Nashville bachelorette

Where to stay

Downtown and the Gulch put you within walking distance of Lower Broadway, which saves a lot of rides on Saturday night. Midtown is a little quieter and close to the bars on Demonbreun and around Music Row. East Nashville and 12 South are calmer neighborhoods with good restaurants, a short ride from downtown.

For a group of eight or more, a rental house often costs less per person than hotel rooms, and keeps everyone together in the mornings. Check the house rules for groups and parties before you book.

The classics

Lower Broadway is the center: honky-tonks such as Tootsie’s Orchid Lounge and Robert’s Western World have live bands from late morning, usually without a cover. The Grand Ole Opry is the country radio show on stage, with several artists a night. The Bluebird Cafe is a tiny room where songwriters play their own songs.

Add hot chicken, a photo at the wings mural in the Gulch and a party wagon or pedal tavern ride, and you have the weekend most groups want.

A 3-day plan

Friday: arrive, hot chicken for dinner, then a first night on Broadway. Saturday: a long brunch, photos in the Gulch, a party wagon ride in the afternoon, rooftop drinks, then the Opry or a big dinner. Sunday: a slow morning, a tour of the Ryman or the Country Music Hall of Fame, and the airport.

Keep one block each day with nothing planned. A group of eight moves slowly, and the bride will want time to change outfits.

What to book early

Book the house first, ideally three to six months ahead for spring and fall weekends. Then the big dinner, for one long table. Opry tickets and Bluebird reservations go fast, and the Bluebird releases its seats online on a set schedule, so check its site.

Party wagons and pedal taverns are booked per vehicle, so one person books for everyone. Add each booking to the trip as you make it, so nobody has to ask what time Saturday starts.

Budget per person

A rough range for two nights is $600 to $1,300 per person, before flights. The house is usually the biggest share, then dinners, the party wagon and drinks. Spring and fall weekends cost more than winter.

Agree on a number before anything is booked, and say what it covers: is the bride’s share split among the others, and are the drinks included? Writing it down early avoids the awkward conversation later.

Scale this range to your group and your nights

What to pack

Comfortable boots or shoes you can stand in all night, because Broadway is mostly standing. Matching shirts or a color theme for Saturday, a sash and a veil for the bride, a portable charger and a small bag for the bars. Spring nights can be cool, so bring a jacket.

In Awayfolk, the shared list holds the things only one person needs to bring, such as the speaker or the decorations, each with a name on it. Personal lists stay private.

Keep the surprises secret

If the bride is in the group, plan the surprises where she cannot see them. In Awayfolk, the planners can make a card secret, so only the planners see it, while the bride sees the rest of the plan. Invite everyone to the same trip from one link; they sign in with Google or email.

Splitting the money

One person usually pays for the house, the wagon and the dinner deposit, then waits weeks to be paid back. Record each expense in Awayfolk as it happens, with the payer and how it is split: evenly, or by exact amounts so the bride pays nothing. It works out who owes whom, and records repayments when they come in.

Awayfolk does not move money: settle up with Venmo, Zelle or however your group pays each other. A copied example trip starts its money in US dollars.