A woman holding a ring shaped balloon at a hen party

Maid of Honor’s Best Tips for Stress-Free Bachelorette Party Planning

Planning a bachelorette party is an exciting but sometimes daunting task. It’s the bride’s final fling before the ring, and you want to make it special, stress-free, and unforgettable. If you’re the maid of honor, chief bridesmaid, or organising the bachelorette or hen party has simply fallen to you, here’s our top tips for planning a bachelorette party your bride to be (and everyone else) will love.

First things first, planning a Bachelorette party can take a lot of organization, but relax – we’ve got you! As our gift to you, you can download this FREE Bachelorette Party Planner. With over 20 pages, a suggested checklist and pdf compatibility with Goodnotes and Notability, this is the ideal bachelorette party planner no matter what your theme. Grab your copy below.

Consult the Bride

Before making any plans, talk to the bride about her preferences even if aspects of the weekend are going to be a surprise. Some brides want a wild weekend, while others prefer a relaxed getaway. Understanding her vision sets the tone for everything else.

margs and matrimony

Be optimistic but realistic

These days with the advent of social media, bachelorette and hen parties are often a full blown weekend. There is an enormous pressure to have everything “Instagram worthy” or the best party ever, but with that pressure comes a great deal of stress and expense.

If you have spoken to the bride about her preferences, be realistic about what can and can’t be achieved given the budget and number of guests. You can have an amazing time without spending a fortune – this is why our instant download digital bachelorette resources are so popular! 

Be confident and decisive – you’re in charge!

If you’re the organizer, it can be easy to want to seek everyone else’s opinion about the events, theme and activities of the bachelorette party. However, if you open up the floor to everyone you are going to get so many different opinions and requirements that it will become impossible to please everyone.

As long as the bride’s preferences are being acknowledged, be confident in your decisions and give the rest of the group the plan rather than asking them to shape it.

For an in depth guide, take a look at The Ultimate Guide to Planning A Bachelorette Party.

a group of women at a bachelorette party

Set a Budget and Payment Expectations Early

Money matters! Discuss a budget with all attendees early on to avoid surprises later. Create a shared document to track expenses and payments to keep things organized. By planning ahead and breaking down all of the costs involved, guests can see an overview of the pricing upfront.

The party planner also needs to be mindful of the group’s budget to ensure it is fun but affordable for everyone involved.

Requesting a non-refundable deposit at the point of accepting the invitation confirms the guest’s commitment and avoids drop outs that end up costing the rest of the group to cover. This can be a daunting prospect but remember, it is for the good of the whole group to ensure the costs are not left for others to cover. Clear dates should also be set for paying any remaining installments.

Pick a Theme

A theme adds personality to the party and makes it more memorable. Whether it’s “Coastal Cowgirl,” “She’s Tying the Knot,” or “Apres Ski,” a cohesive theme influences decor, attire, activities and even location.

Here on the blog we have a vast range of posts on varying bachelorette theme ideas and inspiration, as well as a multitude of theme specific digital party products in our Etsy shop. Check out the Trending Bachelorette Themes for 2025, or take a look at our Ultimate List of Bachelorette Theme Ideas.

Knowing the bride’s preferences or taste is a must when picking a surprise theme, or get the bride’s input from the start about her choice for the theme.

Choose the Right Date

Coordinate with the bride and key guests to select a date well in advance. Avoid last-minute changes by sending out a save-the-date or digital invitation once it’s confirmed.

Plan the Perfect Location

Decide whether a weekend getaway, a city adventure, or a stay-at-home bash fits best. Choose a destination that aligns with your theme and the group’s travel preferences and budget.

Related Posts: Top 10 US Destinations for Bachelorette Parties

Top 10 UK Destinations for Bachelorette Parties

a group of friends at a bachelorette party

Book Accommodations and Activities Early

Consider the accommodation you need. For example, an Airbnb or property rental allows the whole group to hang out together as well as providing communal cooking and dining spaces, rather than hotel rooms where everyone is in separate rooms.

Whatever your choice, popular destinations and venues fill up fast. Reserve hotels, rentals, and key activities as soon as possible to lock in your ideal itinerary.

Related posts: Adventurous Activities for Daring Brides To Be

Alcohol Free Bachelorette Party Ideas

Send Creative Invitations

Set the tone with stylish digital or printed invitations. Include essential details like dates, location, theme, and any attire suggestions. A digital invitation and itinerary can be sent instantly to the group chat and helps keep the key information in one place.

We have a wide range of digital and printable bachelorette invitations over in the Gin&Gemini Etsy Shop.

Add Personal Touches

Customized decor, themed games, and personalized party favors (like matching t-shirts or hangover kits) make the party extra special.

Our Bachelorette Welcome sign Canva template packs come in 4 sizes from 24 x 36 to 8 x 10, making it perfect to edit for a variety of purposes. Create a welcome sign using the larger templates to greet your guests at the venue entrance, and use the smaller sign for buffet tables, games and whatever else you like!

Larger signs can be printed online or at your local print shop.

Great for sharing on social media or taking out with you on the town, we have a range of editable Buy The Bride a Drink templates for both sharing digitally on socials and printing out onto card or stickers.

All you need to do is add in your own Venmo, Paypal or other payment app QR code.Wondering how the heck you do that? Don’t worry, we’ve got all the steps broken down in this post: How to Create A Buy The Bride A Drink Custom QR code

Photo Props

Plan a Mix of Activities

Balance high-energy events with downtime. A spa day, a wine tasting, or a pool party offers relaxation, while a night out provides plenty of excitement.

Don’t forget the downtime too – while it can be easy to think everyone will just chill, if boredom sets in then you’ll wish you’d brought some back up activities!

For some affordable DIY fun in between your scheduled events, our signature Bachelorette Games Bundle is available in a wide range of themes. Featuring 12 printable games with clean and dirty options, this is an ideal addition to your bachelorette weekend.

What’s more, it’s digital, meaning that it is instantly available after purchase so is ideal for any last minute plans.

What’s included:

  • 1. Game instructions / Prep
  • 2. Guest most likely to
  • 3. How Old Was the Bride photo game
  • 4. Scavenger Hunt
  • 5. Would she rather…(clean)
  • 6. Would she rather…(dirty)
  • 7. 20 Questions about the Bride-to-be
  • 8. What did the Groom Say? (Clean)
  • 9. What did the Groom say? (Optional add on dirty questions)
  • 10. Never or Ever (Clean) – with optional Never / Ever cards
  • 11. Never or ever (Dirty)
  • 12. Over or Under
  • 13. Bride or Groom? -with optional Bride / Groom cards
  • 14. Memory of the Bride to Be

We also offer an editable Canva template version of every bundle (sold separately) so you can personalize the games for your party!

Take the games to the next level with our custom bachelorette board game Canva templates. Like all our digital products it is editable in Canva so you can change the rules to suit your party, including the Truth or Dare and “Drink if” cards! A popular item and ideal icebreaker.

Keep everyone fed and watered!

If you’re renting an AirBnB or similar, remember to stock the fridge with drinks and snacks for downtime and in between activities. In order to fund the grocery shop, build a group contribution into the budget.

Give thoughtful and inexpensive party favors

Party favors should be fun and inexpensive – there’s no need or expectation to spend a fortune. Here’s some suggestions from our Etsy shop:

Photo Mat Keepsake

Our photo mat template is a great affordable option available in a range of themes and is available as an instant download.

Get all the guests to sign the template with a message to the bride-to-be, then add a photo from the weekend and frame for a lasting and inexpensive memento. Once you have purchased the template you can print as many copies as you need, so you can give one to every guest!

Custom Bachelorette Lanyards

Give your guests a fun welcome party favor at the beginning of the bachelorette weekend with these custom editable Lanyard templates! Edit for free in Canva to add your guests’ names, print and insert into vertical lanyard holders like these for a fun start to the festivities.

Scrunchie Tags

These custom editable scrunchie templates are perfect and inexpensive party favors. Personalize for each guest, print onto thin cardstock and attach to scrunchies to give to guests. Perfect!

Party Favor Stickers

Ideal for attaching to mini bottles of fizz, favor bags and more, we have both rectangular and round favor stickers cohesive to all the themes in our Bachelorette Party ranges. Both sizes are optimized to fit Avery print to edge stickers and are compatible to use with the free Avery Design & Print software.

For more details on this process, check out our dedicated post How to Customise a sticker using Avery Design & Print.

Hangover Kit Labels

If you’re thinking of creating hangover kits for guests, this set of two hangover kit tags can be customized how you wish while still being cohesive to the party theme. Add to favor bags, makeup bags and more!

What Are Your Best Tips for planning a bachelorette party?

What did you think of these bachelorette party planning tips? Do you have any you would add? Leave a comment and let us know, and don’t forget to grab your FREE planner below!

About The Author

Melissa is an Educational Consultant in the UK with over 25 years teaching experience. Through her expertise in creating educational resources for children she opened her Etsy shop, Gin&Gemini, in 2022 and quickly expanded her offering into the party planning niche, offering a range of physical and digital products for children’s parties, family celebrations, holidays and the bachelorette / hen party niche. She lives on a farm with her husband, young daughter and cats.

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