Generally planned by the best man, bachelor parties are get-togethers with the groom and his closest friends. These events are often used to celebrate the impending nuptials and the last days of the groom’s single life. If you’re the best man or a groomsman and have been asked to be in charge of bachelor party planning, don’t stress and consider it an honor. Make sure to start preparing for the weekend well in advance and give the party the attention that it deserves for the best results. The type of party and how the planning goes will depend on the groom’s personality and the event’s attendees. Below is a comprehensive list of everything to consider when putting together an epic bachelor party before the big day.

Photo Credit // Shutterstock

Choose a Date

The night before the wedding may seem like the perfect option, but in reality, it’s not a practical choice. The last thing a groom needs to be on his wedding day is hungover. To be safe and give time for recovery and travel, you should schedule the bachelor party for a few weeks before the wedding. Once you have settled on the date, inform party guests, giving them at least a few weeks before the event to cut down on scheduling conflicts and help guests coming from out of town.

Select the Location

Once the date is on the calendar, you can move on to choosing the ideal location for the bachelor party weekend. Destinations for bachelor parties do not have to be expensive, especially if you host in an area close by or even in one of the groomsmen’s homes. To help yourself narrow down the options, consider the below questions:

• How many guests will be attending?
• Which locations best fit your intended budget?
• Which locations are most convenient for all of your guests to get to?
• Which locations pair well with the planned activities that you have in mind? What locations would be most conducive to the groom’s personality and interests?

Whatever location best suits the budget, preferences of the groom and guests, and activities that you have planned should be your location pick.

Establish a Budget

When creating a wedding budget, you want to clearly define who is responsible for what costs. As a best man or a party planner, you could be expected to pay for the majority of the party expenses. However, you may also choose to split up the cost among other groomsmen and guests that are also attending the bachelor party weekend. It’s best practice to not have the groom pay for the bachelor party. Depending on the budget range that you decide, you can plan activities, food, drink, and other logistics accordingly.

Make the Guest List

Keeping the guest list small is usually in your best interest. Bachelor parties are usually limited to the groom’s closest friends and relatives (usually only men, but breaking tradition is always welcome.) Smaller guest lists make finding travel and housing accommodations easier and keep the celebration intimate and special.

When creating the guest list, make sure that you get the final approval of the groom. Together you can decide on the perfect people to invite for his special night or weekend.

Book Transportation to, and Lodging Near, the Venue

Depending on the general location that you pick for your bachelor party, transportation booking and even venue booking may not be necessary. A good way to cut down on costs is to host the party at the home of one of the groomsmen. However, if you do choose a venue out of state or even out of the country, you’ll have to coordinate travel plans and likely book trains, flights, or drive long-distance. If you’re going out of your immediate city for the bachelor party, be sure to arrange lodging at your destination in a convenient area that is close to your venue or activity sites.

Stock Up on Food and Drink

You never want to have a shortage of alcohol, snacks, and other food for your bachelor party. Whether you plan to cater, cook, or stock up at the grocery store, you’ll want to get more food and drink than you may initially think. After all, it’s better to be over-prepared than to have a shortage.

Plan Activities

Photo Credit // Shutterstock

Don’t forget to schedule some bachelor party activities. Some great ideas to fill the time and keep the celebration lively are to:

• Organize or book a bar crawl
• See live music
• Eat a fancy dinner at a nice restaurant
• Play poker or darts
• Visit a strip club (if that’s your style)
• Go to a sports game
• Play 18 holes of golf
• Go to a karaoke bar
• Go hiking or surfing
• Tour a brewery
• Schedule a whiskey tasting
• Attend a wine and cheese festival
• Gamble in Las Vegas

There’s no shortage of ideas when thinking about how to plan a bachelor party. Focus on bachelor party activities that the groom would most enjoy. With this planning checklist and a list of bachelor party ideas, you have all the tools to plan an epic night or weekend for the wedding party to enjoy.