Bride and friends celebrating a Las Vegas bachelorette party at an upscale rooftop lounge overlooking the Strip

Las Vegas Bachelorette Party: Ideas, Activities and Planning Guide

The best Las Vegas bachelorette party is designed around the bride or guest of honor, one anchor experience and a complete budget the confirmed group can support. Choose the most important event first—such as a nightclub table, pool party, show, brunch, dinner or spa experience—then organize the hotel, transportation, outfits, meals, photos, recovery time and secondary plans around it.

Do not build the weekend from a generic “ultimate girls’ trip” checklist. The right plan depends on the exact dates, current event calendars, group size, preferred music, hotel area, comfort with late nights, footwear and dress requirements, spending limits and whether the group wants one premium celebration or several flexible activities. A famous venue can still be the wrong choice when the event, timing, admission path or complete cost does not fit.

This cornerstone helps the group choose the weekend structure and the next planning step. Use the Las Vegas nightclub guide for club selection, the Las Vegas pool-party guide for daylife, the bachelorette pool-party guide for a narrower comparison, and the bachelorette-party packages page when the group is ready to compare package-specific options.

Reviewed by a local nightlife professional

Rene Miranda, Lead Host
Last reviewed:

This guide applies LV Nightlife VIP’s firsthand group-planning and hosting experience. Recommendations are organized around the bride or guest of honor, current event, committed guest count, complete budget, hotel, transportation, comfort boundaries and reservation risk—not stereotypes or a claim that one venue fits every bachelorette group.

Events, performers, admission methods, prices, inventory, entry rules, transportation and provider terms can change. Review the editorial policy and corrections policy.

Quick answer

How Should You Plan a Las Vegas Bachelorette Party?

Start With the Bride or Guest of Honor

Write down the three experiences she wants most, the activities she does not want and any budget, mobility, alcohol or adult-entertainment boundaries before the group starts voting.

Choose One Anchor Experience

Reserve the event that matters most first. Its date, location, attire, arrival rules and complete cost should shape the rest of that day.

Use a Committed Headcount

Plan shared rooms, tables, transportation and prepaid activities around guests who have committed and met the payment deadline—not everyone in the group chat.

Protect the Logistics

Plan time for glam, photos, elevators, walking, footwear changes, physical ID, pickup zones, security, recovery and separate written confirmation.

Bride-first planning

Need Help Narrowing the Bachelorette-Party Options?

Send the dates, hotel, committed group size, bride’s priorities, preferred music, daytime and nighttime interests, approximate per-person budget, transportation needs and any nonnegotiable boundaries. LV Nightlife VIP can help compare current nightlife and group options before money is collected.

What Should a Las Vegas Bachelorette Party Include?

Most successful bachelorette weekends combine one major celebration, one daytime experience, one dependable group meal and enough open time for arrivals, glam, photos, recovery and changes in energy. The goal is not to schedule every popular Vegas activity. It is to build a weekend the bride enjoys and the group can execute without constant delays or money disputes.

Nightclub or VIP Table

Use a nightclub when the group wants a high-energy late night, current artist programming and a clear celebration moment. Start with the nightclub chooser, then review bottle-service planning before selecting a table.

Pool Party or Dayclub

Choose daylife when the group wants music, sun and a daytime anchor. Compare the exact event, admission path, shade, seating, water access, hotel location and the night planned afterward.

Brunch, Dinner or Cocktail Experience

A planned meal gives the group one dependable meeting point and a photo-friendly celebration. Confirm large-party timing, deposits, bill policy, dress expectations and travel time to the next reservation.

Show or Male Revue

Male revues, drag brunches, comedy, concerts and production shows can become the main entertainment block. Confirm the current venue, age rule, seating, run time and travel before pairing a show with nightlife.

Spa, Glam or Bride-Focused Activity

Wellness, salon, makeup, photography or a relaxed resort block can create a bride-centered experience without adding another late night. Reserve only what the committed group wants to fund.

Open Time and Recovery

Unscheduled time protects the weekend when flights land late, glam runs long, meals take longer than expected or the group needs rest before the anchor event.

Choose the Anchor Experience Before Filling the Schedule

The anchor experience is the reservation the bride would be most disappointed to miss. Choose it before the group commits to secondary activities. This decision controls the best day, hotel-area convenience, attire, transportation, recovery time and how much money remains.

Las Vegas bachelorette-party anchor-experience decision guide
Anchor ExperienceStrong Fit WhenMain Planning RiskNext Owner
Nightclub VIP tableThe group wants one premium late-night celebration, a reserved home base and coordinated service.Choosing by venue fame instead of the exact event, table, complete cost and arrival terms.Las Vegas Bottle Service
Guest list or nightclub ticketThe group is flexible, wants to spend less and can follow the current arrival and entry conditions.Conditional entry, late arrival, separation in the venue and no dedicated meeting point.Las Vegas Guest List
Pool party or dayclubThe bride wants the main celebration during the day and the group can protect recovery time before evening plans.Heat, sun, shade, footwear, changing clothes and an overloaded night schedule.Bachelorette Pool Parties
Male revue, drag brunch or showThe group wants structured entertainment with assigned timing and a clear shared experience.Assuming the current venue, age rule, seating, show length or late-night timing without confirmation.Bachelorette Packages
Spa, glam or photo experienceThe bride values wellness, preparation, photos or a lower-intensity shared activity.Long appointment blocks, provider travel, late participants and timing that compresses the anchor event.This cornerstone
Premium brunch or dinnerThe group cares most about conversation, presentation and one polished celebration meal.Large-party deposits, long service, split-bill rules and leaving too little time for the next reservation.This cornerstone

Which Las Vegas Nightclubs Fit Bachelorette Parties?

There is no permanent best nightclub for every bachelorette party. Compare the current event, music, room format, hotel location, admission pathway, available table, complete cost and arrival plan for the actual night. Based on LV Nightlife VIP’s current editorial positioning, these are useful starting points—not guarantees or customer-review rankings.

OMNIA: Glamour and Production

Start with OMNIA when the group wants a central-Strip mega-club, dramatic production and a polished visual experience. The current artist, room and table still control the final decision.

XS: Service and Luxury

Compare XS when refined service, a Wynn/Encore setting and indoor-outdoor flexibility matter more than finding the lowest possible starting option.

LIV: Modern High-Energy Night

Compare LIV when the group wants a modern Fontainebleau setting, concentrated room energy and current artist programming that fits the bride.

Marquee: Flexible First-Timer Fit

Compare Marquee when the group values a central location, multiple room concepts and a planning path that can work for first-time Vegas visitors.

TAO or Jewel: More Concentrated Rooms

Compare TAO or Jewel when the group prefers a more compact social environment or wants to consider value without defaulting to the largest mega-club.

Zouk or Hakkasan: Event-First Energy

Compare Zouk or Hakkasan when the scheduled performer, production style and resort location are stronger fits than the group’s first venue assumption.

Use the current nightclub directory to browse active venues, then use the nightclub comparison hub after the group has narrowed the decision to two options. Review the nightclub dress-code guide before choosing outfits or footwear.

Which Pool Parties Fit a Bachelorette Group?

The strongest pool-party choice is the venue and current event that match the bride’s music, hotel, budget, shade needs, photo priorities, admission pathway and plan for the evening. Use the dedicated Best Pool Parties for Bachelorette Parties guide for the narrower ranking decision; use this cornerstone to decide whether daylife belongs in the weekend at all.

Encore Beach Club: Premium Starting Point

Compare EBC when the current artist, Wynn/Encore setting, large pool deck and available reserved areas fit a premium celebration. Do not treat it as the winner when the event or complete cost does not fit.

TAO Beach: Balanced Luxury and Social Energy

Compare TAO Beach when the group wants an upscale dayclub with a social atmosphere and current inventory that fits the group’s size and shade needs.

LIV Beach or OMNIA Dayclub: Modern Daylife

Compare these when the current artist, resort location and newer production environment matter to the bride. Confirm the exact daytime format before building the night around it.

Marquee, Palm Tree or AYU: Date-Dependent Alternatives

These can fit first-time, value-conscious, resort-convenient or event-first groups depending on the current lineup, inventory, layout and complete cost.

Reserved Home Base

A daybed, table, cabana, bungalow or other current reserved area can keep the group together, but labels, shade, included guests, placement and complete costs differ by venue and event.

Protect the Night Plan

A long day in direct sun can make an ambitious dinner and nightclub schedule fail. Leave time to return to the hotel, eat, hydrate, shower, change and travel.

Male Revues, Drag Brunches and Las Vegas Shows

Shows work best when the group wants one structured entertainment block rather than another reservation that depends on standing, dancing or moving between venues. Current Las Vegas examples include Chippendales and Thunder From Down Under, while drag brunches, comedy, concerts, residencies and production shows can be stronger fits for other groups. The current official event, venue, age rule, seating and run time must control.

Male Revue

Choose a male revue when it is genuinely part of the bride’s plan. Confirm the current theater, age restriction, seat category, interaction level, start time and travel to the next event.

Drag Brunch or Comedy

This can combine entertainment and a group meal, but brunch length, alcohol package, seating and the time needed to return to the hotel can affect the rest of the day.

Concert or Residency

A specific performer can become the anchor experience. Build the hotel, dinner and transportation around the actual ticketed event rather than treating the show as an add-on.

Production or Immersive Show

This is useful for mixed-energy groups that want a memorable Vegas experience without committing to a nightclub or adult-entertainment format.

Interactive Class or Group Activity

Dance, fitness, cooking, cocktail or creative experiences can work when the bride wants participation. Confirm travel, attire, waivers, alcohol and late-arrival rules.

Do Not Stack the Show Too Tightly

Allow for check-in, seating, show overrun, restroom lines, resort walking and transportation before a nightclub, dinner or other time-sensitive reservation.

Brunch, Dinner, Cocktails and Photo Timing

A meal can be the most reliable meeting point of the weekend, but large groups often underestimate how long it takes to gather, take photos, order, settle the bill and travel. Choose one meal that matters rather than turning every brunch and dinner into a formal group obligation.

Choose One Celebration Meal

Use one brunch or dinner as the polished group moment. Confirm the reservation name, party size, deposit, duration, dress expectation and cancellation terms.

Confirm the Bill Policy

Large-party service charges, automatic gratuity, deposits, minimums and split-bill limits can change the final cost. Decide how the group will pay before arriving.

Schedule Photos Before the Deadline

Take formal group photos before the most time-sensitive reservation. Do not rely on the nightclub line, rideshare pickup area or end of the night for the only complete group photo.

Protect Glam and Outfit Time

Hair, makeup, showers, steaming clothes and room changes can take longer across several rooms. Build one shared “ready by” time before the official departure time.

Use Flexible Meals Around Daylife

After a pool party, the group may need hydration, a faster meal and more recovery than the original itinerary assumed. Avoid a rigid fine-dining plan when the dayclub is the true anchor.

Keep the Bride Out of the Payment Dispute

Assign another guest to manage deposits, bill splits and reimbursement questions so the celebration is not interrupted by administrative decisions.

Las Vegas Bachelorette Party Daytime Activities

The best daytime activity creates a shared experience without compromising the main reservation. Choose one category that matches the bride’s interests, the least mobile confirmed guest, weather, travel time and the group’s alcohol plan.

Spa and Wellness

Spa appointments, massages, thermal circuits and recovery treatments can work for groups that want a lower-intensity shared experience. Confirm group capacity, arrival and cancellation rules.

Beauty, Glam and Photography

Professional hair, makeup or photography can create a bride-focused moment, but provider travel, room access, appointment length and late guests need to be controlled.

Shopping and Resort Time

Shopping, lounge time, a relaxed lunch or casino exploration can give the weekend flexibility without another prepaid activity.

Interactive Indoor Activity

Cooking, cocktail, dance, art, arcade, simulator or escape-room experiences can reduce weather risk and work for groups that want participation.

Outdoor or Scenic Experience

Desert tours, hiking, sightseeing, water activities and photo stops can work for active groups. Heat, hydration, distance and return time materially affect the evening.

Unstructured Resort Pool or Recovery Time

Not every daytime block needs an event ticket. A regular resort pool, spa, coffee, room reset or quiet lunch may protect energy for the main celebration.

Where Should a Bachelorette Party Stay in Las Vegas?

The best hotel area is the one that reduces friction around the anchor experience and keeps the committed group together. Do not choose a property only because the room rate looks lower. Add resort fees, room configuration, distance, walking, transportation and the value of having one dependable meeting point.

Las Vegas hotel-area strategy for bachelorette parties
Hotel StrategyWorks Best WhenWatch For
Stay at the anchor venue’s resortThe primary nightclub, dayclub, show or major dinner is inside the property and arrival reliability matters.A higher room rate can still be worth the reduced traffic, pickup, footwear and walking risk.
Center StripThe group wants flexible access to Caesars Palace, The Cosmopolitan, Bellagio, ARIA, MGM Grand and nearby dining or shows.Properties that look adjacent can still require long indoor walks, bridges and rideshare coordination.
North StripThe group’s anchor events are at Wynn/Encore, Resorts World, Fontainebleau or the convention area.Center-Strip and south-Strip reservations can become a larger transportation commitment.
Suite or shared gathering spaceThe group needs a dependable meeting point, glam space and fewer separate room locations.Occupancy, visitor, noise, security and damage rules still apply; a hotel room is not automatically an event venue.
Lower-cost off-Strip or remote optionThe group prioritizes room savings and accepts more transportation and coordination.The saved room cost can be offset by repeated rides, delayed arrivals and separate pickup times.

How to Plan a Bachelorette Party on a Realistic Budget

A budget is useful only when it includes the complete weekend and identifies who has actually committed. Keep this cornerstone focused on the planning system; use the Las Vegas bachelorette-party cost guide for detailed cost intent and the Bachelorette Party Budget Calculator for the group estimate.

Use Confirmed Guests, Not the Group Chat

Do not price a suite, table, vehicle or prepaid activity across people who have not committed and met the payment deadline. The organizer otherwise inherits the shortfall.

Separate Shared and Personal Costs

Shared costs may include rooms, transportation, the anchor reservation and selected meals. Shopping, gambling, extra drinks, upgrades and personal services should remain individual.

Define Bride Expenses in Advance

Decide which bride costs the group will cover, who participates and whether those contributions are equal. Do not let optional gifts silently become mandatory shared expenses.

Compare the Complete Cost

A displayed minimum or ticket price may exclude taxes, venue or service charges, gratuity, processing, transportation, added guests and extra purchases.

Build a Contingency

Keep room for rides, meals, water, tips, price changes and a guest who drops out. A plan that requires every dollar and attendee to remain exact is fragile.

Collect Before the Provider Deadline

Set an internal collection deadline before the actual payment deadline so one late guest does not force the organizer to cover the group.

Guest List, Tickets or Bottle Service?

Bachelorette groups often have more entry-path flexibility than all-male groups, but no pathway is automatically free, guaranteed or available for every event. Compare the current event, group composition, arrival requirements, budget and need for a reserved home base.

Guest List

Guest list can fit a mostly female group that is flexible, prepared to arrive early and comfortable with conditional entry. Use the Las Vegas Guest List guide for current rules and limitations.

Paid Ticket

A ticket can create a clearer purchased admission pathway, but it does not provide seating, dedicated service or exemption from physical ID, dress, security, capacity or management rules.

Bottle Service

A table can make sense when the group wants seating, a meeting point, dedicated service and a coordinated arrival path. Compare the table location, permitted guests and complete cost before paying.

Split the Decision by Night

The group may use a flexible entry path one night and reserve a premium table for the anchor celebration. Do not force every night into the same spending model.

Transportation Is Part of the Bachelorette-Party Plan

The real journey begins in the hotel room, not when the vehicle starts moving. Allow time for glam, elevators, casino walking, footwear, designated pickup zones, vehicle wait, Strip traffic, resort drop-off, security and the correct entrance. Large groups should choose one transportation coordinator and one backup contact.

Small, Simple Group

A taxi or rideshare can work when the group fits in one vehicle, everyone is ready and the itinerary has one primary stop.

Large or Multi-Stop Group

A private SUV, sprinter, limousine or coordinated vehicle plan becomes more useful when everyone must arrive together or the day has several stops.

Reach the Pickup Zone Before Ordering

Drivers may not be able to wait while guests finish getting ready or navigate a large resort. Meet at the designated pickup area first.

Plan the Return Before Leaving

Decide whether the group is leaving together, the meeting point, who orders the ride and what happens when some guests want to stay later.

Use the Las Vegas Nightlife Transportation Guide to compare rideshare, taxi, walking and prearranged group transportation.

Group Management Matters More Than Another Activity

A bachelorette weekend becomes difficult when every decision remains open, nobody owns the final plan and the bride is forced to resolve payment or attendance disputes. One organizer should control the confirmed itinerary, with one backup who can act when the organizer is unavailable.

One Organizer, One Backup

Designate one primary contact and one backup for providers, payments, confirmations and group updates.

Share One Final Plan

Send one message with the venue, date, time, arrival instruction, physical-ID rule, attire, pickup point, payment status and host contact.

Set the Attendance Deadline

A guest is committed only when the group’s agreed requirement is met. Do not keep changing shared reservations around uncertain attendance.

Protect the Bride From Administration

The bride should not spend the weekend collecting reimbursements, resolving room assignments or answering questions already included in the final plan.

Respect Different Comfort Levels

Discuss alcohol, adult entertainment, late nights, mobility, spending and personal boundaries before the trip. Do not use the celebration to pressure a guest.

Create a Separation Plan

Decide where the group will meet and how guests will travel when part of the party skips an activity, leaves early or wants a different pace.

Dress, Physical ID, Bags and Footwear Can Break the Plan

Outfits are part of the celebration, but the current venue rules control entry. No theme, ticket, guest list, table or host relationship overrides physical identification, dress, security, bag, conduct or management-discretion requirements.

Carry the Accepted Physical ID

Guests should carry a current physical government-issued photo ID accepted by the venue. Copies, screenshots and photographs may be rejected. International guests should confirm whether a physical passport is required.

Choose Venue-Compatible Outfits

Coordinate the theme after checking the actual nightclub, dayclub, show and restaurant rules. Matching outfits do not create an exception to the dress code.

Use a Footwear Plan

Long resort walks, standing, stairs and dancing can make the wrong shoes an operational problem. Keep any backup footwear within the venue’s rules and bag limits.

Keep Bags Small and Search-Ready

Large bags and prohibited items can delay or prevent entry. Review the current venue policy before carrying gifts, liquids, decorations, cameras or other group items.

Separate Dayclub and Nightclub Clothing

Pool-appropriate swimwear and coverups do not automatically satisfy nighttime dress expectations. Protect enough time to return, shower and change.

Share the Rule, Not Just the Theme

The final group message should include the accepted ID, dress, bag and arrival requirements—not only the chosen colors or outfit concept.

When Should You Start Planning?

Start as soon as the bride, dates and likely group are known, then increase commitment in stages. Exact lead time depends on the weekend, room needs, group size, current event, table or cabana inventory and whether the group needs several providers.

First: Lock the Bride and Dates

Confirm the bride’s priorities, hard boundaries, trip dates and whether a specific concert, show, pool event or nightclub night is the anchor.

Next: Confirm the Paying Group

Set the attendance and payment deadline before choosing shared rooms, tables, transportation or prepaid activities.

Then: Reserve the Scarce Experience

Secure the most date-sensitive or limited reservation first, then build meals, photos, glam and secondary activities around it.

Before Final Payment: Recheck Terms

Verify the event, venue, guest count, complete cost, cancellation terms, purchaser or cardholder requirement, arrival and entry rules.

Final Week: Send One Operating Plan

Share the final addresses, times, pickup points, host contact, physical-ID and dress requirements, payment status and backup plan.

Material Change: Reconfirm

A changed date, group size, hotel, event, budget or transportation plan can invalidate the original option. Send updates before assuming the old terms remain available.

Payment Is Not the Same as Final Confirmation

A payment, deposit or submitted card records a financial step. It does not by itself prove that the final venue, event, section, guests, arrival instructions or provider status are confirmed. Keep the proposal, payment record and separate confirmation distinct.

Before Payment

Confirm the date, event, venue or provider, section or service, guest count, complete cost, payment deadline, cancellation terms and purchaser requirements.

After Payment

Keep the receipt, then wait for the separate written confirmation identifying the final service, status, arrival or pickup instructions and host contact.

Before the Event

Recheck the confirmed event, physical ID, attire, address, entrance, pickup point, arrival window, transportation and material change instructions.

When Something Changes

Do not assume the original option remains valid after the guest count, hotel, date, budget, event or transportation changes. Request an updated confirmation.

Common Las Vegas Bachelorette-Party Planning Mistakes

Planning for the Loudest Guest

The group’s most forceful voice should not replace the bride’s priorities or the committed group’s real budget.

Using an Unconfirmed Headcount

Pricing shared reservations across uncertain guests creates shortfalls, resentment and last-minute downgrades.

Stacking Daylife and Nightlife Too Tightly

A pool party, long brunch, glam block, dinner and nightclub cannot all be treated as if travel and recovery take no time.

Choosing the Venue Before the Event

The artist, room format, event concept and available inventory can matter more than the venue name alone.

Building the Plan Around Outfits

The theme should support the weekend, not force the group into a venue, bag or footwear problem or a schedule that does not fit.

Ignoring Physical ID and Dress Rules

A matching outfit, ticket or VIP reservation does not override accepted physical identification, dress, bag, security or conduct requirements.

Leaving Transportation Until the Last Minute

Large groups, separate rooms and multi-stop plans need a pickup coordinator, realistic timing and a return strategy.

Treating Payment as Final Confirmation

Keep the financial record separate from the written confirmation that identifies what is actually reserved.

Continue Planning Without Mixing Page Ownership

Nightclub Selection

Use Las Vegas Nightclubs to choose the venue by current event, music, production, resort and group fit.

Concierge Assistance

Use Las Vegas Concierge Services when the group wants current request-specific nightlife, pool-party, transportation and reservation-assistance options.

Planning answers

Las Vegas Bachelorette Party FAQ

What is the best way to plan a Las Vegas bachelorette party?

Start with the bride or guest of honor, exact dates, one anchor experience, a committed guest count and a complete per-person budget. Then choose the hotel area, transportation, meals, glam, photos and secondary activities around that anchor.

What should a Las Vegas bachelorette party include?

Most groups need one main celebration, one daytime activity, one dependable group meal and enough open time for arrivals, glam, photos, recovery and changes. The weekend does not need every famous Vegas activity to feel complete.

Which Las Vegas nightclub is best for a bachelorette party?

No nightclub is best for every group. OMNIA is a strong glamour-and-production starting point, XS is strong for service and luxury, LIV fits modern high-energy groups, and Marquee can work well for first-time visitors. The current artist, room, table, complete cost, hotel and bride’s priorities control the final choice.

Which Las Vegas pool party is best for a bachelorette group?

Choose the current dayclub event that matches the bride’s music, hotel, budget, shade needs, photo priorities, admission pathway and plan for the evening. Encore Beach Club, TAO Beach, LIV Beach, OMNIA Dayclub, Palm Tree Beach Club, Marquee Dayclub and AYU can all be relevant depending on the date.

Which Las Vegas shows work for a bachelorette party?

Male revues, drag brunches, comedy, concerts, residencies and production shows can all work. Current examples include Chippendales and Thunder From Down Under, but the official event, venue, age rule, seating, run time and date should control before the group books.

Where should a bachelorette party stay in Las Vegas?

Stay near the anchor experience when arrival reliability matters. Center Strip is flexible for many nightlife, dining and show plans, while the north Strip is more convenient for Wynn/Encore, Resorts World and Fontainebleau. Compare complete room cost, room configuration, walking and transportation—not the room rate alone.

How do you plan a Vegas bachelorette party on a budget?

Use confirmed paying guests, separate shared expenses from personal spending, define bride expenses in advance, compare complete costs and keep a contingency. Use the bachelorette-party cost guide and budget calculator before collecting money.

Should a bachelorette group use guest list or bottle service?

Guest list can fit a mostly female group that is flexible and prepared to follow the current arrival conditions. Bottle service is stronger when the group wants seating, a home base, dedicated service and a coordinated arrival path. The event, complete cost and group priorities should control.

What identification and dress rules apply?

Major nightclubs and pool parties generally require guests to be at least 21 and carry a current physical government-issued photo ID accepted by the venue. Copies, screenshots and photographs may be rejected. Dress, swimwear, footwear, bag and security rules vary by venue and event.

Does paying a deposit mean the bachelorette-party reservation is confirmed?

No. A deposit or payment records a financial step. The group should wait for separate written confirmation identifying the final venue or provider, event, service, guest count, complete cost, arrival instructions, status and applicable terms.

Build the plan before collecting money

Plan the Bachelorette Party Around the Bride, Group and Current Events

Send the travel dates, hotel, committed guest count, bride’s priorities, music, daytime interests, nighttime interests, approximate budget and transportation needs. LV Nightlife VIP can help compare current supported options and explain the next step before payment.