Usually planned by the best man, the bachelor party is the big kiss goodbye to being single. When you think of a bachelor party, strippers and rowdy nightlife come to mind. Typically, a party where the groom, groomsmen, and male friends get together, bachelor parties can be as wild or tame as the groom’s personality dictates.

Groomsman Gifts
The bachelor party may inspire the groom with unique groomsmen gift ideas! A special token reminiscent of your bachelor party frivolities adds extra meaning to the tradition of giving groomsman gifts. You may choose a fishing pole for your groomsmen gift if your bachelor party was spent fishing on Lake Placid; fine cigars make for classic groomsmen gifts if a cigar bar was one of your stops; or a boxed set of poker chips (one of the most popular groomsmen gifts) if your bachelor party was held at the Las Vegas casinos!

Bachelor Party Dos and Don'ts
On the eve of his wedding, after the groom was in a drunken stupor, one set of groomsmen blindfolded him, left one dime in his pocket, put him in a wheelchair, and sent him on a one-way flight across the country, only to be awakened mid-flight panic-stricken! While bachelor parties are supposed to be fun, the purpose is not to ruin the groom’s marriage.

While the groom may assume the groomsmen will throw the typical bachelor party, overflowing with oceans of alcohol and scantily-dressed women, oftentimes the bride-to-be and family members wince in anticipation of this unpredictable evening. As a result, many alternative bachelor party choices have been successful, such as:

BACHELOR PARTY ALTERNATIVES
• Attending a favorite sports event
• Going on a fishing or boat trip
• Camping, hiking, or other outdoor activities
• Enjoying a gourmet meal in an upscale restaurant with fine wine and good cigars
• Waterskiing, parachuting, skydiving, parasailing, rock climbing, and more
• Throwing a meaningful house party where the emphasis is on the groom, not on getting drunk and women. Activities, such as, showing movies or slides of the groom’s childhood, teenage years, and college days may be a good way to close the chapter of single-hood.

The groomsmen must consider their finances, the groom’s preferences, and all family members, including future in-laws. Customs and traditions should also be accounted for, as many cultures may be offended by certain types of behavior and activities.

Bachelor parties, all too often, emphasize ‘losing freedom’, as the end result of getting married.  The groom, while may be feeling nervous, needs to be reinforced about his decision to wed.  Many men marry because they see themselves as fathers someday.  Let the bachelor party be a positive celebration of the groom’s grand affair.