How to split the cost of a bachelor party
The house, the golf, the big dinner, and the question nobody wants to ask out loud: does the groom pay? Here’s how to split a bachelor party so the best man isn’t out of pocket and the groom is covered.
Does the groom pay?
It’s his weekend, so usually not for all of it. Groups tend to do one of three things:
- The groom pays for his travel and his bed, and the group covers his activities, meals and drinks. The most common, and the one in the card above.
- The group covers everything. Generous, and it adds up quickly when the house is the biggest cost.
- Everyone pays their own way, the groom included. Often the groom’s own idea, especially for a big group or a long trip.
Whichever you pick, covering the groom means splitting things between some people: everyone but him. In the card, Marcus is the groom. He pays his share of the house and the groceries; the golf and the steak dinner are split between the other four. Change what the house cost and watch who pays whom.
What a bachelor party costs
- Where you stay. A house or a few hotel rooms, usually booked by the best man months ahead, with a deposit on his card.
- Getting there. Flights are usually each person’s own; the rental car, gas and rides are shared.
- The plan. Golf, a game, a boat, go-karts, a tasting: whatever the groom would actually enjoy.
- Food and drink. The big dinner, the grocery run, the rounds someone bought.
- The groom’s share of whatever the group is covering for him.
How to do it without a spreadsheet
- Start a bachelor party potluck and drop the link in the group chat. Everyone taps it and picks their name: no app to download, no account.
- Add the deposit the day it’s paid, so it’s not forgotten by the weekend.
- Everyone adds what they pay as they go. For anything you’re covering for the groom, untick him and it’s split between the rest.
- On the way home, it shows the fewest payments to square everyone up. Pay each other however you like, and mark it settled.
A few things to agree on before you book
- What the group covers for the groom, and what he pays for himself.
- A rough cost per person, so everyone knows what they’re saying yes to.
- Whether someone who comes for one night pays for one night. Usually yes; the Airbnb calculator works it out.
Planning the other one too? Splitting a bachelorette party works the same way, with the bride left out.
Questions
Does the groom pay for his bachelor party?
Usually not for all of it. The most common way: the groom pays his own travel and his share of the place you stay, and the group covers his activities, meals and drinks. Some groups cover everything, and some grooms insist on paying their own way. Any of them is fine; agree on it before anyone books, so the groom never has to ask.
How do you split the groom’s share between everyone else?
Leave him out of the expenses you’re covering for him. In Potluck, add the expense, tap how it’s split and untick the groom: it’s split equally between everyone else, and nobody has to work out his part by hand.
Who pays up front?
Usually the best man, or whoever is planning it, books the house and the big things. Have everyone add what they pay as they go, so the planner isn’t left fronting the whole weekend until the wedding.
What if someone can only come for part of the weekend?
Split the place by nights, one share for each night a person stayed, and leave them out of the things they missed. The Airbnb by nights calculator works the place out for you.
What if someone doesn’t drink?
Split the bar tab between the people drinking, and keep everyone in the house, the food and the activities. Every expense is split only between the people you pick.
How do we keep it affordable for everyone?
Share a rough cost per person before anyone commits, and say what it covers. Then people can choose what they join, and someone who skips the pricier thing is simply left out of it.
Does everyone need to download an app?
No. They tap the link in the group chat, pick their name and add what they paid. Nobody makes an account.
Is it free?
Yes, with no limit on how many expenses you add, so a weekend of rounds, rides and tickets doesn’t hit a cap.