Bachelor parties are a rite of passage as much as they are a party. They mark the transition from a single independent lifestyle into the commitments of married life. Although in the past, the bachelor party was the perfect opportunity for drinking and sexuality, nowadays, boys have become more creative, and prefer to spend their last day as single people celebrating love and friendship.
When? The bachelor party should take place anytime starting at 4 to 6 weeks before the wedding. You want to avoid having the bachelor party on the night before the wedding as a huge disaster might come out of it. Ask the groom for some convenient dates, and choose one that allows most of the guests to attend it.
Where? Choosing the location for a bachelor party can be a really tough decision. First of all you have to decide if it is going to be local, or a trip with your male friends. If you decide to hold it somewhere local, you have to think about a venue, a restaurant, a pub, a club or maybe someone’s apartment. If you decide to go on a trip with your buddies, Vegas is the most popular choice. But any resort on the beach or in the mountains can offer you exactly what you need for this night to be memorable. No matter what the choice is, it has to reflect groom’s personality.
Budget. Usually the best man takes care of the costs for the bachelor party, but all the guests are expected to chip in. Make a list of all the expenses you are going to have, and try to fit the budget established by all the participants, as they have to afford to come to the bachelor party.
Who is invited? At this event any male involved in the wedding, which is close to the groom should be invited. The number can vary anywhere from 4 to over 30 people, depending on the activities you plan on having at the bachelor party. If you are planning on spending the night in a club, more people make the party more interesting. If you are planning to go bowling, to many people might ruin the charm of the party.
Invitations. Invitations for the bachelor party should be mailed at least 2 months in advance, because you want to make sure that people living out of town can make it to the party. No matter if the invitation is classic, or it is an email, or a phone call, make sure you give all the information necessary for your guests to be able to attend the bachelor party.
Theme. Each groom has his personality or his hobbies, so, when choosing the theme of the bachelor party, you have to think about what he would enjoy. For the sports addict a night of foam fingers and overpriced hot dogs is always a great male-bonding activity. For the die-hard partier, bar-hop at local favorites, or pick a party-friendly destination (Vegas, Miami, New York, and Mexico come to mind).
Food and Drinks. When choosing food and drinks for a bachelor party, the main thing you have to think about is the theme and the venue. If you are going to a bar, snacks and beer are more likely to be consumed. If you are going to a beach resort, fancy food and drinks are in order. No matter what you choose, make sure that the groom isn’t allergic to it.
Gifts. For the bachelor party gifts are not mandatory, but most of the time the party attainders will buy something funny or something sexy that can be use by the groom himself or by the groom and the bride in their following life as a couple. Sometimes, all the guest get their money together and buy a more expensive and expressive gift for the groom.
Entertainment. Entertainment is the most important part of the bachelor party. As the main idea of this party is for the groom to do all the things he won’t be allowed to do after he gets married, alcohol, gambling and strippers are the triumvirate of the traditional bachelor party. But you can always decide on some drinking games, or sport games, or any other activities that would make everyone have fun.
Tags: bachelor party, groom, wedding planning
