C'mon. A Destination Bachelor Party?

Far-fetched? GroomGroove.com thinks not. One of our favorite stories comes from a best man who managed to arrange a fifteen-man trip to Montreal from the East Coast of the U.S. for a weekend-long bachelor party that won't soon be topped.   Best of all, he did it while keeping the groom completely in the dark.   A group of guys literally kidnapped the groom from his place of work - a law firm - on a Friday afternoon. The groom had no idea where he was going, let alone out of the country, until they got to the airport.   The clever best man was in cahoots with the bride-to-be, who had slipped him the groom's passport and gave her blessing to the trip. (Or at the very least turned a blind eye).

Details, Details, Details

If you want to try something similar, start planning early.   Details like proper travel documents and arranging all transportation well ahead of time is what makes a destination-hopping bachelor party work.

The Guests

The best man 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.

Local Companies

Do a search for local bachelor party companies ahead of time - they all have packages that cover as much or as little as you need. For example, MontrealVIP can cover everything from hotel rooms to transportation and can plan your entire itinerary (at a cost). They can even arrange for private jets. (!) Every bachelor party-friendly city has similar companies.

Keeping Costs in Line

Anyone who has ever tried to buy a plane ticket at the last minute knows that buying early is essential to keeping costs reasonable and scheduling from falling apart. But more importantly, 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 the airline just to attend. The same goes for golf, dinner, hotels and whatever else you've got planned. If you're a spendthrift or wealthy and able to afford it, don't expect everyone else to be.

The Day Of

When the day of the party arrives, the best man should take the time to call locations to confirm that everything is still a go. He should also give guests his cell phone number- especially those guests arriving from out of town. Flights get cancelled or delayed and people get lost, so it's key to have a reliable means of contact. Keep a guest list handy today so that all heads are counted and no one gets left behind.  

Get that Groom a Room

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

You, Mr. Bachelor Party, Organizer Hero Dude

As the best man, it's your job not just to plan this whole crazy event, but to make sure that everyone has a good time.   One of the other groomsmen has a habit of getting out of hand when he gets a few too many drinks in him?   Keep an eye on him.   The groom's cousin Larry just ate fifty hot wings in fifteen minutes and washed it down with a bottle of whisky?   You might want to point him toward a bathroom. You're the organizer but you're also the security. And a paramedic. And a fixer. Despite all that, you can still have an awesome time.

When to Have It?

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

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 the bride. What happens at the wild bachelor party stays etched in memory alone. That being said, as the organizer of the bachelor party, you have a duty to express to the bride that you will ensure that things don't get out of hand. You certainly don't need to go into devilish detail about what exactly your plans are, but you should attempt to put her mind at ease. That is true, even if that clearly isn't the plan!

In Sum

If you put in the planning time, add the element of surprise and make sure to cover all the little details, there should be nothing that stops you from throwing the wildest bachelor party any of those guys have ever seen.

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