Congratulations! As the best man, you have been given the honour to stand as the groom’s #1, which means you get the joy and frustration of planning an epic bachelor party. As a rite of passage for men as they head into married life, this is (hopefully) your one shot at creating an incredible night of a lifetime they will remember forever. To get started, we recommend following these six steps:
1. Have a Heart to Heart with the Groom
While traditional for the best man to plan the bachelor party, it doesn’t mean you must leave the groom in the dark. We highly recommend having a heart-to-heart with the groom on what he expects and hopes for in his party. You will want to discuss details like timing, activities, games, invitees, and location. We also recommend writing a couple of lists of “must-have” requests as well as “no way” preferences. What works for one groom won’t always work for another, so it is your job to figure out how to make it the best night for him!
2. Enlist Friends to Help
Again, you don’t have to plan the whole party by yourself. Once you have input from the groom, we recommend brainstorming with the other guests. Of course, you will need to have an invite list first. Typically, bachelor parties can range from five to 12 people, but they are known to get significantly larger depending on the social circle of the groom. For example, grooms that are incredibly tight with their military unit, firefighter squad, recreational sports team, or a special department at work may end up with 20 to 30 people. Once the guest list is secured, consider making a group chat with the groom’s closest friends (the inner circle) to bounce ideas back and forth.
3. Pick an Appropriate Date & Location
Next up is picking a suitable date and location. Let’s talk date first! The days of hosting a bachelor party the night before the wedding are over. No one wants a hungover groom or a pissed-off bride on the wedding day. Therefore, it is highly recommended to schedule the bachelor party a maximum of a month prior to the wedding but no later than a week before. Many choose to host parties two weekends prior to the wedding date so that the groom has plenty of time to recover before the final days of wedding madness ensue.
As for location, the world is your oyster. Depending on the budget, availability, and preferences of the groom and guests, some choose to stay in their city or make it a destination adventure. Destination parties take significantly more coordination, but they can be worthwhile with the right group. Miami and New Orleans are common USA destinations. If you want to go out of the country, Iceland, England, and anywhere in the Caribbean are also fan favourites!
4. Plan an Epic Itinerary
Now comes the fun part, planning out the activities! Before jumping in, you’ll have to think deeply about what the groom would like most for his friends. We suggest thinking about their hobbies to gain the most significant insight. If they are outdoorsy, athletic types, you may want to consider skydiving, white water rafting, or bungee jumping. If they are foodies, you may lean more towards hitting a 5-star restaurant and a brewery tour. If they are more introverted, you may be looking at a scavenger hunt or an ultimate videogame night. The possibilities are endless, so we recommend working with your invitees to create a top list and narrow it down to three events with plenty of downtimes, food intake, and good drinks.
5. Book Accommodations for the Groom & Party
Once you know where you will be and what you are doing, you can tackle booking accommodations. We recommend booking hotel rooms if it is a smaller party and an Airbnb-style house if it is a large party. There should be a bed for every guest who plans to stay the night and maybe an extra one or two for those who might end up there anyway.
Even if you stay in the groom’s city, don’t let him go home to his bride at the end of the night. It isn’t her job to take care of him after you’ve messed him up, so keep him with you until morning. Plan to make him shower, eat, and drink plenty of coffee and water before sending him home. Trust us; a happy bride is always a good choice.
6. Plan for Transportation
Bachelor parties are one of the most critical times in life when you should never drive. Therefore, it is highly recommended to plan transportation throughout the itinerary. Depending on where you are located, you may be able to take public transit or rideshare. However, we recommend booking a private service if you want to class it up and add a little extra WHOA to the night. This will ensure that all of your guests arrive together, on time, and safely at each event of the evening. You can book a sprinter van for smaller groups, but for a large group of 15 or more people, you will need a charter bus service.
Remember that this is the night to celebrate your friend and the new chapter of his life. Keep it clean, and classy, and don’t let the group get so drunk they can’t remember how much fun they had.
