How to Create the Perfect Bachelorette Itinerary
Ladies strike a pose on an unforgettable bach trip. Photo Credit: Melissa Askew
A bachelorette party is the time for a soon-to-be bride to let her hair down and enjoy her last days of singledom with her favorite girls.
Whether it’s a destination bach, a night out on the town, or a cozy evening in, every bride should feel like a million bucks at the end of the soiree.
The best way to create a flawless bachelorette party is to first craft the perfect bachelorette itinerary. An itinerary is a document that details all of the plans, events, and expectations for a trip or event. It’s a great way to help guests prepare and to ensure the bride gets the exact party she wants.
Here’s everything you need to know to create the best bachelorette itinerary so your event goes off without a hitch.
Step-by-Step Guide to Creating a Bachelorette Itinerary
A colorful planner makes setting up a bachelorette itinerary a breeze. Photo Credit:
Marten Bjork
Step 1: Determine the Guest List and Budget
Before you begin planning the trip, you'll need a final count on who is attending and when they are available. You’ll also need to confirm budget contributions so everyone can cover their own costs as well as part of the brides.
If you like digital planning, you can find a free guest budgeting template that will make it easy for you to split costs and keep track of who owes what!
You can also share the document with the group so everyone can see exactly what the cost breakdown is and what they are responsible for.
Step 2: Choose the Destination
Once you know what everyone can spend and what their availability is, it’s time to pick where you’ll be going! Miami, New Orleans, Nashville, and Las Vegas are popular bach party destinations with nice weather year round.
If you’re looking to go the international route, the Bahamas, Greece, and the Dominican Republic are great spots, just make sure all of your guests have a valid US passport and the funds to support an epic bach trip.
Of course, you can always stay within your home state and still have an amazing bachelorette party!
When planning, look for unique locations likea cozy cabin bach party, beach houses, or an AirBnB in the center of the city, so you can easily walk to all of your itinerary stops. Not only will this help keep the party on budget, but you’ll be able to explore facets of your city you may never have before!
Step 3: Select a Theme and Activities
A bachelorette party theme will make planning a breeze and elevate your event. Fun themes like “Tropic Like It’s Hot” or “Glamping Glamour” will set the tone and guide the activities you choose.
Spa days, yoga sessions, cocktail classes, and other highlights will build memories and keep everyone busy. Just make sure they coordinate with the theme for maximum impact.
Step 4: Build Out the Itinerary Outline
Now that you know what your vision is, begin building your itinerary outline. Structure days with a mix of planned activities and flexible down-time to over over-scheduling your guests.
Balance is important if you want to maintain the peace! Your outline should look something like this:
Friday:
8-10: Arrive, unpack, and unwind
12: Lunch by the pool
1: Visit to a local museum/garden
7: Dinner and cocktails out on the town
Saturday:
11: Brunch at the hotel
2: Bridal Bingo
6: Dinner and a show at the theater
Sunday:
10: Boozy Brunch
12: Winery Tour
5-7: Pack and travel home
Notice how the events are spaced out with extra time between to accommodate for traffic, extended wait times, or anything else that could arise.
Never plan activities back to back- unforeseen circumstances could easily throw a wrench in your carefully laid plans!
Itinerary Essentials: How to Build a Balanced Bachelorette Schedule
A bride and her squad pose for a memorable photo in front of a landmark. Photo Credit: Alena Plotnikova
Morning Relaxation & Energizers
Keep mornings as relaxed as possible. Respect that everyone may rise at different times. Some are early birds while others need that extra beauty rest. So avoid planning required activities early in the day.
Schedule brunches, coffee outings, or optional light group workouts. Unless there is a specific activity the bride wants to do that requires an early morning, give everyone ample time to sleep in so they are energized for the rest of the day.
Afternoon Main Events
Keep afternoons exciting with fun group activities. Take a trip to the beach, a winery for some wine tasting, or just explore the town and shop!
This gives your guests the opportunity to go out on their own or stay in their hotel for some downtime before the evening fun begins.
Use the time between lunch and dinner as flex time. Be clear which events have mandatory attendance and which guests can skip to do their own thing or simply take a moment for themselves.
Evening Celebrations and Nightlife
If your bachelorette loves the nightlife, plan fancy dinners, bar hopping excursions, or a private, catered dinner wherever you are staying. Make it flexible enough so that guests can turn in early or party all night if they’d like!
Be clear with expectations, though. If the bride-to-be wants all her girls around her at specific locations, communicate that with the party so they know ahead of time.
Flex-Time for Last-Minute Adjustments
If you over-plan, guests may feel burnt out and unhappy. It’s super important to factor in downtime with space in the schedule for rest or spontaneous activities. Have ideas for activities ready, but also leave lots of time for vegging out on the couch!
Unique Itinerary Additions to Personalize the Experience
An evening toast makes for the perfect moment to honor the bride-to-be. Photo Credit: Dave Lastovskiy
Surprise Moments for the Bride
Make the bach unforgettable by planning surprise additions for the bride. Sometimes as simple as a video montage from guests and other loved ones, a special toast at dinner, or song dedications for the bride will make her smile.
Keepsakes and Favors
Party favors aren’t just for the bridal shower! Plan some fun keepsakes and favors for your guests to help remember the event. Personalized goodie bags with items that will be handy for the trip are functional and fun.
Stock them with towels, sunscreen, sunglasses, and anything else that will make guests feel special and fulfill a need during or after the event.
Themed Dress Codes and Photo Ops
Set up lots of photo ops so guests can snap pics for social media. A photo backdrop at the accommodations is a great idea.
You can also plan group outfits for different outings that will look great in photos! Finally, look for unique moments to capture memories. This could include posing in front of landmarks or at the top of a hiking trail with a beautiful view.
Tools and Templates for Building a Professional-Looking Itinerary
Turn to digital planning tools, like Canva, Google Docs, or Trello to expedite collaborative planning. You can share documents, lists, and the itinerary for feedback and input.
This will make it easier to design an event that the bride will love and the guests will be on board with! You can also find customizable templates on Etsy or Canva that are themed with colors and fonts that match your unique bachelorette party theme.
This will add a fun twist on your event documents and make your guests even more excited to attend!
You’ll need to add more than just each day’s plan. Include essential information like addresses, packing list suggestions, weather updates, and links to the specific locations for reservations.
If you’re doing activities that require special footwear or may have additional expenses, include that too. The more information you provide to guests, the more likely everyone will have a good time!
Final Tips for a Smooth, Enjoyable Bachelorette Weekend
To make communication a breeze, set up a dedicated bach group chat via text or messaging app. This will help you to coordinate and share updates easily and give a space for everyone to communicate as needed.
It’s especially important to establish this because some guests may be acquaintances or have never met before. And you never know when party members may need to be in touch!
Plan backup plans just in case you experience unexpected weather or cancellations. This will keep the party going and minimize stress, as you won’t have to scramble to make adjustments in the moment.
As you plan, respect guests preferences and do your best to accommodate different schedules. When people feel seen, they will put their best foot forward.
To avoid conflicts, set guidelines for payment and what would happen if a guest no-shows. Communicate this early on in the planning stages so everyone knows what to expect.
And there you have it! With a lot of planning and a little bit of organization, you can create the ideal bachelorette party itinerary that will keep guests organized and make this celebration shine!
Remember, you’re likely doing this out of love for the bride, so always put her first and remind others the event is all about her!