Getting closer to the big day? Ready to throw an unforgettable bachelor party for your soon-to-be-wed best man? You’ve come to the right place. This article will cover everything from the basics of planning a bachelor party to the finer points of delivering an experience you and your friends won’t soon forget.
Before You Begin – What is a Bachelor Party?
A bachelor party is a weekend event, often held a few days prior to the wedding, to celebrate the groom’s impending married life. It’s traditionally a celebration of bachelorhood for the groom, along with his groomsmen and other male friends. The occasion traditionally involves a night out of eating, partying, and entertainment — allowing the guys to enjoy their last fling before the big day.
Packing the Perfect Bachelor Party Itinerary
Of course, you have to start with the basics: deciding on a time frame for the event and the activities you’ll be doing.
If it’s a full weekend, you may want to dedicate a day to more active events – such as laser tag, miniature golf, bowling, paintball, escape room challenges, or an escape to an outdoor activity.
For the evening portion of the event, your activities can be much more substantial – like bar hopping, attending a brewery tour, or playing a round at a casino and ending with a night cap. Whether you are planning a one evening or a multi-day event, focusing on activities that your group of friends will enjoy is crucial.
Keep the Theme in Mind
When planning your itinenary, think about your group and pick activities that your participants will enjoy. Make sure you’re including activities that work for all your participants. You may also want to pick a theme for your party for a more unified feel. Whether you’re going for an outdoor feel, a viking theme, or a swanky dress up night, having a specific theme will help make the planning process more efficient and help your group stay cohesive.
Keep Your Budget in Mind
When planning your bachelor party, keeping your budget in mind is essential. Decide on a budget, and from there you can determine what activities you can afford. This also includes outlining who will be covering the costs. If the groom is footing the bill for the entire event, make sure you factor in what he is comfortable paying. If you want to have multiple activities, divide up the costs amongst all participants to help with the expense.
Invitations & RSVPs
Once you’ve finalized the bachelor party details, it’s time to send out invitations. When sending Save the Date emails and formal invitations, use clear language for recipients to understand all the details. As you make arrangements, decide who will be covering the costs for outings, and a way to track who RSVP’d and who didn’t. Tracking RSVPs is especially important when you are booking activities (particularly if there is limited availability) and pre-purchasing tickets.
Post-Event Considerations
For post-event considerations, make sure to display etiquette when at the venues. Leave the locations as you found them, follow building rules, and respect the other patrons you may be interacting with.
It’s also important to think about post-party thanks to your attendants. A thank-you card to each of your attendants afterwards is a solid memento of the occasion. You can also include photographic mementos (i.e. pictures, videos, etc.) of the festivities.
As you go about your bachelor party planning, keep in mind that it should be a memorable event — after all, it’s the groom’s last chance to be a bachelor! With the right planning, there’s no limit to how much fun you and your guys can have. Have fun and make sure to celebrate in style!
