''Hello Katarina, I am a writer and with the wedding season behind the corner, I am preparing an article about bachelorette parties. Specifically about who should cover the cost of such a party. Could you please share your expert opinion on this topic?''
A. Z.
Dear A. Z.,
Thank you for your e-mail and for the opportunity to include my opinion in your article.
I will answer your question in a bit unusual way and first tell you who should not cover the cost of a bachelorette party - the bride herself.
Generally speaking, a bachelorette party is often organised as a surprise party for the bride, and just like with any other surprise party, it would be unusual to ask the bride to cover the cost for a party she didn’t even know was happening in the first place. In return, the bride (and her partner) then usually cover the cost of the wedding celebration.
I know that in recent years, bachelorette parties have grown in popularity, size and grandeur - and with that, the bill grows as well. If we look at it from the etiquette perspective, the same principle as with any other party applies: Those who organise the party take care of the cost and those who attend (the invitees) are exempted from the obligation to pay. The costs can be split evenly between the participants, but there might be people who decide to chip in more if their financial possibilities allow it.
Just like with everything, there are exceptions to this rule and they mainly involve the bride’s participation in the party organisation itself. If she has a specific idea of a dream bachelorette party which turns out to be very pricey, it would be good manners for the bride to chip in reasonably.
Yours sincerely,
Katarina
Read my full answer in the published article here.
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