6 Pro Secrets for a Budget-Friendly Bachelorette Party Plan

It’s an exciting time when your best friend gets engaged! If you’ve been asked to be a bridesmaid (or maid of honor!), then you get to be an important part of all the action on her big day. But before you go to your first bridesmaid gown fitting, there’s an even bigger task ahead of you—figuring out a bachelorette party plan. The main challenge? Keeping it affordable, but still full of memorable fun. To help you out, we’ve rounded up the best tips from two event pros who specialize in how to throw a bachelorette party.

Get the bride’s input

What sounds like a fun bachelorette party plan for you might not be what the bride has in mind. For instance, maybe you want to throw an affordable bachelorette party in San Antonio, but your friend is more of a sit-on-the-beach-and-chill type. “I think the worst mistake you can make is to lose sight of who the bride is and what she enjoys,” says Nikki Clause, owner and creative planner of Fling Before The Ring. “Always keep the bride in mind when choosing items for the itinerary. Just ask yourself, ‘Is this something I can picture the bride doing?’” Your conversation should cover her schedule, possible bachelorette party destinations and a list of who she’d like to invite.

Start planning 3–4 months in advance

Looking to guarantee smiles all around? It starts by beginning your planning months in advance.

You wouldn't wait until the last minute to plan a destination wedding or secure the caterers—and the same should be said about planning the bachelorette party. “I always tell girls the sooner the better when it comes to beginning planning, especially in hot tourist cities,” Clause says. “Three to four months tends to be the sweet spot where you can find plenty of options before rates start to increase and things book up.” This timeframe makes for more affordable travel and also is ideal for booking a block of adjoining rooms. If you choose a Choice Hotels property during your bachelorette party planning, you’ll not only get amenity-packed rooms at an affordable price, but many properties also offer bachelorette party packages and hotel specials (which could include fun extras like casino vouchers).

Maximize savings with a rewards account

It’s free, easy and takes just minutes to set up. “If you have a large group that needs multiple rooms for two or more nights, points can rack up [quickly],” Clause says. Join Choice Privileges to get an extra discount when you do your group hotel booking in advance, plus plenty of other benefits, including the option to redeem points for gift cards.

Break down the budget

When everyone lives in different cities, it can be hard to get on the same page dealing with budgets and trying to keep things affordable. “I suggest setting up some sort of group chat either via text or a Facebook page for all things bachelorette party planning,” says Bri Steck, CEO and founder of Vegas Girls Night Out. “Once you’ve established communication within the group, determine the budget and have two separate tracks, one for travel (i.e. hotel and plane/car) and one for the party.” She also reminds planners to take into consideration that everyone will be covering the bride’s expenses as well. “I suggest keeping the party budget to no less than $150–$200 per person for the weekend,” says Steck.

Track expenses with an app

Use tech to your advantage when handling your budget. “Collect the cash via Venmo (or any app) prior to paying,” says Steck. “I've heard so many stories of the maid of honor getting stiffed because someone backs out at the last minute.”

Keep the first night simple

Don’t be afraid to go low key for the first night.

Even if you have an action-packed bachelorette party plan, use the first night for hanging out at the hotel. “With everyone usually arriving at different times, it’s nice to not have to follow a strict schedule the first night,” says Clause. “Dress up the room with fun decor and favors for the party. Then change into comfy PJs and order pizza ... Throw in a bridal-themed game to keep everyone entertained." Or, maybe take this time to flesh out a few details, like planning your destination wedding packing list. These are just some of the ways to help you stick to a budget and prevent overspending.