Who Pays for the Bachelorette Party?

Who pays for the bachelorette party typically depends on the budgets of the guests and how much everyone agrees to chip in. Keep in mind, bachelorette party expenses can quickly add up—from accommodations to Lyft rides, to drinks and dinners out. Paying for the bride to enjoy her bach weekend sans-cost is a lovely gesture—but not always necessary.

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The budget for the weekend can be a touchy subject, so make sure that everyone is on the same page when it comes to expenses. Some attendees may feel comfortable spending a lot, while others want to keep it more bare-bones. The host can ask everyone in private about their budget ahead of time and come up with a plan that everyone is comfortable with so that everybody has fun.

Here’s a guide to paying for the bachelorette so that everyone can focus on having a great time instead of focusing on the funds.

Scenario One: Attendees Pay for the Bride and Split All Other Expenses Amongst Each Other

In this scenario, attendees split all costs evenly (including splitting the costs to pay for the bride’s expenses.) This keeps things fair and even so that one guest doesn’t feel like he or she is paying more than any of the others.

The easiest way to go about this is to designate one friend who keeps track of all costs for the weekend and offers to put the costs of meals, drinks, and transportation on her credit card. She can use an app such as Splitwise so that everyone can see what they owe. Or, she can send out a Venmo request at the end of the weekend for what is owed.

The bride doesn’t think about money the entire weekend in this case. However, if you’re traveling, she still might want to pay for her flights or accommodation, depending on everyone’s budget.

Scenario Two: Bride Pays for Herself and Everything Is Split Evenly

If you suspect that everyone going to the party is going to be on a tight budget, it’s OK that the bride pays for her costs. Just make sure that you discuss it ahead of time so that she doesn’t feel like she’s losing out (if she paid for several of the other girl’s bachelorette weekends when they got married, for example.) The attendees can still treat her to a meal, a drink at the bar, or a manicure, of course, so she still feels special. But, most brides are happy to chip in for accommodations and other costs—as long as it’s all discussed ahead of time.

Scenario Three: Bride Pays for Entire Weekend

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Most brides are paying a lot of wedding expenses at the time of the bachelorette weekend, so they might not have a lot to spend on a bachelorette party. However, if you’re a bride with an unlimited budget, you may want to treat your wedding party for the entire bachelorette weekend (ie. Araminta flying all the girls to a private island resort in “Crazy Rich Asians”). This is an incredibly generous gesture and everyone is sure to be grateful. It is by no means traditional or expected that the bride should pay, though.

Potential Bachelorette Weekend Expenses:

Don’t forget to factor in all potential expenses when considering everyone’s budgets for the party.

• Plane tickets, if traveling to a destination
• Hotel, Airbnb, or other accommodations
• Lyfts, Ubers, or taxis
• Food and drinks
• Tickets for entertainment or other activity costs
• Spa costs, such as manicures, facials, or massages
• Cost of entry to bars, clubs, or other venues
• Matching decor
• Gift for bride
• Party favors for attendees

How to Split Costs With Ease

A coffee here, a shot there—it can be tricky to keep track of every little cost over the weekend. To keep things fair, expenses over the weekend that everyone is involved in—meals with the entire group, transportation, bar tabs, and club fees—should be divided up using Venmo or Splitwise. Any extras that attendees want over the weekend, such as a morning latte or the gold package facial, should be paid for by the individual.

Try to avoid arguing over any little cost. If someone ends up chipping in a few extra dollars even though they didn’t have dessert or an extra shot, try to discuss it calmly with the host or just let it go. Whether you end up paying for the bride’s expenses or not, what matters for a perfect bachelorette party is that everybody has fun. At the end of the weekend, your friendship is most important.