day-drinking while floating in the Florida Springs might be right up their ally! Even if you are just staying in its important to plan what party games everyone will be playing and how you want the general flow of the party to go. When planning activities, leave enough time between activities for socialization, relaxation, and readying time. No one wants to feel rushed when they are enjoying a fun weekend with friends, especially if there is drinking involved!
5. Set the Rules.
I know, I know, we all want to have a fun weekend, but as your Bridal Bae, I'm telling you, SET THE RULES! Why do we set rules? Well, In this age of Social Media- Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, etc. it’s easy for the crazy moments to be put out for everyone to see instead of hidden away on a disposal camera, in the back of someone’s closet. Are we posting to Snapchat stories or is there a “No Pictures” rule for the weekend? Not only is it important to set ground rules around social media, chances are you are all sharing a space that isn’t your own and it is important to respect OPP (other people’s property), make sure you read everyone the rules of the house when you arrive so that everyone is on the same page. Don’t ruin future guest’s experiences because you went a little too hard on the furniture. Here is my favorite remix of a song on the importance of setting rules.
Bonus:
Goody bags! I love to make a good goody bag! Especially if people are going to be drinking, pack reinforcements! OTC meds such as ibuprofen or Excedrin are great to stick in a goody bag, along with anti-nausea medications or even the hangover medication that you can buy on Amazon. I also like to add things like chap-stick, a Vitamin pack, like Emergen-C, which we get at Costco in several different yummy flavors, and maybe some fun extras, for example, Bride’s Besties temporary tattoos, sashes or T-shirts, if you want everyone to coordinate.
**Heads up: This post contains affiliate links and I may earn a small share of sales or other credit from the links on this page.