If you’re in charge of planning the bachelor party, we have all the information you need. What’s this pre-wedding tradition all about? Who gets an invite and how do I plan an epic one?
The perfect bachelor party destination depends on the groom’s interests and preferences, but it’s always a good idea for him to check in with his friends before finalizing any details. Especially when a trip is involved. Gone are the days when a bachelor party was just a one-night event at a club or bar; there are many other ideas such as a golf or adventure vacations.
What is a Bachelor Party and where did it Originate?
The bachelor party is a time for the groom and his closest buddies and favorite family members to celebrate his last few weeks as an unmarried man. Although bachelor parties have been around for centuries, the meaning behind bachelor parties hasn’t always been the same. The tradition developed in ancient times when Spartans would throw parties for newly married men to celebrate their departure from singlehood and welcome them into married life.
Who plans the Bachelor Party?
Planning the bachelor party is traditionally the best man’s responsibility, but nowadays the groom’s closest friends can also plan the party. In either case, it’s okay to ask for help from friends and family.
Who should be invited to the Bachelor Party?
Nowadays, there are no real rules as to who you can invite – as long as they also have an invite to the wedding. Whether it’s meeting in person or planning an online gathering, the mission should always be to have an awesome time together.
When should the Bachelor Party happen?
Two things to keep in mind are when to throw the bachelor party and how long it will go on for. One important thing to remember is that you should schedule the bachelor party at least one month before the wedding and preferably on the weekend. Out of town guests will need as much advance notice as possible to plan for the big event. A minimum of 4 weeks (and more if you’re going out of town) in advance should be an adequate amount of time for guests to coordinate their plans.
There are plenty of reasons why you might want to have a bachelor party after getting married. Many people postpone their celebrations until after the big day so they can have time with friends and family that didn’t go along with their other arrangements.
Is gift giving expected at a Bachelor Party?
Guests aren’t expected to formally give gifts to the groom at his bachelor party, but there are no rules against doing so either. If you want to go this route, good gift ideas including getting him something that’ll come in handy during his bachelor weekend, such as monogrammed hip flasks or poker game sets. Or use his interests as inspiration for meaningful gifts. For example: an aspiring chef might appreciate a set of chef knives or a spice rack.
6 Steps to throwing the best Bachelor Party ever
If your best bud is getting married soon then you know how important it is to have him feel special during his bachelor party. We’re sharing a step-by- step guide so that whatever wonderful celebration you’ve got planned, it’s guaranteed to be a memorable one.
Step 1 – Get the groom to set the framework
While throwing a surprise party might sound good to you, there’s no point in doing so if it doesn’t meet with approval from the groom – especially if he has some preferences regarding location as well as types activities. And let him be as involved as he wants to be – after all, the whole point of the bachelor party is to celebrate him. Once you get an idea of what he’d like to do, talk about how many people he’d like to invite and who the VIPs are.
Step 2 – Set up a VIP group chat
If the groom will let you and his closest friends do most of the planning, set up a group chat so that all the details can be coordinated. This can be done by text groups like WhatsApp or various social media platforms. This keeps all the important messaging in one place when it come times to locking in the final group decisions and delegating tasks.
Step 3 – Figure out when and where
If most guests work Monday through Friday, then a weekend date is the best option for you. The most important thing to check for is the groom’s availability and what dates most of the group can work with.
Through the group chat and based on the groom’s interest, you’ll likely have a few ideas narrowed down. If it is an away trip, the top 10 U.S. locations for bachelor parties in 2022 were Miami, Las Vegas, New York City, Los Angeles, Orlando, Houston, Austin, Deer, Seattle and Chicago. Choose these spots if you want to be where all the buzz and action are. If the group prefers more low-key destinations, do a bit more research and finds locations that have the activities the group is looking to do – Sonoma Valley would be a fantastic location for a wine tasting weekend.
Step 4 – Book the accommodations / venue
You’ll know from the conversations in the group chat how many will be able to attend the festivities. Once you have that number locked down and based on budget and availability, you can go ahead and book the group accommodations.
Step 5 – Work out the itinerary
Now that you have a date, time and location, it’s time to plan out the activities! Again, based on the group chat, you’ll have an idea of what the groom and the guests will want to do. Top 3 activities during a bachelor party in 2022 are dinner and drinks, bar crawl and pool days. Again, let the conversation in the group chat drive what you’ll be planning for the bachelor party and don’t forget to factor in time for individual and group R&R.
Step 6 – Firm up the guest list
Now that all the details have been ironed out, you can let everyone know the details. While actual invitations aren’t necessary (text or email details to the invitees are just fine), you are welcome to send out paper or digital invitations too. Be sure to provide instructions on how to RSVP.
Bachelor Party Ideas
What you finally decide on doing will be based on the groom’s input, but here is a list of ideas to inspire the best bachelor party you’ve ever planned.
- Beverage (wine / brewery / distillery) Tour
- Golf Trip
- Fishing Expedition
- Road Trip
- Mountain Climbing / Trail Hiking
- Motorsports
- Ski Trip
- Camping
- Casino
- Sporting Events
- Strip Club
- Spa Day
- Karoake Night
- Race Night (cycling, swimming)
- Hire a Chef and / or Mixologist
- Baseball Tournament
- Tubing
- Kayaking
- ATVing
- Paintball
- Skydiving
- Sailing
- Improv Night
Now that you have the tools on who to invite and what is expected during the bachelor party, you have all that you need to plan the perfect day, weekend, or trip for the groom-to-be.
