Survival 101: 5 Tips for Planning a Successful Bachelor(ette) Party

Chances are at some point in your life you’ll be asked to be an attendee, a host, or a planner of a bachelor(ette) party. Cue “The Hangover” and “Bridesmaids” movies—it’s about to get wild! Ha, just kidding! If we’ve learned anything from those movies, it’s best to avoid the extremes and keep the party simple—that’s right, no tigers.

The New York Times recently released a news article suggesting that “The Hangover” bachelor(ette) party mentality is decreasing due to age, social media, and a newfound respect for responsibility and maturity. Although the wild times might have calmed down, a bachelor(ette) party should still be fun and exciting for the bride and groom-to-be. In the words of Officer Nathan Rhodes from “Bridesmaids” don’t be “the maid of dishonor;” follow our survival tips to plan the ultimate bachelor(ette) party.

Ditch the Hangover

A rule of thumb to pass along to your group/clients is the one-to-one rule! For every alcoholic beverage you consume, drink one glass of water. Water is the miracle elixir that helps you recover from a hangover or a headache. Trust us, the morning after look is not a good look, especially on the rehearsal or wedding day. Keep yourself (and your group) hydrated to guarantee a refreshed look the next day!

We also suggest ditching “The Hangover” theme! Don’t get us wrong, we’re big fans of Las Vegas and think it would make an awesome place to party, but do everyone a favor: avoid losing a friend, getting married, and stealing Mike Tyson’s tiger. What we actually mean is that  bachelor(ette) parties don’t have to fit to a certain model in order to be fun. Interestingly-shaped decor or wild, rendezvous nights aren’t mandatory for the party to be considered successful either.

Venue Matters

When planning a bachelor(ette) party, remember that although your ideas might be great, is it what the bride or groom would enjoy? As a planner, it’s OK to ask the party honorees what they would like to happen or not happen during the event. Our biggest suggestion is to listen and stick to what the bride and groom-to-be say. You’re celebrating with your friend/client, so don’t embarrass them just for the sake of the party. Which is why selecting the perfect venue is highly important.

You wouldn’t drink the night away at a spa or go crazy at a resort would you? Of course not! It’s bachelor(ette) survival 101. Kristen Stanton, an Inspherio user and a successful party planner in North Carolina, suggests that bachelor(ette) planners book venues that offer a mixture of both relaxation and fun. A resort spa makes the obvious choice because the party-goers can enjoy massages and facials, as well as drinks and delicious food options.

Picking the Right Date

Between cake tastings, florist appointments, and last minute dress alterations, penciling in a weekend to party can be tricky. No one wants to celebrate a party too far in advance; it feels too anticlimactic. And hosting a party the day before the big event isn’t the best idea either. Our suggestion is to find the perfect bachelor(ette) party sweet spot, which we think is six weeks to a month before the big day. This timeframe builds excitement for the upcoming nuptials, but it is far enough in advance that nerves aren’t in attendance.

Sensitive to the Budget

Just like a wedding, a budget is one of the most important items to keep in mind when planning a party. Although bachelor(ette) party traditions emphasize the responsibility of the host to pay and cover the party expenses, times are changing. The attendees of the party are now helping and contributing to the event, making sure that everything is equally paid for so the bride/groom can enjoy their night expense free. Of course, with this comes respect and sensitivity to the contribution each person can afford.

As the planner, be mindful of the budget. This is not the only expense that the bridal party is paying, so plan your events and location accordingly. It’s also important to keep in mind that each party is different. An event you host for recent graduates will differ from one you plan for a group with careers and mortgages.

Overscheduling

Let’s face it, months before the event we’re pumped and ready to have the wildest weekend bachelor(ette) party. You plan and schedule activities throughout the entire weekend to keep the party moving. Although we’re supportive of your eager spirit, we want to remind you to schedule down time.

Create buffer zones and times between activities to let the party relax and unwind. Planning a wedding is stressful enough for the bride, the last thing she needs is to be constantly pulled from place to place. Our survival tip is to plan one night that you go all out, and then leave the rest of the weekend open for spontaneity or relaxation. A bachelor(ette) party is a time to celebrate the closing of one chapter and the beginning of a new one, so keep it fun, and keep it classy.

*Side tip: To keep everyone on schedule, we suggest telling people the times for reservations an hour earlier than they actually are.  

A bachelor(ette) party doesn’t have to be wild and crazy, but it has to be fun! What tips do you have to help others survive planning a bachelor(ette) party? Share with us in the comment section below! And if you haven’t tried it yet, sign up for Inspherio free for 30 days. It’s the only event business management solution you’ll ever need—we swear by it.

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Aspiring Event Professionals: Gain Event Experience without Leaving Campus

For those college students who are aspiring event planning professionals, as I'm sure you have heard time and time again, you need to gain as much experience as possible while in college. But what if you don't have a car on campus or can't find a good internship off campus?

Here's a nice piece of advise: you don't have to leave campus for good experience.

A college campus can be a great place to gain some valuable work opportunities, particularly for a large school. Here are just a few different areas you can gain some type of event experience: 


Development/Fundraising Office
If you learn how to consistently raise money, you will always find job opportunities. In addition to putting on alumni events each year, many non-profits typically have event planning positions that require fundraising experience, so having this skill in your back pocket gives you an advantage when applying for these positions.

Facilities Management
Do you want to run a venue someday? Start working with your campus facilities department (or with a specific building) and learn the everyday skills and knowledge needed to perform the job. This can include maintenance, audio/visual, scheduling, landscaping, and more. Facility managers work with event planners to see events through, so it is a good way to see the planning process and, more importantly, grow your network.

Food & Beverage
On campus dining departments typically also do much of the on-campus catering for events, so this a good place to get some quick experience and, again, meet new contacts and grow your network.

Student Life
The student life department typically puts on larger events: orientation and convocation, commencement, on-campus concerts, movie showings, Family/Parents Weekend, as well as educational and cultural opportunities.

Admissions Office
The admissions office has a number of events it can put in an attempt to attract the most qualified students to the school: campus tours, info sessions, open houses, career fairs, etc.

Residential Life
Dorms are always looking to plan various events. This could be a cookout, holiday party (Christmas, Halloween, St. Patrick's Day, etc), beach trip, hike, night out on the town, and more.

Greek Life
Take the lead on planning events for your fraternity/sorority: formals, social events, philanthropic events, retreats, chapter, etc. You can gain a lot of experience doing this and, if nothing else, learn of the demand an events career.

Wellness Center
At your college's wellness center, you can have opportunities to plan intramurals or campus-wide dorm tournaments. You can also gain scheduling experience when juggling multiple classes and classroom space.

Athletic Department
Athletic departments, especially for larger schools, run like independent entities and are a great place to gain experience. Student interns are always needed and there are many ways to get involved:

• Marketing - Planning events for fans (FanFest, pep rallies, open practices, Midnight Madness, etc)
• Sales/Ticketing - You not only work a lot of events, but you talk to a lot of people on the phone and make a lot of connections with other ticketing offices. Have I stressed the importance of growing your network?
• Development - Planning events and travel for boosters who donate money to the athletic department. This is a good way to get to know a lot of successful and influential peoples.
• Event management - This department works with every other department to plan those events for boosters, season ticket holders, fans, as well as every home athletic contest.
• Facilities management - Regardless of the event type, they are held in some type of venue. This department is often part of the events department.
• Individual teams - This may require planning recruiting or alumni events, coordinating travel, and team functions.

Plus, if you're at a well-known athletic department, it really can stand out on your resume.

Summary
If you've been paying attention, the most critical aspects of working in college are: a) gaining valuable experience and skills, and b) growing your network. Doing these two things while in school - with fewer bills and responsibilities - can really give you an advantage when you start looking for a job after graduation.

Photo credit: www.wjla.com

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