Bachelor Parties - Weddings N Things

Bachelor Parties

The Basics

Never thrown a bachelor bash before? If you're the best man and are looking for the skinny on the boy's big night out, here's your list of bachelor party to-dos.

THE GUEST LIST
The bachelor party began as a gentlemen's party. A civilized evening of drawing-room drinking, smoking, and toasting to the bride's health. Boy, have things changed. While most of today's bachelor parties have ditched the civilized bit in favor of a raunchy night on the town, the list of attendees has stayed the same. The best man throws the shindig and invites friends and relatives of the groom, usually male-only. The only caveats: the list shouldn't include 100 of the groom's closest friends, nor should it include people that don't get along.

PICK THE LOCATION
Bachelor parties can take place almost anywhere. The typical bachelor party usually involves some combination of the following: booze, strippers, gambling (maybe not in that order). But, the trend these days is toward old-fashioned guyness -- a weekend spent bonding in the woods, for example. Others plan high-adrenaline adventures such as white-water rafting, skydiving, or rock climbing. Tamer bachelor parties might involve a weekend in Atlantic City gambling, a round of golf and a nice steak dinner, or a fancy night at a cigar bar. Of course, weekend trips involve travel and related expenses. If time is of the essence or all parties involved are on a budget, then a local bar, a hotel room, or the best man's apartment are fine bachelor party locales.

TIME IT RIGHT
If you think the night before the wedding is the perfect time for a bachelor bash, think again. The last thing Mr. Nervous Groom needs on the big day is a hangover. Plus a big night on the town before the bride's big day will surely stress her out. You should schedule the main event up to a month before the wedding and, at the very least, schedule it a week in advance, preferably on the weekend. Some people from out of town won't be able to attend, but if they do want to show up they can use the advance notice to make plans. Be sure to send out invitations or call invitees at least three weeks before the party. This way, you'll be able to avoid scheduling conflicts.

THINK ABOUT IT
As best man, you're responsible for the groom, and the bachelor party is all about the groom. So, avoid any mishaps and use your head.

Make sure people don't drive home drunk: Hire a limo or car service for the night, have a designated driver, or make sure everyone takes a cab home. Bring along enough money to get everyone home safely.
Be sneaky if you want: Get together with the other groomsmen and come up with an ingenious plan to surprise the groom.
Pay attention to the groom. Some people love to humiliate and tease the groom at the bachelor party; for example, they get him drunk, take incriminating photos of him, or shave off all his chest hair. Whether or not you get involved in these antics is entirely up to you, but when the groom says "Stop," it means stop.
Split costs equally between everyone attending the party (except the groom).
Be creative -- a night of carousing may seem like a good idea, but a weekend of white-water rafting may be more memorable in the long run.
Don't forget the camera.

Great Cheap Ideas

So the groomsmen aren’t dripping money -- so what? You can still throw a kick-ass bachelor party. All you really need is a group of guys and a good, cheap game plan. Read on for 10 bachelor party ideas that won’t require you to max out your gold card.

1. PIZZA AND BEER
What could be more manly than guzzling brews and scarfing down anchovy pizzas? And what could be cheaper than having the best man host the party at his pad? All you need is a trip to the supermarket and your telephone-dialing digits. Order that pizza, rent some videos (of one sort or another, wink, wink), and create your own bachelor-style shindig.

2. BASEBALL DIAMOND
Looking for something virtually free to do in the great outdoors? Why not head to your local park for a ballgame? Bring a cooler of beer and any gear you own. After you’re finished playing, head to your local pub or back to the best man’s pad to chew the fat and reminisce about old times.

3. BOWLING FOR BACHELORS
How about bowling? We're serious -- it's more fun than you remember. Up the stakes and divide the guys into two teams -- losers have to pay for the pitchers. For the perfect groom gift, order a bowling ball with his initials on it.

4. POKER FACES
Get out your $1.99 stogies and your Uncle Phil’s poker chips: It’s time for some stud action. Through the haze of smoke and the steam of take-out Chinese food, you’ll discover who among you has what it takes to be the Poker King. Remember to pitch in for the groom’s kitty.

5. SCAVENGER HUNT
All you’ll need is a little gas money and some cash for a few pitchers. Put together a list of ridiculous items to round up, divide yourselves into two teams, and agree to meet at a specific time. Then you’re off and running. Some ideas: women’s lingerie (must be given to you by the woman wearing it); street signs (you didn’t hear it from us); the name of someone who died before 1900, rubbed off a tombstone; a wig or toupee; and a specified number of phone numbers from hot girls (ask each team to bring a digital camera for evidentiary purposes). Designate a driver and you can even stop by the local watering holes.

6. SPORTS NIGHT
This one’s devilishly simple. Arrange to have the bachelor party on the night of the big game: basketball, baseball, hockey, or whatever strikes your fancy. Take over a corner of your local sports bar and settle back to enjoy the game, ordering libations and the occasional spicy chicken wing.

7. VIDEO ARCADE
You know you’ve been dying to play Space Invaders again. Depending on how good a player you are (i.e., how long your games last), you’ll need either loads of quarters or practically none. Foosball, pinball, video games, you guys’ll have it all! Just be gentle whilst fending off the preteen crowd.

8. ROAST HIM
You’ve heard of Friar’s Club roasts -- events honoring one person (a comedian) during which various and sundry friends and colleagues rip and rib the hell out of him. Sound vaguely like the trash talk you guys give each other when you play B-ball? Round up the guys and build a “throne” for the groom (imagination is a necessity here), then fill the room (whether at a restaurant, bar, or home) and launch into the guy. You know that stuff you’d like to say in your reception toast but won’t out of respect for common decency? Well, here’s your chance: Go for it!

9. KARAOKE
Nothing rivals the humiliation factor of a karaoke performance. Have a fiendishly fun time by getting the groom mildly smashed, then taking him out to a nearby karaoke night. Tell him he sounds great singing his own extended version of “Hotel California.” For extra points, videotape the event.

10. BBQ
Do you have a backyard? A barbeque grill? A passion for burgers and steaks? Looks like you might want to host a backyard bachelor BBQ. Gather the guys, pack the cooler, and let the sun set on a backyard full of men happily wolfing down meat products.

PG-Rated Ideas

Imagine this scenario: Your best buddy is getting married next month, and he's asked you to be his best man. You've graciously accepted and are planning the bachelor party to end all bachelor parties: A raucous evening of unbridled debauchery that would make even the Marquis de Sade blush. Booze, strippers, livestock... Suddenly, your phone rings. It's the groom, calling with some horrible, horrible news. "No T & A at my bachelor party." Your plans are ruined. What to do? De-stripperfy the bash, pronto. How? Read on...

1. BLOCKBUSTER NIGHT
Rent the biggest wide-screen TV, the most up-to-date DVD player, and the most kick-ass sound system you can find. Then set up a tasty buffet and spend the evening watching the greatest movies of all time. Don't know which movies to rent? Think Scarface, The Godfather, and Office Space.

2. HACKERS, HITTERS, AND HOOPS
An indoor sports facility/amusement center that features batting cages, miniature golf, a video game arcade, and a bar can be an Edenic paradise for bachelor parties!

3. ARABIAN NIGHTS
If you absolutely insist on seeing some skin, take the gang to a classy Middle Eastern restaurant that offers authentic belly dancers as part of the evening's entertainment. Belly buttons, swords, the dance of the seven veils... what more could you ask for?

4. RIDE THE LIGHTNING
If you live in the continental U.S., chances are there's a major theme park near you. Take the groom & co. to a Six Flags-type theme park and pretend you're thirteen again. Just tell the real preteens there's a cotton candy sale and swipe their places in line.

5. AMERICAN GLADIATORS
Throw on your tanning lotion and load up on steroids, because you're going to war! Turn your backyard into a bachelor party battle zone! Order wacky inflatable interactive games (like human foosball) and obstacle courses guaranteed to bring out the spandex-clad warrior in all of you. (Hint: try PartyOutfitters.com)

6. MURDER, INC.
Plan a bachelor party that revolves around a murder mystery, where everyone at the party is a suspect. Find a local company that will plan and customize your bone-chilling parties.

Extreme and Swank Ideas

Extreme Ideas

What's the best way for you to bond with your buddies? Over sports, of course. From a day at the batting cages to a weekend hiking the Appalachian Trail, custom-make a bachelor bash complete with your sport of choice. Cruise below for 10 great ideas.

1. SURF'S UP
If you guys know how to do it and live near the waves, just grab your wetsuits and jump on in. But if you're surf-impaired, why not arrange some group lessons to learn to hang 10?

2. HANG GLIDING
If hanging 10 isn't exciting enough for you guys, why not try hang gliding? There are plenty of schools around the country where you can learn the finer points of gliding through the sky.

3. KAYAK MANIACS
Is your idea of an extra-good time battling the enormity of the ocean armed with a puny sea kayak? Well, you're in luck, because coastal areas are filled with sea kayaking options.

4. WHITE-WATER RAFTING
Push those images from Deliverance out of your head -- white-water rafting is the perfect macho bachelor party activity. Weekend trips are available all over the country.

5. SHOOT SOME POOL
Okay, so some of you may wonder what pool is doing in the same category as hang gliding and scuba diving. But, hey, it's a sport, too. After all, they even have competitions broadcast on ESPN. Go all out this time -- head for the pool hall, rather than the local bar.

6. CAGED HEAT
Looking to give Sammy Sosa a run for his money? Head to the batting cages armed with a few rolls of quarters (bring some extras for the groom). And what to do after such hard work in the sun (or shade)? Mosey over to your local pub to drink a few brews and catch the game on TV.

7. FLY-FISHING FOOLS
Can there be a better way to bond than fly-fishing? From Montana to Baja California to Wisconsin, you can fish in all sorts of rivers across the country.

8. GO SCUBA
You guys don't even need to be near the ocean to learn to scuba dive. Any large body of water will do. If you'd rather dive in the ocean, why not swim with the sharks? Hornby Island in British Columbia might be your cup of Joe.

9. DO YOU ROCK?
Is "Go climb a rock" the groom's mantra? Take him out to climb a doozy. Most cities have indoor climbing wall options, but if you can get to the big outdoors, go for it. If you're lacking experience, don't risk a difficult climb; go bouldering (scrambling up over big rocks) instead.

10. TAKE A HIKE
From a day hike to a weekend car-camping beer-around-the-campfire extravaganza, just being in the great outdoors is a great bachelor party option: and you don't even have to learn any new and dangerous sports.

Swank Ideas

There's nothing tough about planning a good bachelor party. It just takes a little organization (draw up a guest list, schedule a night), a bit of luck (hope everyone can make it, stay out of jail), and one really excellent idea. Here are 10 ideas to get you started in your quest for the perfect bachelor-party experience.

1. SHOW HIM THE MONEY

Vegas
If you can swing it, nothing beats a quick trip to Sin City:neon lights, slot machines, all the prime rib and shrimp cocktail you can inhale. The best bet for a successful Las Vegas soiree is to move in and out like the wind. Book a late-night flight (flights to Vegas from anywhere are usually cheap) and a large suite at a semi-decent hotel. Carouse through the night, crash in the morning, and then rise for a fancy dinner and quick round of 21 -- one late-night flight back home later, you've got memories guaranteed to last.
Atlantic City
Same concept as the Las Vegas expedition, but more convenient for East Coast types. Bonus factor: If you've got a fall wedding on your hands, check out the Miss America Pageant. What better way to prepare your groom for the ball and chain than to watch first hand as our nation's most talented communications and theatre majors strut their stuff?

2. EAT MEAT
This event is more than just the ubiquitous steak feast. Turn the whole day into bachelor party central. Start out at a manly spa (a Turkish bath is even better) -- where you can load up on spa treatments, massage, and locker-room banter. Then finish the day with a trip to the most decadent steakhouse you can find. Order the best red wine in the house.

3. TAKE A DIVE
Is the groom into adventure? How about signing him up for a little freefall before he takes the big plunge? A group skydive is the perfect way to go out in a bachelor blaze of glory and truly test fate at the same time. If you absolutely feel that a bachelor party isn't complete without a little T & A, try it naked.

4. STUDS
If the groom and groomsmen can't swing the trip to Vegas, bring Sin City to them: Host a poker night extraordinaire. Stock the bar, order gourmet pizza, and pitch in the kitty for the groom.

5. BEACH BUMS
Water, sand, beach volleyball, and a little harmless bikini watching. Need we say more? Top it off with bonfire and brews, and you’re set for some California dreamin’.

6. PUFF DADDY
Take Mr. Last-Night-of-Being-a-Bachelor out for some primo cigars. Head toward your favorite cigar bar and puff away, while quaffing single-malt Scotch and feeling oh-so-manly.

7. SWINGERS
Sometimes, nothing beats a classic. We're talking Golf here. Eighteen holes of sun, fun, and an extra cart for the keg of beer. If you can rally the troops, go for a three-round weekend retreat. We suggest Palm Springs, California, home of PGA West, Desert Dunes, and Bob Hope. Swing by morning, swim by afternoon, barbecue by night.

8. YOU’RE TRIPPING
Yep, we’re talking road trip. Who said Thelma and Louise were the last to have all the fun? Grabbing a few good buddies and setting off for destinations unknown is a huge part of the appeal of a road trip. In the immortal words of Jonathan Richman: “I got my jeans and things and I am ready to go.”

9. THE PONIES
Ascot it isn't, but horse racing can be a load of fun. Just imagine: a pack of two-year-olds thundering down the track, the roar of the crowd, and the lure of the daily double. Buy a racing form, order a mint julep, and ask the advice of some of the old-timers hanging around the track. Just don’t get too hooked -- we don’t want to see you hanging around the OTB later on.

10. RAVE ON
Ever dream of hosting a wild, all-night party at an exclusive dance club? Get in touch with the management of the hottest nightclub in town and ask about renting one of their VIP rooms for the evening. This could get expensive, especially if you have an open bar, so make sure all the party-goers are prepared to open their wallets (and maybe even their 401(k) accounts)!