Bachelorette parties are becoming an increasingly common counterpart to bachelor parties, to the point where they are practically an assumed precursor to a wedding. Since any bride-to-be wants to provide a great party experience for her girlfriends, it is easy to let spending for a bachelorette party get out of hand by buying exorbitant gifts, going to fancy restaurants or buying into exclusive shows. If you are worried about economically burdening yourself or your friends with your party plans, you should consider some money saving measures and party ideas.
Plan an Inexpensive Main Activity
The expense of a bachelorette party is usually directly related to whatever the bride or the friends of the bride plan as the main event of the party. If you are concerned about money, plan something that everyone enjoys that will not break the bank. Bowling, going to the zoo, a theme park, a water park, or even having a sleepover or a ladies night in can be economical ways to have a party. An inexpensive comedy show can be a fun event, although movies do not allow for enough interaction to be a good choice for a bachelorette party. If the bride happens to have a favorite hobby or activity, like rock climbing or hiking, doing that activity as a group can be foolproof party event.
Find Good Food and Drink that isn't Overpriced
Eating at restaurants with $15 appetizers and $10 drinks can be fun from time to time, but not everyone has the the palate to be a judge on Iron Chef. The party planner should choose a restaurant that serves food that the bride will enjoy, but that has prices reasonable enough so everyone that attends will be thinking about having fun rather than the bill. A fun way to save on food and drink is to reminisce by going to an old favorite restaurant or bar from college or high school. Another way to save on food cost is to order in and buy and mix your own drinks. If some of the girls enjoy cooking, consider making a meal yourselves.
Limit Shopping and Gifts
Shopping is probably the most dangerous activity to plan that can result in unexpected expenditure. With planned events and shows, the price is usually known ahead of time; with shopping, the sky's the limit. What's more, when you go out with all the girls everyone will likely encourage one another to spend. Avoiding going shopping during a bachelorette party is probably a good idea if your aim is to save money, but if you are going to go, go to a specific store rather than a mall. Also, making it known that no gifts are going to be exchanged can take the burden off friends and the bride, since the gift giving etiquette is not easily definable, giving no gifts at all is often the easiest and always the least expensive option.
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