Did you know that in the 1940’s and 50’s a bachelor party was called a “gentleman’s dinner”? Ironically enough, the activities commonly participated in at bachelor parties today hardly constitute anything a “gentleman” would approve of. Instead bachelor dinners were designed for male bonding and to celebrate the groom-to-be’s rite of passage from single to married life.
Are you in charge of planning your best friend’s bachelor party? If so, you’ll want to throw a party that honors the bride to be and respects her fiancée. Use the bachelor party as a time to enjoy male bonding: do things that the groom might have less time for once he is married and blow off pre-nuptial nerves.
- Take an active trip. Go hiking or camping for a few days in a National Park or Forest, or on a lake. If it’s wintertime consider taking a weekend long ski or snowboard trip with the guys. The perfect site of male bonding and easing the mind before the big day is around a
fire, whether at the lodge or in the wilderness. - Go to a sporting event or boxing match. Whether collegiate or professional, a good football, hockey, basketball, or baseball game is a great way for the guys to bond and celebrate everything manly. Finish it off with dinner or drinks on the town.
- Plan a game. Make a day of manly activities with a football, basketball or other game with the guys. Not too sporty? Try paint-balling or jet skiing. End the day grilling on the back patio or by the pool.
Remember you want to have fun, but you don’t want to do anything too dangerous and risk injuring the groom right before the big day. Consider the budget of everyone involved and make sure to cater the party to the groom’s personality and interest. At the dinner encourage the guys to make toasts and roasts, or impart a few words of wisdom to the groom.
Planning a classy bachelor party doesn’t mean planning a boring party, but it does mean planning a party that will leave the bride happy and reduce stress for the couple as the wedding day approaches. It’s the proper thing, and the only option for a true gentleman.
