The Bachelorette Party Mistakes You Don't Want to Make

A bachelorette party is one of the most fun pre-wedding events as the bride gets the chance to celebrate and be celebrated by some of her closest friends and bridal party members. Depending on your budget and goals for the bach, these parties can be one night of fun or a grand destination vacation that takes place over a weekend. Whether you're having an event that's big or small, there are still some mistakes that can happen during the planning process.

As with any party, you are going to have to establish a venue, budget, theme, and logistics. With a bachelorette, you also need to curate a larger itinerary, and consider the financial contributions each guest can manage to help bring together the celebration. We chatted with a few experts to share the biggest mistakes that can happen when planning a bachelorette, and how to avoid any missteps in the process.

Not Agreeing on Budget in Advance

"A common mistake in planning a bachelorette party is not discussing the budget early enough in the process," shares Allison Odhner, founder of Bach to Basic. "Even if guests know that this needs to be agreed upon or addressed during the planning, it should really be one of the first items to get on the same page about as it affects nearly everything—even down to dates and destination. If expectations are not set ahead of time and the bachelorette planning begins, it becomes harder and harder to backtrack and accommodate everyone the further into the process you get."

If a guest can no longer make the bachelorette, they should let the bride know immediately so everyone can be aware of budget expectations. "Connect with the bride and whoever is responsible for planning, and let them know that you won't be able to attend. Be honest if at all possible and forthcoming," recommends etiquette expert Elaine Swann.

Putting Off Logistics

One mistake to avoid is delaying arranging the logistics of your bachelorette first in favor of curating the ambiance. "Themes, color schemes, and the overall decor and aesthetic of a bachelorette weekend, of course, play a large roll in making these extravagant events come to life. However, a lot of times we see the bride or bridesmaids focusing on the decorations and favors ahead of the actual logistics and plans for the weekend," says Odhner. "It's the fun part! But, it will be a lot more fun and less stressful after everything else has been taken care of."

Too Many Planners

The phrase "too many cooks in the kitchen" definitely applies when it comes to planning a bachelorette party. When too many participants get involved, it can be hard to have a clear direction for the event. "Yes, this is a vacation or event for everyone, but what it really boils down to is what the bride wants and what works best for the group as a whole," notes Odhner.

"We highly recommend having one to two people in charge of planning, whether that be the bride herself, a maid of honor, sister, mother, or a bachelorette planning company like Bach to Basic," shares Odhner. "If you would like to get opinions from the group, it's best to do so early in the process and collect them in an Excel sheet or by email so you can keep track. Let the group know that the weekend will be focused around the bride!"