Quick and simple tips for a dry bachelorette party on a budget

As the maid/matron of honor, bridesmaid, best friend, or go-to party planner, you’ve been given the honor of hosting and planning the bachelorette party. However, there are two stipulations – everyone is on a budget, and more importantly, the bride is in addiction recovery for alcohol. While in hindsight it might seem like an impossibility, the good news is that celebrating the bride-to-be doesn’t have to break the bank, and we all know we don’t have to have alcohol to have a good time. Check out these tips for throwing a bachelorette party everyone will love.
Listen Carefully
The first step to planning any sort of party is to make sure you meet the rules or requirements of your “client,” which in this case would be the bride. Before any sort of plans can be set in stone, sit down with the bride and have a serious conversation about what she does and doesn’t want. While she wants to steer clear of situations that involve alcohol, she might not necessarily want to have a knitting party either. Ask her for suggestions as to how you can make her feel comfortable. What does she envision? What places should be avoided? Is it okay to go to a place that serves alcohol, such as out to dinner, or would she prefer the party events to be completely sans alcohol?
Now would be a good time to ask her about the guest list too. Those in recovery often have a support network, so anyone who isn’t supportive despite knowing the bride is in recovery should be avoided. Ask the bride who she would like invited, including her sponsor or those she has befriended in recovery, but keep in mind your budget. The sweet spot will be to invite enough guests to have a great time but not eat up your finances.
Switch Up the Focus
Most bachelorette parties focus on alcohol, but this party is unique so switch up the focus with fun food and drinks. Use your budget to splurge elsewhere by making the food yourself (or employing the help of the guests). Not only will this save you major bucks, but you can meet the needs and tastes of everyone in attendance. In fact, you can make the food part of the party with a little DIY fun. Have a pizza-making party, or let party guests vote on semi-difficult Pinterest recipe to try and have each guest bring an ingredient. When it comes to food though, don’t forget to include the bride’s favorites.
As for drinks, opt for mocktails rather than non-alcoholic beer and beverages that mimic the real thing, as this is an uncomfortable temptation for a bride who is sober. If the bride would prefer to avoid anything remotely close to alcohol, substitute the lack of drinks with something fun and unique such as a smoothie or milkshake bar with toppings and ingredients galore.
Set the Budget in Advance
When it comes to setting the budget, make sure you keep each and every guest in mind. Provide everyone with a cost estimate, as well as a way to contact you privately should there be any concerns. Try to accommodate every budget within reason, and ask that all finances be paid upfront to avoid scrambling at the last minute to collect funds or having an awkward encounter with that one person who always says they will pay you later.
Create a spreadsheet or Google doc to keep track of everything, as well as keep all guests in the loop. Remember, there’s an app for that too, and Travefy is just the solution. Use it to find fun things near the location of the event, keep track of RSVPs, split and collect money, as well as discuss important topics as a group.
As you can see, planning a dry and budget-friendly bachelorette party isn’t as hard as you initially thought. Keep the bride involved throughout the entire process, take the focus away from alcohol, and set a reasonable budget, and you are well on your way to a bachelorette party no one will soon forget.