How to Plan a Bachelorette Party From Another State

Traditionally, the maid of honor, alongside the bridal party, plans the bachelorette party. Nowadays, it's not uncommon for the group to be scattered across the country, making it a bit of challenge to plan something in the home state or even if you want to go somewhere else. But it doesn't have to be hard if you know what to look for.

Here's the foolproof guide to planning a memorable bachelorette party in another state.

Talk to the bride first.
While everyone involved might be super excited to plan a something fun, everyone has a variation of what that means. In order to ensure the festivities center around the person it's meant to, talk to the bride and ask her what she wants and her expectations. For some, a small dinner with close friends exceeds expectations, whereas others might prefer a weekend getaway with all their gal pals. Ask first to dictate what you do next. In your conversations, be sure to get a few dates that work for the celebration.

Connect everyone.
Once you know what the bride wants, write it down and share it with necessary participants. Then ask the group for their input on the festivities. This creates the opportunity for everyone to connect and invest in the party itinerary. This also doubles as confirmation for mobile payment services like Venmo, Paypal and Quickpay.

"This makes it really easy to request money from guests upfront so you don't have to foot the bill yourself," says Haley Bakker, who planned a Nashville bachelorette party for 19, from New York City. "This is a simple way to avoid the awkward last-minute request once you're all together in person. It's especially handy when guests are spread out all over the country."

Crowdsource for recommendations.
Search engines are a great place to gather information, but so are your social networks. "It's amazing how many people you are actually connected to on a platform like Facebook," says Haley. "Putting up a post asking for suggestions will help your trip feel more local and special, and less like a tourist trap." The benefit of fielding your online friends for recs is you get to pick and choose what works best for the group's personality. Exhaust your network for tips and ideas from locals says Haley.

Get local.
Instead of a traditional hotel, consider an Airbnb rental with enough rooms to accommodate the group. It breeds the opportunity for the group to get to know each other through meal prep, and feels like a giant sleepover (hard to do if everyone is segmented off in various hotel rooms). The added benefit is you can experience the city like a local and your host most likely has insider tips on how to do so. Even if the bride is from the city you're celebrating in, who doesn't love a staycation.

Enlist the help of someone on the ground.
If you're leading the charge from another state, enlist the help of someone on the ground. This might be another member of the bridal party or even a friend or family member. Perhaps they can help get the fridge stocked, tell you the best neighborhood to stay or dine in or provide rides to the incoming group. Look for shortcuts to save you time and energy.

Style Me Pretty Contributor - Ximena N. Larkin is a writer and publicist. She lives in Chicago with her husband and dog.