If you are a bridesmaid or maid of honor for the first time, you may be confused about how best to plan a bachelorette party. How do you tailor the party to suit the bride-to-be? Do you have to go out? Do you need to stay in? Should the party be naughty or nice?

There are a few key points to remember to plan a successful bachelorette party. First, determine, based on your knowledge of the bride or an actual conversation with her, what level of wild and crazy adventure she wants from her bachelorette party. Some girls love a last night out on the town with harmless attention from guys, lots of drinks, and dancing.

Next, once you are at the party, don't drink too heavily at the beginning of the night, and try to keep an eye on the other girls so that they don't overdo it up front either. If you are drinking during the bachelorette party, do instruct the group to pace their drinking. Have snack breaks at periods throughout the night to avoid wicked hangovers and anyone throwing up, which puts a real damper on a bachelorette party!

To keep the girls drinking under control at the bachelorette party, do have a sensible dinner before the party commences. Don't over indulge at dinner which will slow you down the rest of the night, but also bear in mind that you shouldn't drink on an empty stomach. If the party starts with dinner, all the girls will be ready to out afterwards.

Next, think about party favors and decorations. You want to match the theme of your bachelorette party, and also the tone. For a tamer party, focus on girly touches and party favors like nail polish and hair accessories. For a wilder party, decorate with penis balloons and make a cake shaped like a penis. This is not for the faint of heart, but for a wild bunch of ladies, it can be a real riot.

Next, don't let guests sway the plans that are already in place. It is OK to tell girls that this is not a party about them, but as a bachelorette party is all about the bride. Do feel free to remind your guests that whatever you have planned is "what the bride wants," but make sure that that is true, and that YOU aren't dismissing the bride's wishes!

Think of planning the bachelorette party for about a month before the wedding date, but remember that you must carefully schedule with the other bridesmaids and the bride herself, and getting schedules to match can be tricky. Try to start your preparation as early as possible.

Make sure you take into account that you will be taking a large group with you everywhere you go that night, so make sure your locations can accommodate the group. No matter what the plans for the bachelorette party night include, do be sensitive to the bride. If she isn't having a good time, change the location, or listen to her when she says she is ready to call it a night. Don't hold on to your plans so tightly that the bachelorette party isn't fun for the bride anymore. Remember that it is her night, and you want it to be a special memory for her.