Congratulations on your engagement!! You have found the person you want to spend the rest of your life with and have a beautiful ring on your ring, and now the fun part begins! You are planning a wedding, a honeymoon, a bachelorette party, and a lot of it can be very overwhelming, but when you keep focused on what’s most important to you, it can be so much fun!!
Where to Start
Reunited with your favorite people and build some new memories, but first, we have to plan the perfect weekend for you and your friends. The most important thing is personalizing it to you, the bride! Next, decide who is going to plan it!! And if the person who is planning the weekend is reading this right now… please, please, PLEASE ask for help when you need it! It will save you so much stress and agitation when you are able to get help!
Make a Pinterest board for decor inspiration and products so that it is all located in one spot. It will be such a big help when finalizing the small stuff.
Got Your Bach is an amazing service that can help bring your vision life – no matter how big or small!
Location :
There are so many options when thinking about where to plan that it can be overwhelming. Some things to to keep in mind include what kind of weekend you’d like throw (casual, fancy, boujie, care-free – FUN). Here are just a few ideas:
- Beach
Perfect for a chill weekend in the sun! Or even a not so chill weekend 😉 I’ve been to a lot of beach towns in my day but two of my absolute favorite include:
- Key West, FL – great combination of beach time, fun things to do, and some of the most beautiful scenery I’ve ever seen!
- San Diego, CA – skip LA, head straight to San Diego. Beaches, hikes, nightlife, FOOD… it’s all perfect!
2. Lake
Rent a cozy cabin, fill your days on a boat and on paddle boards and hiking with your best friends! The best part about a Lake Trip is you never have to leave the house if you don’t want to. Plan meals out so everyone has a day, get enough bags of chips and packs of Truly’s and all the board games you can fit in your trunk and have the weekend of your life!
3. City
Don’t want to get out of the hustle and bustle of city life? Lean into it!! A weekend trip to a new (or old) city can be so much fun, with so much to do! Some of my favorite cities to visit include:
- New York City, NY – the city of all cities! Explore the town, go see a broadway show, go to a Korean Karaoke Bar (seriously, greatest 2 hours of my life), and eat amazing food!
- San Fransisco, CA – perfect combination of city life with fun outdoor activities with amazing hikes.
- Las Vegas, NV – Vegas is not just casinos and crazy night life! There is truly so much to do in and around Vegas any time of year.
4. Road-trip
Road-trips can be perfect if you have a smaller group of friends that want to go on a fun adventure! Map out your trip perfectly personalized to what y’all love most with total flexibility to spend more time in a certain spot if you’re really loving it.
5. International
For the bold!! One of my favorite things in the whole world is exploring a new city with my best friends and sometimes that includes a 9 hour flight! An international trip might be a fun choice, especially if you are planning a destination wedding. Get your girls and fly over early and get to know the city that will mean so much to you because that’s where you’re going to say “I DO!” Plus it’s fun! Some of my favorite cities include:
- London, England – one of the most charming and beautiful cities with all of the European flare, but the convenience of the English language.
- Paris, France – my favorite city of all time! It is so beautiful and cannot recommend visiting it during the warm summer and spring months enough!
- Amsterdam, Netherlands – fall colors have never looked more beautiful than reflecting off the canals. Amsterdam is somehow modern while charming and small, all at the same time!
Housing :
The #1 thing to consider when searching for housing accommodations is finding a place where you can all be together! Airbnb’s are perfect for finding places that fit the number of people, as well as your budget.
You will also want to consider your location proximity to the city center/beach/lake and if it fits your needs. Sometimes spending more money on a rental that is in walking distance from the beach ends up being better than one that’s farther out, not only for convenience, but parking fees as well.
There will be a lot of choices that may seem perfect for you and your friends and the difference between the good and the great rentals are going to be the details and amenities what matters most to y’all! Is soaking in the view while watching the insane sunrise/sunset a must? Make sure your accommodation has a porch with a view. Are you planning a big party weekend with nights out on the town? Get the Airbnb that is close to the city center and public transportation. Opting for a quiet weekend in the woods? Splurge and get the renal with the hot-tub!
Transportation :
Anyone who knows me knows that I am a big fan and supporter of public transportation. I go hardcore – even to and from the airport! But I went on a trip this past year and rented a car for the first time and I am not sure I can ever go back.
Renting a car offers you total freedom to hit all of your must-sees in the area without the hassle of calling the pricey Ubers. Especially if you have a larger group, renting two cars is a great way to save money – trust me, even with the gas fill up it is often cheaper than using ride-sharing services.
What to do :
HAVE FUN!! You and your besties have taken vacation days and spent money to unplug and just spend time and be with one another! HAVE FUN! One of the best ways to do this is to avoid mapping out every second of your trip. Instead, plan the big stuff!
If you anticipate finding or deciding on places to eat to be a struggle, plan them out before and make reservations! Consider a variety of different cuisines and do your research to find what the locals love.
Plan one or two big events that you expect everyone to attend. When you do this, everyone is on the same page and knows the expectation. Some fun examples include: skydiving, broadway show, dinner each night, scuba diving or any fun excursion.
Another fun tip that I recommend everyone add when planning their perfect bachelorette weekend is disposable cameras! Y’all are going to have some much fun, and not just during the big moments that you’re all so excited for, but all of the little moments as well! Getting everyone a disposable camera is such a fun and easy way to help capture and treasure all the of the memories you’re making.
Go with the flow :
Remember why you are there!! Your friends have traveled to come and celebrate YOU and sometimes we get in our heads and make mountains out of mole hills. Ask yourself what you want most out of your Bachelorette Weekend, and if your answer is “Have fun and create wonderful memories with your closest friends and family,” then try and take a step back and if someone wants to go on a hike and others want to pop the champagne and start drinking mimosas, let it happen!
If you have made it this far, hopefully you feel prepared to start planning the best weekend ever with your best friends! To sum it all up, start with your priorities – this includes your budget, the location, and one or two major things you’d love to do. Anything beyond that will be icing on the cake!!
Go out, have fun, and get to planning!!