The future bride and groom aren’t the only ones that are busy planning for a big event. The maid of honor or matron of honor will have some major organizing to do as well. As part of her required duties, she has to write a memorable toast for the reception and plan for a bachelorette party that no one will forget.
When planning for the bachelorette party, the maid of honor should consider:
- Date of the event and budget
- Number of guests to invite and how many guests will need to travel to the event
- Invitations
- Will it be local or at a destination
- What will be the itinerary and form of entertainment
- Reservations for all accommodations, restaurants, vendors necessary
- Collecting money for expenses
Choosing a date is a good way to start. The organizer should check with the guests and choose a date that works best for the group. If the party will be local, it may be more convenient to pick a night close enough to the day of the wedding that traveling guests will be more likely be able to attend. For a destination bachelorette party, it’s popular to keep the travel dates within two weeks of the wedding. While a destination bachelorette party can get pricey, costs at any bachelorette party can add up. Keep in mind how much guests are willing to spend. They also have other expenses that go along with attending a wedding.
Once the future bride and groom finalize their guest list, the maid of honor can begin to create invitations. When making the invite list she needs to include the bride, of course, and all of the bridesmaids. She should consult the bride to be sure that all of her relatives and other friends she wants to invite are included too. Invitations are less formal for a bachelorette party than most other wedding related events. The maid of honor can send digital invitations or create social media events. For a more simple local party, she may be able to get away with making calls, sending emails, or sending texts in lieu of formal invitations. For hefty local events or a destination bachelorette party, a maid of honor should consider sending invitations with more notice. Eight weeks or more would be appropriate.
The maid of honor should give special attention to those that need to travel. They will appreciate the thoughtfulness because of the extra time it takes to find lodging, book flights, rent cars, etc. If the bachelorette party won’t be local, the maid of honor needs to figure out the logistics for all of the guests. This will double the work but it may double the experience too. She needs to know how guests will get around. Will they need to rent cars, use a ridesharing service, take the metro, or walk? Hotels or other lodging needs to be vetted and booked. Timing of guests arriving and departing is important too. Everybody needs to know when and where they need to be places.
A bachelorette party will make for an unforgettable experience but it isn’t for free. The maid of honor needs to make sure she collects all of her expenses from the guests for anything she needs to pay for upfront such as down payments to hold reservations, hotels bookings, alcohol, gifts for the groom, etc. She should collect as much money as possible before the partying begins because after the festivities are over it can get very difficult to hunt down dollars from guests, especially those from out of town.
After reading this article, the maid of honor should have no issue creating an exceptionally great time for the bride and her closest friends on her final days as a single woman. Have fun, but always party responsibly.
Browse some of our other articles with helpful wedding ideas:
How to Plan a Bachelor Party
Unique and Creative Wedding Gift Ideas
Top Hairstyles for Wedding Guests to Wear Their Hair Down
Beautiful Updo Hairstyle Ideas for Guests to Wear Their Hair up at a Wedding
Great Ideas for Bridal Shower Games and Activities