Bachelorette and Bachelor Party Planning.

From decorations to activities to food to clean up, the whole affair of organizing a large group event quickly becomes a headache if you’re left to do everything on your own. And when it comes to planning the perfect Bachelorette party, that order grows even taller. That’s why it can be so relaxing to let go of the reins and simply let a professional party planner take over.

Enter, Meghan Alfonso, the Girl About Town. She and her team will work with you at every step of the way to make sure that your Bachelorette, Girl’s Getaway, or birthday party is just the right level of outrageous for you and your group. Their business model is such that they can help as much or as little as needed. Want suggestions on the best things to do while in town? They build itineraries suitable for any type of Scottsdale adventure. Want to arrive at your weekend rental home and find a kitchen fully stocked with all the things you personally love? Girl About Town will take your grocery list and get it done. They’re the one stop shop for all things Scottsdale party planning services.

Alfonso started Girl About Town, commonly shortened to GAT, almost 6 years ago, and for as popular as her services are now, she essentially stumbled into it. In her own words, “Girl About Town was sort of a mistake. In high school, I was always known as like the party planner and the girl who would set events up or make reservations.” Born and raised in Scottsdale, Alfonso developed a knack for knowing where to go and what to do, especially if parents or friends decide to visit. After years of being asked for recommendations, she planted the seed of an idea.

It started as a list; something she could have on hand to provide people when they came asking. Then, she was being asked to plan baby showers and the like. She really struck gold when a girl reached out asking if she could send things for her bachelorette party and have Alfonso set it up ahead of arrival. Back in 2019, that sort of service was virtually unheard of. Alfonso had to message AirBnB hosts directly to explain what she did and gain permission to enter the home ahead of the intended guests. Any reservations she may have had quickly evaporated thanks, in part, to the responses she got.

“A lot of them were like, ‘Wow, this is amazing! For sure, [we’ll] direct people your way!’”

And with that, the seed blossomed. Alfonso had been told years before by a friend that all her running around to events and party planning made her the “girl about town,” and it didn’t help that she happened to have a lipstick called that too. So, leaning into it, she opened the Girl About Town party planning service, and the rest, as they say, is history. Today, GAT offers several different Bachelorette party packages in Scottsdale so that the trip is tailored to each specific girl.

“One of our most popular is definitely our fill the fridge,” Alfonso said. “We grocery shop before they get there and deliver it so that they don’t have to leave the house.”

They also do everything from itinerary planning to picnic services. There’s four different tables and place settings to choose from, fitting different themes like Mexico or Disco. But this is Arizona, so come July, they really push to move the parties indoors.

“Then we have set packages that are like our Scottsdale Before the Veil and Final Fiesta and Last Rodeo. I could go on. I think we have like 20.”

The most popular package at the time of this writing is their Dazed and Engaged. GAT decorates the Bachelorette’s rental with a plethora of balloons, including a balloon garland with actual balloon flowers. As with many of their packages, the Dazed and Engaged can be customized to fit a particular theme. A common choice currently is Desert Disco. Whatever the theme, Dazed and Engaged also comes with cookies and photo-worthy backdrops. The whole aesthetic feels like being thrust back in time to the height of the 70s.

A lot of GAT’s success can be traced back to word of mouth and, by extension, their impressive social media presence. When word started getting around about this Bachelorette party concierge in Scottsdale, and that they delivered a top quality service, they capitalized on those positive reviews to showcase how they could make trips to Scottsdale the best experience possible.

“Meghan loves photo shoots,” Social Media Manager Alexandra Dermody explained, “so we are just constantly photo shooting. Creating content is kind of what’s led us to build that consistent brand and marketing across the board.”

That consistency is something Dermody said she’s constantly hearing people praise. GAT’s socials focus on the fun and silly side of bachelorette life, showing off how they understand exactly why so many people are choosing Scottsdale for their last hoorah before walking down the aisle. The response from their audience is nothing short of astounding. Dermody mentioned that when they launched their TikTok _girl_about_town_ they received roughly 30,000 followers in a 24 hour period within their first few weeks. Not surprisingly, the girls at GAT facilitated over 400 groups in 2021. The record in one weekend, according to Alfonso, was a particular Cinco de Mayo that topped a jaw dropping 28 parties.

With Bachelorette party weekends in Scottsdale on the rise, GAT learned to grow along with it. They recently acquired two hauler vans that tell everyone “This way to the party!” Their warehouse is full to bursting with everything they need to fulfill the many packages mentioned. Everything from neon signs, to the ever popular “Bride” balloons, and all the merchandise available at their online shop. Add-ons that can be purchased include several styles of festive hats, a disco ball cup, DIY decorations, a hangover cure kit, and much more.

And fellas, if you thought that they only catered to girl groups, you may want to look again. GAT also offers their “Guy About Town” services for Bachelor, birthday, or general guy getdowns. Lounge by the pool with the GAT Angels, set up whiskey tastings at the best places in Scottsdale, or take part in the beautiful golf courses around the Valley. They’ll help you plan the best guy’s weekend so that all you have to do is sit back and enjoy that time with your boys.

“We never want the guys to feel that we won’t help them,” Alfonso said. “We work with bachelor parties and typically it’s even their fiancée or best friend that’s hiring us because they know we’ll ensure they have food in their fridge and they have an itinerary.”

Whether you’re preparing to take vows with a loved one, looking to experience the West’s Most Western Town, or even a local who wants to know the best Scottsdale has to offer, Girl About Town can hook up plans for any occasion. Along with Dermody, Alfonso has a team of 7 other full-time staff just as dedicated to making these trips something to write home about. The team includes the talents of Brenna Testa, Emma Blacklock, Angel Lamb, Lauren Gamez, Ally Boles, Megan Oleno, and Sheridan Collins. And Alfonso recently expanded her services to New Orleans and Nashville too. Who knows? The Girl About Town could someday be in a town near you.