Tips for Planning a Bachelor Party
A bachelor party is one of the most memorable events associated with a wedding. You want to make sure you plan one that everyone involved will remember fondly, especially the groom. Here are some tips for planning the best bachelor party for your friends.
Know the Groom
Presumably, you were chosen as best man at least in part because you’re a longtime friend of the groom. Use your knowledge of his likes and dislikes to plan a night crafted to give him an unforgettable celebration. Don’t go with the traditional activities or what everyone does, give him something special that he’ll appreciate even more because it is special for him.
Get the Guest List Right
The essential characteristic of a bachelor party is spending time with his best buddies, enjoying some good times. These good times will be better if you get the right people there. Make sure you find the right guest list.
The Right Time, the Right Place
Contrary to some traditions, the night before the ceremony isn’t the best time for a bachelor party. A couple weeks before is ideal. If you have people coming in from out of town, though, sometime earlier in the week might be better so that guests can fly out for the bachelor party and stay for the ceremony.
Destination parties can be exciting to imagine and fun to plan, but they’re expensive and can be hard to schedule. It’s also quite likely that you and your friends can have just as much fun here in Denver as in any city in the world.
Bonding, Testosterone, and Adrenaline
What that bonding is like depends on your friendship. If your friendship is characterized by macho activities and competition, that’s a great choice for the bachelor party. Play sports, go skiing, go to a sporting event (these have a wide range of machismo from kickboxing to baseball to curling—pick what suits you best) have a casino night for big bucks—or visit a casino in Black Hawk or Central City, or go four wheeling.
On the other hand, your friend may want to spend the time getting his blood pumping in a different way, such as dancing, going to strip clubs, or the like. If you’re considering one of these activities, check with the fiancée first—you don’t want his marriage to get off to a rocky start because of the bachelor party.
And it’s also possible that he doesn’t really want an adrenaline-filled bachelor party. Maybe he wants a quiet night with his friends to talk over beers and/or coffee with maybe a favorite movie or two or three. Or perhaps he’d love a three-day hiking trip.
A Little Surprise
The bachelor party will be better for the groom if at some point during the evening you give him a little surprise, something he never expected, like a supposedly impromptu gift or activity. If you’re thinking a stripper in the cake, though, make sure, again, that you check with the fiancée first.
Budgets, Safety, and Boring Stuff
In planning a bachelor party, be respectful of everyone’s budget limitations. You may be springing for the groom, but everyone else has to pay out of pocket, and you don’t want to create resentment by pricing someone out of an activity or putting them in a bad way financially. If somebody’s strapped for cash, think of taking up a collection so they can participate.
Safety is your responsibility. You have to be the (relatively) sober one at this party. You have to be the one to shut down any activity that’s getting out of hand, the one who secures a designated driver, cab, or limo for rides to and from events. This may seem like a bummer, but remember, it’s the groom’s party, not yours. You need to find enjoyment in watching him have a great time, and find comfort in the thought of calling in the chips when it’s your bachelor party.
If you are looking for wedding experts who not only give you a great wedding venue, but can share all types of insight into the planning and execution of the perfect wedding, please contact Stonebrook Manor in Denver for a free tour.