After Party

After the main event and a good meal, the party could continue to the groom's favorite bar or club. This isn't just an average Friday night on the town, so don't call it a night after midnight just because your girlfriend wants to watch that show you Tivo'd last night. Tonight, you belong to no one but the groom.

When to have it?

In the Spring or Summer. On a Leap Day or a Sunday or a cold Tuesday in January. Any day at all, but under no circumstances will you allow your groom to have his bachelor party be held the night before your wedding. Typically, the bachelor party is held 2-3 months in advance or on the Thursday night prior to a Saturday wedding.

The Guests

You and the groom should also sit down and hash out the guest list. As a general rule, twenty is a good number. Anything more than that, and it will be too difficult to control if things get out of hand.    

One of the easiest ways to coordinate the bachelor party is with an E-vite. That way, the best man can let everyone know what's on the agenda for the party.    E-vites also help the best man keep track of who will be attending and print out the guest list, a vital, but often overlooked item.

Keeping Costs in Line

No matter where your bachelor party takes place, you've got to keep in mind that not all of the attendees will be able to drop cash on a bottle service if they've forked over money to an airline just to attend. The same goes for golf, dinner, hotels and whatever else you've got planned. If he's a spendthrift, don't expect everyone else to be.

A good way to cover the costs associated with the bachelor party is to sell tickets to the guests. Not only does this help pay for the event, but it also gives the guests an idea of what they can expect to spend for the evening or weekend. The price of the ticket should pay for some activities (e.g., a round of golf or admission to a club) and a meal. However, guests should be responsible for covering the cost of their own drinks.

Get That Groom a Room

Whether you are throwing him a mild or wild bachelor party, GroomGroove.com highly suggests that you not let the groom return to his actual home after the late partying. Spend an extra $200 and get him a room. The next morning he can convalesce on his own, without having to worry about what his bride will think. It's a critical but often overlooked piece of advice.

Speaking of the Bride...

Nothing will ruin a wild bachelor party like loose-lips Larry blabbing all about it to his girlfriend who is best friends with your bride. What happens at the wild bachelor party stays etched in memory alone. It's an unspoken rule. And even if she wants to know, don't you dare tell her a damned thing about how it all went down. She's only looking to feel jealous.

Surprise, Surprise

One of the best parts of planning a bachelor party is keeping the groom in the dark about some of it.   Once you and the groom have laid out the ground rules for the night, you will feel free to plan some surprises within that framework. A good bachelor party is as much a roast as a celebration.   

In Sum

It may not be the bachelor party of your dreams, but remember, this day is about the groom, and if you plan it right, it can still be one for the record books.

 

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