Is Your Plan Fool Proof, Or Do You Need More Ideas?

There are many puzzled people out there that have trouble to start planning a bachelorette party because they don´t have a clue where to begin. They might need a little extra help or advice along the way.

That´s why this website was created, to help and to give you gals more brainstorming ideas, advice and choices for your future party.

Pressed for Time? Do you know what you want, great!, the time spent here will be minimal. But if you look around, you´ll probably find things to add to your plan.

Even if you have a plan, whether you know what you want or think you want, it might be to early in the developing stage to make a final decision. The most important tool for you to have in times like these is a helping hand. This information is here for your convenience, to show you how to begin planning and what to start thinking about. If you are sure that you have everything, go with the flow sister :)

The smartest thing about this though, is that you can also discover other NEW stuff like ideas and resources that you maybe didn´t know existed, to help you see this from another perspective.

You might even rethink your concept or the current plannig and thinking strategy, once you see other methods and activities that fit the bride or the bridesmaids better and redo the whole thing, you might even change, add or delete something once you get new information.

There are many details that have to be factored in, to plan a bachelorette get-together, for it to be enjoyable by everybody. But first and foremost it needs to be suited to the needs and wants of the bride to be.

She is the centre of the party and should be treated like the KING in a chess game. She is the MVP (Most Valuable Person, or, Player if you want) in this game.

Even though her needs come first, doesn´t mean that if someone doesn´t feel up to the task they shouldn´t be able to skip it.You have to find a balance between what the bachelorette wants and what the crowd wants, otherwise you might find the party a little bit dull.

There are of course extreme cases, like when the bride LOVES to skydive...hehehe...(by now everybody can guess where I´m going with this) and wants to have a sky diving theme. I want to assure all readers that those cases are rare (thank god) even though they are getting more and more popular.

I personally don´t like the idea of jumping out of a perfectly good airplane, but maybe that´s just me :).

Anyway, what I´m trying to say here is that if the party is to be successful and enjoyable. It should be flexible and suited for the majority of the group in mind.

Now, there are some things you ABSOLUTELY need to know before you begin to outline your plan.

TABLE OF CONTENT:
GATHER INTEL
PLANNING THE PARTY
BUDGET
THEMES´n TYPES
GUEST LIST
TRANSPORTATION
ENTERTAINMENT
FOOD/DRINKS
ACTIVITY
SAFETY
LOCATION
CLOTHES/SHOES
BACKUP SCHEME
GIFTS/ITEMS/PARTY FAVORS
PERSONEL FOR HIRE/STAFF
THE BIG NO-NOs
INVITATIONS

GATHER INTEL

First of all, a bachelorette should NEVER EVER have to do or plan her own party (maybe consulting, but not do the whole thing, unless she´s a control-freak), this unwritten law of any bachelorette party should NEVER be BROKEN.

After having said that, you need to find out what she enjoys and wants her party to be like. If you know her well, then there is no problem in figuring that out.

But maybe you just recently met her and haven´t known her for very long or became close friends over night and have absolutely no idea of what she would want.

In any case, there are two things you need to consider regarding this matter. 1) Plan the party by including her in the entire process 2) Create the bash without her knowledge, a surprise bachelorette party.

When the former option is the way to go, then don´t be shy, strap her to a chair and grill her thoroughly for the information. If, however the latter is chosen, then you need to take precautions and maintain absolute secrecy to prevent her from finding out what you have in stored for her.

If the bachelorette is not to be included in the planning, how then do you find out what she wants? To plan is to succeed.

Therefore, I´m glad to tell you that there are a LOT of ways you can find out without ever talking to the guest of honor. One way is to get invited to her apartment, once there you can find out what kind of a person she really is.

Look for hints that can help you determine her personality, like photos, trophies (if she´s got any), her desk (if she takes her work home or if she works at home), occupation etc. Anything at all that might give you an insight into her life.

Sit down and chat with her for a while, find out (in a subtle way) if she has anyone that she doesn´t like, because there is nothing worse than having the bride-to-be discover there is a guest in her party she doesn´t want to have. The atmosphere will never be the same again after that.

Another way is finding out from the bride-to-be´s bridesmaids, who, you plan and coordinate the party with, or, go straight to the next best thing, her family. They can tell you a little about her personality which may prove invaluable.

This can include everything from her likes and dislikes, to spare time activities and hobbies etc. This inside information is crucial to establishing a foundation, the theme, and activities for the party.

While this technique isn´t the ideal one, it will get the job done. The ultimate thing however, would be to go straight to the source.

You can find out more from the bride in less time than it takes for you to drive to her familys house, if you know what you´re doing. This may take a little tongue twisting and subtle conversation from your part, so be careful not to reveal your evil plan. This is totally worth the effort if you are savvy.

But be warned, if you don´t think you can convince her with your act, then don´t do it, she will see right through you. Remember she is your friend, she can sense something is wrong or out of context (unless you´re a professional con artist, or good at poker then you´ll do well in fooling her).

PLANNING THE PARTY

Exchange contact information with all the girls that are invited to the party. If you don´t have time to plan everything, delegate, call the other bridesmaids and split the workload so that each person does one, or several things.

Make sure to do all your planning in advance, the ideal time to start working those gray braincells is about 3-4 months ahead of time and leave some room for error. The hen party itself should be 2 weeks before the BIG DAY. So choose your planning date carefully. That way you can avoid the stress that comes from suddenly having to do everything fast because of a short deadline.

If you plan to do this without the bachelorettes knowledge, make sure she´s free on the day in question. Personally I think fridays or saturdays are the ideal time to have the bash, but she might not be available those days.

She is extremely busy planning her wedding, hire bands or Djs, planning the seating arrangements etc. And between dress fittings, drinking booze and taking pills to calm the nerves and herself down, she´ll be really really tired.

If you don´t want to plan, or simply don´t have the time nor lust, then you should hire and consult a professional party planner who does this for a living, they will whip you up the kind of party you wouldn´t believe.

Don´t forget to tell the party planner that this operation is hush hush, so they know that mum´s the word and won´t call her up one day and ask what, who, when and where she wants the party to be held.

These, and other things, like having the fun party the day BEFORE the WEDDING is a BIG NO-NO. Check the no-no list below for more forbidden stuff to do...or not to do, that is the question.

BUDGET

Take out your little black book with your neatly organized contacts and call your girlfriends for a budget estimation. Find out how much they are willing to spend on this festivity and plan accordingly. A well documented problem amongst the girls, is usually that there are no clear rules established on WHO pays and HOW the TAB is payed.

Do you plan to include the bride-to-be in the budget, or should each and everyone of you go dutch and pay for your share of the party, including the bride? (personally I don´t think the bride should pay for her own party, do you?)Should you pay AFTER or up front?Who should foot the bill for what?

These, and other small details, are the most common things people forget to discuss when brainstorming and planning the party. And yet, these things are the first "problems" that need to be cleared right on the spot.

THEMES´n TYPES

There are many types of themes that lay the ground for a good bachelorette party. You have pirate, halloween, christmas and new year themes. All ready to fit your needs, wishes and desires. Before deciding on the many bachelorette party THEMES in existence, you must first decide on what TYPE you want to have.

Because a theme is only the WAY you present the bash to your guests of the pre-wedding party (which, by the way is where your popularity and ingenuity comes forward) and you have to decide on a TYPE (or CATEGORY if you prefer) aswell.

The well known CATEGORIES are Girls night out. Or the girls night in/home party type, which basically is a venue where everybodys agreed to meet at a specific location for the shindig to take place and continue on from there.

Of course these kinds of parties have themes ranging from pajama parties (slumber parties), to costume/outfit and linen/lingerie parties, so if you´re thinking about having a naughty party you should know that that is only the category of the party NOT the THEME itself. Find out more about what a lingerie party is made up of.

[PARTY TIP] Keep in mind that although there are types and themes involved you could take into account, don´t be married to the party structure. This is only a concern for the professional party planner. Ok, don´t let me bore you with any more details, let´s get back on track.

To the contrary of what you believe or might have been told, NOT ALL bachelorette parties have to be adults only or down right naughty to be fun and enjoyable.

A great deal of those are in fact planned for people who are a little bit younger so that it stays innocent. I like to call them G or PG parties (aka PG-13), which basically means all ages are allowed, there is NO xxx-rated stuff going on there.

Then what THEMES are there? There are a wide range of themes stretching from spa and generally wet bachelorette themes, to moviestars theme, bachelorette survivor and prisoners of love, to name a few. Check it out

GUEST LIST

This is worth mentioning again, DON´T INVITE PEOPLE THE BACHELORETTE DOESN´T LIKE.Check the list, see who and how many will come to plan accordingly.Make sure to have name tags ready so when the guests arrive, they can sign their name on the tags and put them on. This way there won´t be any confusion on who is who, even if you know each other.

If children or older people are attending the festivities, you might think about lowering the party level to comfortable. That way everybody will feel just as the level suggests....comfortable.On the other hand you might not know exactly what your crowd wants.

If however you know or feel that the people won´t object to the little kinkier side of it, or they just might stay for a short period of time and will depart shortly, you can plan the bash so that the heavier stuff happens afterwards.

Two ways of getting to know what people are up for:
1):

Send some quick surveys with the invitations, this is a good way of "killing two birds with one stone". One, you´ll find out who will come because those who plan on coming to the party will naturally fill out the form. And two, you will have a framework on the guests preferences and plan within that framework.

2):

A tip is to do a quick survey or two, right when the guests arrive. This eliminates the element of discomfort and time-consumption because many people don´t want to do "surveys" when they are having fun. If you plan it right, you can make it fun (in between games etc).

So, remember to put this in to your equation and try to plan the bash so that it´s suited for the majority of the guests. In this situation knowing your crowd is an advantage and even if you don´t, then just ask your fellow girlfriends or the bride herself or do the sure thing and do a survey.

TRANSPORTATION

Limousines (aka limos), for those who want to ride in style and perhaps for those that know they´ll need it because they are going to get very very drunk. Don´t be cheap on transportation or you´ll risk getting pulled over for DUI, which will effectively shut your party mood off.

Party bus, this is for people that have a bigger group than a limo can take and feel that it´s to expensive/impractical to lease several limo cars at once.

Taxi cab, well, what can I say. For those that want to save their hard earned money for the party, can car-pool for this very purpose. Another good thing about it is if you don´t plan to travel far, then a taxi is a perfect choice of motor vehicle.

Perhaps the friends are from out of town and want to order a cab to the meeting place. Or for those people that are environmental friendly, which is an admirable cause that doesn´t necessarily mean that the whole "fun" night will lose it´s purpose, just that the transportation isn´t the best.

ENTERTAINMENT

Male strippers:

Make popcorn and watch fun movies (or the stripper) with your party squad. And who knows, maybe you´ll be lucky and get two male strippers for the price of one, (the good ol´ two for one special that everybody loves).

Here are some stripper tips you can apply. If you plan to have the male stripper over at your house, be sure to prepare for his arrival and make the environment as comfortable as possible to ensure a good time.

Close all windows doors and curtains to prevent any drafts that might occur (or the prying neighbour), unless you just hire male strippers to keep you company with their clothes on. Otherwise he is going to be cold when stripping topless.

Sweep the floor so that the man doesn´t tread on something he shouldn´t. Take away any furniture that might be in the way so the man can do his striptease dance-moves. Also make sure to get any loose carpets aswell and create a stripper friendly space to dance in.

When a stripper/(s) arrive they usually have to have their own "dressing room" to change in. If you live in a small place and considers space a holy word not to be taking lightly, then you might consider having the bed-room cleaned out and redy to use at his disposal. Otherwise, the bathroom might do, but be aware.

It´s not as good as the bedroom because his gear will be lying around. Think of your guests, this isn´t something they might want to see when going to the bathroom.

Party games:

Music:

Setting the right mood for the hen party is very important to get everybody going. 67% of the mood/atmosphere comes from the music.

FOOD/DRINKS

Take great consideration to the types of foods that will be consumed during the night, not all people like the same things and might be allergic to some food types or be vegans or vegetarians. I still get amazed by how many people actually neglect the fact that someone might be a vegan or vegetarian. (If you have questions about being/becoming a vegan/vegetarian, these forums are a lot of help).

It is not a good idea to go to a texas restaurant that serves all you can eat buffet that is entirely made up of meat products if some guests are vegetarians.

We care about our animal friends, so here are Vegetarian recipes for the food connoisseur to have, if there are guests who prefer vegetarian and/or vegan food.

Try finding a common ground for all guests if possible and make sure to check out the restaurant, either on the internet or in person before hand, to see their menu selections.

Don´t assume that a person eats this or that, nor that he/she is a meat eater just because you are. Ask, before you make any dinner reservations. As I sometimes say: Asume nothing, plan everything.

Alcohol and drink recipes:

For blending party drinks I personally use the magic bullet system (actually, I have 2, you´ll know why if you go to the website). It saves me time to crush the ice and mix the drink when I have a private party and 20+ people waiting for their stuff.

I primarily use it for drinks, but there are a lot of other fun things you can do with this gadget. Besides the obvious advantage it has for quick serving, you can also use it to prepare and make food for your in-house parties.

So why do I use magic bullet?I have the magic bullet system because it´s simply the better option.The price is small in comparison for what you´ll be getting in return. And because I´ve tried lots of other mixers which didn´t entirely yield the satisfying results I was looking for.

To be absolutely honest, it did fail me once, but that was because I tried to put in more than it could handle (hehe). That´s why I have two sets now, to split the work load (I´ve learned my lesson).

ACTIVITY

Is your bachelorette an in-doorsy type of a person, or is she an active out-doors type of a gal? Extroverted or introverted? These are some of the questions you´ll be contemplating during your official and crucial planning of activities best suited the maid of honor. If you can´t figure out what she wants, don´t worry about it, just go with your gut feeling and remember to tailor the activities to her personality. No need to be specific.

Girls night in/in-door:

Sport/fitness:

Ever since Angelina Jolie, Kate Moss and Sadie Frost, were reported doing it like Demi Moore, pole dancing has become the NEW THING and one of the healthier, fun, erotic and popular activities to perform, not only at home but at hen parties aswell.

In recent days more and more people, including hollywood stars like Jennifer Aniston, Daryl Hannah and Heather Graham have also added themselves to that list.

It is not all that surprising that they have done so, because this does not only increase your fitness condition, but your cardiovascular activity, muscles, fat/calory burning and your overall healthiness aswell. An activity that you don´t even have to step out of the apartment for, to do.

If you´re thinking of buying a dancing pole I would recommend that you first try it out, as an experiment at your hen party to, determine if it´s worth investing in. In the long run, your health, not to mention the good ol´ purse will thank you.

So try it out and if you like it, you should buy it. Remember, ordering it online is half the workout :).

Here are dancing poles ranging from about $249-$450, and more if you want to include instruction videos/dvds.

This is a great tool for those who don´t feel that workouts such as Pilates or going to the gym is something for them. A gym costs approximately $1000/year (at least in my neighbourhood), give or take a few $100 in either direction. And that is without even mentioning how much a personal trainer costs.

As you can see, the figures speak for themselves, so Invest in your health, because if you won´t, who will?Your soon-to-be husband, will also thank you for it ;).

Games:

Bachelorette party games, which are for breaking the ice and ease the tension between the guests.

These games are excellent party starters and should not be made in such manor that puts undesired pressure or tension on the guest, putting her on the spot. This just helps create more unnecessary tension and that unsecure feeling in the participant.

An ice breaker is a short and simple game that everybody can enjoy and participate in. Remember, don´t drag it out, this is just a warm up game (you can make them as long or short as you want, it´s always your decision).

Therefore, use something that the guests can do together as a group, one great game is called pin the hoze on the fireman.

If you want to see the complete list of games that are excellent icebreakers then visit the bachelorette games section.

Prizes:

Yoga:

Take time of from stress to seek inner peace.To feel relaxed, refreshed and ready to party.The yoga and spa section will help you to decide upon the right course of action, help you find balance and rejuvenate your body.

Spa:

Have a personal masseuse personally come to your house and pamper you and your girlfriends almost to the point of...well, you know ;), (ecstasy).

Get manicures, pedicures and facials to get that moviestar feeling.

Girls night out/out-door:

Both the girls night in/out have a couple of things and events in common to do for both scenarios, so it would be a waste of time for you to read everything twice (in the GNI and GNO section). So, here they are:

Alcohol/liquor Male strippers Party favors Party games Food/Drink Yoga Spa Music

The things you can do when having a night out are almost limitless, of course limited only by your imagination, your time table and the current budget.Other than that...well, you know the saying.

Here are other out-door activities you can do:

driving/buggy racing/go cart, dancing/workout/fitness, Paintball, Archery

SAFETY

Alcohol, well that´s basically it...hehe, no, just joking :P.As they say, bad things rarely come alone.

Therefore I have devised a way for you to be safe out there in the big city, if you planned a girls night out.

You need at least one cellphone or spare change/phone card for public phone, if something unexpected should occur.

Maps of the area/city if the majority of the guests are out of town and a scavenger hunt is on the schedule.

Glowing jewlery, (which have become increasingly popular at more and more bachelorette bashes) so that if somebody strays from the crowd she can be easily spotted with the blinking lights, comes in handy when you have been drinking :P.

There are also LED flashing lights Specifically designed for the purpose of locating people (they are sold as professional locating devices).

But if you feel confident that the blinking jewlery is sufficient enough or that you won´t drink that much, please feel free to go with the former, rather than the latter option.

Bells (cowbell if really drunk) and wistles for the same reason as above :), or just for fun.If you know for a fact that you´ll be drinking a lot and have no time to watch the flock, then personal proximity alert devices are a lifesaver.

Finally you don´t have to look for people when they get lost and separated form the pack.When you´re drunk, that´s the furthest from your mind. But when your arm starts beeping, it´s a reminder for you to remember that someone has wandered off.

(WARNING: Use with moderation since they have a habit of going of as soon as somebody leaves the immediate area like in a nightclub. So turn´em off in large places that is not outside, as this can get very annoying for you, and/or others. Ideal is to use them during transport from one location to the next IF you´re walking in groups and/or after you got out of the limos and you want to check that everybody is accounted for.)

Fanny packs, good to have under your clothes to put spare change in or the personal proximity alert device in.

Disposable cameras to record the evening for embarrassing moments to show at a later date. You can photograph all the cute guys you´ll meet along the way. Or the occasional purse snatcher (for evidence).

A camera is also good for people who know they´ll get hammered and want to remember where they live, or where they parked their car the next morning for that matter. So take a picture of your address (home door) before you go out on a drinking rampage with your friends. Keep the printed photo in your pocket, fanny pack, or on your neck (like a necklace, but on the inside of your clothes). Or just write down your name, phone nr, and address in case something unforseeable should occur.

LOCATION

If the party is to have many guests from around the city, it would be best to make the party spot close to as many people as possible, so that the majority wouldn´t have a problem getting to the venue. It´s imperative that you book the premise ASAP, because it may not be available the next time around. So book your hotels, locals, cabs, restaurants and all the big stuff as soon as you decide on the location for your hen bash.

Don´t forget to check your reservations once in a while to confirm that your bookings are valid, so that everything is copacetic and to your liking. That way, you cover all the bases by double checking it for mistakes. Because we are not all perfect beings and we tend to misstate and mishear information once in a while ;). So double-check it!

CLOTHES/SHOES

As long as the party doesn´t have a bachelorette costume theme that specifically instructed you to show up in a particular way, what you are wearing is not that important. So, jeans and tank tops are usually good party etiquette.

If you´re having a home party, designating different locations for specific things like the entertainment area, the changeover/wardrobe area and so on, enforcing those "borders" keeps you in control and the party running smoothly. Choosing, planning and coordinating will save you additional work at the end.

BACKUP SCHEME

Always have a plan Z (:P) if something doesn´t go the way you thought, go to your alternative backup. A good military strategist would always have another plan to fall back on.

See the bachelorette bash planning as a battlefield that you command. Your girlfriends are the soldiers, the restaurants and nightclubs are the houses or bunkers and the town is your battleground, (ATTAAACK!!!).

GIFTS/ITEMS/PARTY FAVORS

To have a better and more interesting bachelorette bash, you need something to keep the guests occupied and happy.Party items have been created for the guests in mind to make a bachelorette party shindig complete.

Prize:

Naturally you should receive a prize after you´ve won a game, so that you get the recognition you deserve.

PERSONEL FOR HIRE/STAFF

Here are some suggestions of people who can help you make the party run smoother and better.

Dj, photographer (After the photos are developed you should place them in a scrap book to have those memories of the good ol days in one place, or you can make a digital scrap book to burn on CD), party planner, bartender, massage and aromatherapists, male strippers, fortune teller, limo driver, cleanup crew (after the party) (on the positive side, if you go out you won´t have to clean up).

THE BIG NO-NOs

Invite guests the bachelorette doesn´t like.
Have the party the DAY BEFORE the BIG WEDDING.
Let the bachelorette plan her own bachelorette party.
Leave the bachelorette with the bill.
Doing things to get the bride in trouble with Johnny Law.
Not stopping the bachelorette from drinking too much.

INVITATIONS

Finaly when all is said and done, there is one more thing to do before kidnapping the bride and force her to have the shindig with her friends :P.

Send out the RSVP invites 1-3 months prior to the shindig and hope for the best ;). Nah, just kidding...did you really think I would abandon you at this stage of your bash planning scheme? Here´s a list of good invitation cards.

Keep in mind that the invitation cards SHOULD, but don´t have to be connected to the overall THEME that you decided upon before.

What should be included in those mail-outs; Name, Date, Time, Place (address and directions), Other (other relevant information if existent and/or neccessary, such as what to wear, what kind of theme it is), so that the guests know what they are getting themselves in to and may prepare for it without getting surprized later when they arrive.

If you decide to forfeit the cards and just go with the electronic cards because you´re pressed for time or want to save that budget expense for the fun stuff. Then by all means, run with that feeling.

And remember to HAVE FUN.