A bachelorette party is one of the most significant events of your life. It signals your transition from being a single woman to being married, with all the benefits and responsibilities that come with that.
Whoever is in charge of planning the big event will sooner or later have to demand a financial contribution from the guests.
Be transparent about the amount and use of the money you raise from the bachelorette party guests. You can say: „The party package includes transport, accommodation, our afternoon event, and catering. Would you mind fronting $100?“.
Use Subtlety
If asking for money makes you uncomfortable, you can use subtlety in the invitation for a bachelorette party.
You could add a simple poem to the invitation that lets the guests know that they are expected to contribute.
You can also include information in that poem on how much they can give.
You could say:
“If you want to give something to help me on my way, some money in the bank would truly make my day.”
“Wise women have money on their heads and in their pockets. Please bless me with your financial gift on this special day.”
“We make a living by what we get, you’ll make my party a reality by what you give.”
Use Humor
In the past, most invitations were sent out in the form of cards or in other formats that made it easy to have keepsakes. Nowadays, things have changed and some women may send out invitations to a bachelorette party via a fun video.
Whether you’re using printed invitations or videos, you can use humor to get your point across.
A bit of humor makes everyone, including you, more relaxed when the discussion goes to money.
Think carefully about the script of the video and how you’ll introduce the topic in ways that make you comfortable.
While keeping things light, ensure that all guests are aware of how much they can give and how soon you will need to receive their financial help. If you need to book a venue for the bachelorette party, you’ll often need to make a deposit in advance, so it’s important to receive financials by a specific date.
You could say:
“Money won’t bring me happiness but if you send some by the 1st, I’ll have less stress.”
“She who marries for love without money is lucky. Please give me $50 for my party.”
” Smiles are free but your financial gift will make my smile brighter.”
Research has shown that laughter helps to relieve stress, so don’t be afraid to use humor in your invitation. Humor has also been shown to reduce anxiety, so using humor can help you to feel more relaxed when you are asking for money.
Don’t overdo it. Subtle humor is fine but you will know what best works for you and your guests.
Humor that is used skillfully to make your request can help to keep attention on it. Your guests will remember the need to make a contribution whenever they remember your humorous presentation and are more likely to transfer funds to you without the need for constant follow-up or reminders that can sometimes make you feel uncomfortable.
Create A Money Pot
A money pot allows everyone who is coming to the bachelorette party to contribute what they can. This relieves the burden on those who would want to give but may have limits because of their current financial obligations.
Those who want to give a lot can also do so freely, without worrying about it being excessive.
You can raise money from a group of friends easily in this way and cover all expenses for the party. You can send out information on the money pot and let everybody know where they can give it.
You could say:
“Hi, Gwen. I’ve started a money pot for the bachelorette party. You can make a contribution through the account at XY Bank or my ADX digital wallet. Thank you.”
“I’ve started a money pot to offset the costs of the bachelorette party. You can give any sum that’s within your budget via the account at #111122.”
“I’m planning to use a money pot for Julie’s weekend bachelorette party. Please give what you can. The account is #2221112.”
“I’ve created a money pot at account XY #2222111. Please chip in. It’s always appreciated. “
Ask for A Specific Sum
Sometimes it’s a good idea to just ask each person who’s coming to the party to contribute a specific sum of money. You could create a budget for the event, ensuring that all costs are covered.
Divide the budget by the number of people and ask each guest to contribute the same amount.
You could say:
“Hi, Trisha. I’m asking everyone to contribute $50 towards the bachelorette party.”
“Hi, Nalini. I would appreciate it if each guest could contribute $30 towards the bachelorette party.”
“Hi, Amanda. The bachelorette party will be on X date and I want you to be there. I’m asking each guest to contribute $60.”
Give Details
While many people are willing to give, some people may feel even more comfortable with giving if they know exactly what their money will be spent on. When you send out your invitations, make it a complete package.
Give information on every aspect of the party, so guests have an idea of what the costs are.
You could say:
“Hi, Shaniqua. Here are details on the party package.”
“I want you ladies to know exactly how much you’ll be spending.”
“This is what the party package includes”
Make it clear in your invitation that your guest is expected to pay upfront for their costs. Your maid of honor or another guest may even offer to pay the deposit for the venue if they can afford it.
Make it clear that gifts that are larger than the minimum are also welcome.
Just Ask Them to Help You Out
If you know that many of the guests are going through tough times because of job losses or other circumstances, it’s important to consider keeping the cost of the bachelorette party within a range that everyone, including you, can afford.
You never want the venue to be so expensive that some of the most important people of the bride feel like making up an excuse for not coming, to avoid something that they cannot pay for.
You could say:
“Hi, Tia. Could you help me out with a small cash gift for the party?”
“Hi, Rick. Could you give a modest gift for the event?”
“Hi, Cade. Could you give $10 to the party fund?”
You can simply ask someone to help you out based on how much they can afford. To do this, you may need to have individual conversations with each person.
In the invitation, just let them know that financial contributions will be appreciated. You can state the account number of your bank or other relevant information.
After they have received the invitation, you can call and talk to each person individually.
Ask them directly how much they can afford to give. You don’t have to let other guests know how much each person is giving.
Just keep that information between you two, so no one feels embarrassed and you get a confirmation about the amount they can give.
Sometimes when you ask someone how much they can give, they may want an indication of a range.
Based on what you know of the person’s circumstances, you can suggest a high and a low. Your range may be adjusted for each person, without letting them know.
Use A Money Tree
If you have enough cash to cover some of the upfront costs of hosting the bachelorette party immediately, you may not want to put pressure on the guests to pay by a certain time. In that case, you can use an indirect method to request funds at the event.
Let the guests know that financial gifts will be accepted at the event in a specific format.
Make it clear to them because some people will need to know in advance so that they can have a check ready or have their cash gift ready in another form. Some guests may do an electronic transfer but may want to give the card with their receipt for that transaction to you at the party.
Set up the money tree in a central location and make it easy to spot. No one should be searching for it and miss it among the other decorations for the celebration.
You can use a real potted tree or shrub for this purpose. You can also use an artificial tree with a tasteful sign near the tree, which reminds guests that their financial gifts are welcome.
Electronic Transfers Versus in-Person Cash Gifts
The format in which money is given matters. Some friends may want to give a postdated check because they want you to know that they want to give but they may not have money in their account until payday.
The reality is, that some individuals may not even be comfortable doing electronic transfers if this is your preferred method of receiving financial gifts.
When you’re asking for money for a bachelorette party, you should give all guests options. Ensure that there are alternatives to suit each person, no matter what their giving style is.
Some may want to drive by your residence and give you a card with cash inside. Others may be willing to do a transfer to your Bitcoin wallet.
You could say:
“I’ll be home on Saturday if you want to stop by with your financial gift.”
“I have a Cryptocurrency account if that is convenient for you.”
“I have an account at X bank and can accept financial gifts there.”
Katie Holmes is a senior author at everyday-courtesy.com with over 15 years of experience in marketing and psychology. As a freelance consultant, she also supports companies and executives in overcoming communication challenges. Katie is a passionate digital nomad working on her first book on the art of communication.