How to plan a bachelorette trip
You said yes to planning the bachelorette. The theme is the fun part. The hard part is herding the guest list and collecting money without becoming "that friend." Here's the order that makes it easy.
Photo by Diana Shchurova on Unsplash
step by step
Start with the bride's wishlist
Sit down with the bride first. Where does she want to go, what kind of weekend is it (pool and spa, nightlife, wine, outdoors), who must be there, and what she does not want. Everything else builds on this.
In the planner The Bride's Wishlist is made to fill out with her.
Survey the guests privately
Ask each guest about dates, budget, rooms, activities and swag sizes. Keep it private so nobody feels pressured in the group chat.
In the planner The Guest Survey covers dates, budget, rooms, activities and swag sizes.
Set the budget and have the money talk early
Decide the budget from the survey, then send one clear message: what's included, how it's split, when deposits are due, and that the bride's share is covered by the group.
In the planner The Money Talk page has a ready-to-send group text.
Lock the stay and the rooms
Book the house or hotel first. Then place everyone, and give the bride the best room.
In the planner Use the Room planner and the Guest list & RSVPs pages.
Plan the weekend, Friday to Sunday
Give each day a theme and one main event, and leave room for downtime. Most bachelorette weekends are better with fewer plans and more pool time.
In the planner The Weekend page has Friday to Sunday, with a theme for each day.
Split it so the bride pays nothing
Give the bride zero shares and everyone else covers her automatically. Optional activities only charge the girls who went, and each person gets one line telling them who to pay.
In the planner The Google Sheets cost splitter does this automatically.
Send a Weekend at a Glance
A week out, text everyone one summary: address, arrival times, the plan for each day, outfits by theme, and what to bring.
In the planner Weekend at a Glance is made to text to the group.
The planner for this trip
Every step above has a page or tab waiting for it. Each one opens with a Start Here page, so you can type right in or print it. Instant download on Etsy.
Fillable PDF + cost splitterThe Bachelorette PlannerFor the maid of honor: the bride's wishlist, guest survey, rooms, the weekend, and a splitter where the bride pays nothing.$10.99 on Etsy 
Google SheetsGroup Trip Cost SplitterFor girls trips and friend getaways. Every cost split fairly, with one clear number for each person.$6.99 on Etsy Questions I get asked
Who pays for the bride on a bachelorette trip?
Usually the guests split the bride's share between them. In a cost splitter, give the bride zero shares and her portion is covered automatically.
How far ahead should you plan a bachelorette trip?
Four to six months ahead is ideal, and a little more for popular weekends or destinations that need flights.
How do you collect money for a bachelorette?
Send one clear message early with what's included and when deposits are due, then give each guest one number to pay.
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