From coast to coast, couples are getting married all the time. And, in many cases, that’s cause for a bachelorette party! These modern celebrations are opportunities for the bride to get one “last” night on the town with the girls before she settles down with her groom (or bride, as the case may be). We’re not sure how many women actually go straight from their wedding into domestic engineering these days, but that’s beside the point. The bachelorette tradition is alive and well, and if you head out to the clubs on any given weekend, you’re bound to run into at least one such group. Now, perhaps, it’s time for you and your friends to throw a terrific bachelorette party for the bride-to-be in your group. What do you need to know before getting this bash off the ground? Let’s take a look at some of the top questions.

Bachelorette Basics: Your Questions Answered

🥂 What kinds of bachelorette parties are there?

The answer is, of course, nearly impossible to arrive at…if only because the options are unlimited. The first thing you think of when you imagine a bachelorette party may be a type of drunken bar crawl, but that’s far from the only way to celebrate. Many bachelorettes want something more low-key, and they may opt for a day at the local spa, a day trip to a fun city, or a quiet party at home. Others will want to paint the town while wearing a big, bright sash and a necklace made with phallic-shaped candy. Bachelorette parties can be held at the beach, a country club, or outdoors in the wilderness. As long as you shape the party to match the personality of the bride, just about any gathering can serve the purpose.

🥂 How much does a bachelorette party cost?

As with the previous question, this one can be better expressed as a (wide) range than as a single idea. According to the National Bridal Association, bachelorette parties cost – on average – about $500 to put on. Some of this depends on whether you pay for drinks for everyone, or if you just make sure the bride’s alcohol and food are covered. It will also depend on factors such as whether or not you rent a venue, how much you choose to spend on party favors, and whether you’re traveling out of town for the big night.

🥂 Who is responsible for paying for and planning a bachelorette party?

Traditionally, the maid of honor will be in charge of planning the bachelorette party, though it is expected that she will collaborate with the bride and other members of the wedding party. It is not customary to put the burden of the cost all on one person, however; each bridesmaid (and other attending guests) should be willing to at least pay their own share of the food, drink, and entertainment budget. In some cases, a particularly rich friend will pony up the cash to pay for everything, but there is any mandate to do so.

🥂 As a guest, what should I buy for the party?

Naturally, you should buy anything (within reason) that you’re asked to contribute. This could include party favors, a round of drinks, decorations, or anything else that may be required. Now, as to the question of whether or not you should buy a gift, the answer is: It depends. Gifts are not an expected thing at a bachelorette party, but many guests do choose to get the bride-to-be a little something. Keep in mind that this should not be in lieu of an actual wedding gift. As such, it’s okay to look for gifts on the inexpensive side.

🥂 But what kind of gifts should I choose?

Well, we thought you’d never ask! Read on for some of our favorite ideas. If you see something you like, you can always get it outright; you can also use these ideas for inspirational and original ideas of your own.

Let’s get to the list!

11 – Risqué Card Game

We’re not going to talk a lot about risqué, sexy bachelorette party gifts in our list – not because we’re prudish, but because you probably don’t need a collection of adult toys and lingerie to open up your imagination. If you’re determined to buy a gift that goes in that direction, you’ll be able to find one easily enough. We will say that sex-themed gifts and favors are a tried-and-true aspect of the contemporary bachelorette party, so we can’t blame you for thinking along those lines. Indeed, party games are another bachelorette party favorite, so why not combine your R-rated ambitions with a great adult card game? These games are all the rage these days, so you shouldn’t have any trouble finding one that matches the theme. And, if the bachelorette party is not well planned, it can serve as a backup activity on the big night.

10 – Flask

Party games and sexual themes may be common aspects of the bachelorette experience, but nothing embodies THE theme of the night quite like alcohol. We’re sure there are plenty of bachelorettes who celebrate the end of their maidenhood with nothing stronger than Coca-Cola, but the chances are good that she’ll appreciate any booze-themed gift. We recommend a personalized flask! This is not just a convenient way to store alcohol; it’s a wild fashion statement that will make her stand out even more as she parties ‘till dawn. If the bachelorette party is about anything, it’s about letting loose one last time. What better way to do that than with a personal flask filled with her favorite spirit?

9 – Sleep Mask

Who needs their beauty sleep more than a woman planning her own wedding? She’s going to want to look her absolute best on the day of the ceremony; why not help her get all the sleep she needs with a beautiful sleep mask? You can even get fun “Hers” masks or ones inscribed with her new last name. Studies have shown that late-night light can prevent us from getting the sleep we need. That’s particularly true when it comes to the blue light of computers and phones. With this sleep mask, your bridal gal will never have to worry about light keeping her up past her bedtime again!

8 – Cocktail Recipe Book

Well, we’ve already mentioned that drinking is a common theme among bachelorette parties, but we also have to acknowledge that this night is a rite of passage for many women – especially young ones who have never been married before. While we think it improbable that this will truly be the “last night out” for most bachelorettes, the inevitable truth is that their lives are about to change. More time in the living room, less time at the bars. More time in the kitchen, less time at the local restaurants. As such, maybe you can give her something that she can use at home to keep her wild side alive. There’s nothing like a good cocktail recipe book to remind her that, no matter what may come, she will always have friends willing to come over, listen to her problems, and maybe have a drink or two!

7 – Spa Gift Card

We’ve been known to be a bit…well, snippy…about gift cards on this blog, and we’re not about to do a 180 on that stance. We maintain that, when it comes to birthdays and Christmases and the like, gift cards should be a last resort. Sure, it’s better than nothing, and lots of people enjoy getting them, but it’s about as far from a “thoughtful” gift as you can get. There are exceptions, though, and a bachelorette party is a good example. You’re already getting the happy couple a wedding present, and you’ve probably chipped in for the expense of the party. This is the perfect time to relax and let a gift card do the talking. Try getting her one from a local spa; she’ll need some time to relax once this wedding-mania is over!

6 – Celebrity Video Message

When it comes to most of the gifts on our list, you could have just as easily bought them for a bride-to-be a decade ago as you can today. Not so for this one: Cameo and other celebrity message services only came of age in recent years. Remember when there was a time that certain celebrities shied away from television, because it didn’t have the high-class reputation of the cinema? Well, those days are long gone. Today’s celebrities are quite willing to leave you a personal video message for the right price. And some of those prices are reasonable, indeed. If the bride-to-be has a favorite celebrity on one of these services, she would LOVE to get a message from them congratulating her on the upcoming nuptials.

5 – Shot Glasses

All right, we were going to quit while we were ahead, but if we’re going to do alcohol-themed gifts, it ought to be a trilogy. If you want to bundle up these gifts and give them in tandem (or suggest that your fellow bridesmaids pick up the recipe book and the flask), all the better! We’ve saved this one for last, if only because it’s a little gift that’s so easy to personalize. In fact, you could even get a set of shot glasses and ensure that every member of the wedding party gets one! Either way, this will start off her home liquor cabinet with her new husband…and maybe it will even kick off the celebration on the night of the party.

4 – Passport Book Cover

Any chance that your friend will be heading out on an international honeymoon in the days after the wedding? We suppose that young couples are less apt than ever to spend extravagantly on a vacation so soon after the big day, but we’re willing to bet that a few still are. Whether or not that’s the case with the bride-to-be in your case, she’ll adore a personalized passport book cover. This cover begs for adventure, and the happy couple will be more motivated than ever to go out and conquer the world together.

3 – Robe

There’s nothing like a plush, soft robe to wrap yourself in at the end of a long day. Whether the bachelorette is busy working on her career or plans to stay at home and raise the kids, the truth is that she’s going to have a lot of tough days ahead. How do we know that? Because it’s true for literally everyone in the world! When times get tough, you always hope that you can count on your friends and family for support. But sometimes all you need is a nice, warm bath, a glass of champagne, and a night on the couch in your favorite robe. Give her the gift of just one of those nights, and she’ll know that you had her best interests at heart.

2 – Photo Album/Scrapbook

There’s nothing like old photos, ticket stubs, notes, and other memorabilia from our lives to make us feel loved, remembered, and nostalgic. Whether you get a photo album filled with pictures of you and the bride or one that celebrates the couple’s history together, it will hit the mark in a big way at the bachelorette party. There’s something about real photos in a real book that means something more than digital pics cluttering up someone’s Facebook, wouldn’t you agree? This will make for a terrific gift and a lovely memento.

1 – Wooden Family Sign

Whatever else we can say about matrimony, it is a couple’s first step into making a new family. In some cases, it may be the only step. In many others, children will follow along shortly. No matter what kind of family they’re starting together, they’ll surely be able to find a place in their home for a lovely, personalized wooden family sign. This sign makes for a wonderful bachelor party gift, but it can also serve as a beautiful wedding gift – you make the choice!