How Long Should Your Bachelorette Party Be?
It's not just the bride-to-be who looks forward to the bachelorette party—generally speaking, the bridal party and close family members and friends all anxiously anticipate this fun-filled event. That's why it's so important to start planning the details early. Depending on when, where, and how long you'd like this pre-wedding celebration to take place, it's crucial that you spread the word with enough notice that everyone can make the date (or dates) work. That begs the question: How long should the bachelorette party really be?
While it's most typical to have a weekend-long celebration, it's not your only option. Plenty of brides-to-be celebrate with single-night events, while others plan week-long getaways with their closest friends. To help you decide what's right for you and your group, we spoke to expert planners and asked for their tips.
Related: Creative Bachelorette Party Decoration Ideas
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Single-Night Bachelorette Parties Should Be Four to Five Hours Long
"If you are doing a one-night bachelorette party, try to plan for four to five hours," says Kate Lerman, owner and lead planner at Chicago Vintage Weddings. With that being said, she also suggests that it's important to be open to keeping the party going longer if everyone is having a great time. That might mean having flexible transportation or even having a backup accommodation in mind—like a nearby hotel or someone's house—should the party keep going late into the evening.
Consider an Extended Weekend Trip
If one night isn't your thing, go for a long weekend. "A perfect length for your bachelorette party is four days—best to do as an extended weekend so your girls don't have to take off all four days from work," says Lauren Grech, CEO and co-founder of LLG Events. With the trend of destination bachelorette parties, she suggests that this still allows for travel time, as well as multiple nights to go out.
If You're Asking Guests to Travel, Try to Plan a Longer Event
For groups that are open to something a little further from home, Grech advises trying to plan a longer getaway. If attendees need to board a plane and have flexibility, a five- to seven-day event is wonderful. Just be sure to give guests the option of staying for as long as they're comfortable with—there's always a chance that someone can't make the full trip work, but they might want to join for a portion.
Be Considerate of the Schedules of Your Guests
Whatever you do, make sure to be considerate of everyone's schedule. While you may ultimately opt for a longer or shorter event than what some in the group were hoping for, the most important thing to do is ensure everyone has a chance to voice their opinion. Isabel Rokeach, event planner at Michelle Leo Events, suggests that starting with two or three nights is a safe bet, especially if they fall over a weekend. This will mean that most people don't have to take off time at work, she advises, and can typically accommodate the trip.
