Photo: Universal Pictures/Courtesy Neal Peters Collection
Owner of Weddings in Vieques, a destination-wedding planning company off the coast of Puerto Rico, Sandy Malone has helped countless couples plan their big day since 2007. Here, she's revealing what bridesmaids should keep in mind while planning the bride's bachelorette party.
Bachelorette parties vary widely in style — and what kind of "Hen Night" you celebrate should really be about what the bride enjoys doing with her girlfriends. If she's a party girl who always imagined a wild weekend in Vegas, go for it. But if she's more of a spa-weekend-with-the-girls kind of bride, there's nothing wrong with that either. Wine tasting weekends have actually become quite popular for low-key bachelorette parties.
The trick is that the planning of the bachelorette party needs to be coordinated with the bride so that it's something she actually wants to do. Don't make it a complete surprise. And keeping in mind that she has a better overall picture of what her wedding party can afford, she'll know whether a weekend away is out of the question with everybody spending money for her upcoming main event.
Here's a list of five tips to help plan a bachelorette party (wherever you decide to hold it) that the bride and her entire wedding party can enjoy without guilt:
1. Find out whether the bride will be offended by strippers. If you don't know, somebody should ask. If you can't find out, skip the naked men.
2. Plan a fun "bride-to-be" outfit for the special night out — veils are a must — everybody loves to buy drinks for a bride. But judge the bride before going any further with the getup — some brides don't want to get too carried away with their bridal-themed look.
See More: Let's Discuss: Would You Throw a Co-Ed Bachelorette Party
3. Only invite a bride-approved list of guests to the bachelorette festivities. She may not want her future sister-in-law there. She may not want her current (brother's wife) sister-in-law there. It's not totally unusual for moms to go to the bachelorette parties, but again, not all brides want the MOB in attendance.
4. Remember that even if the some of the bridesmaids are wild-child types, if the bride is shy or becomes easily embarrassed, having her called up on a stage for a lap dance is not her idea of a good time — regardless of how amusing the rest of you find it. She's the bride and it's her night. Don't humiliate her at any cost.
5. Feed everybody before the drinking begins, and make sure there's at least one completely sober person babysitting the group. Plus, the designated non-drinking friend can continue to feed everybody as the night continues and take the group home once the party wraps.
Bonus: We're giving away an all-expense paid bachelorette party in Puerto Rico for one bride-to-be and two of her best girls. Click here to enter and for more info!