So you\u2019re the best man at your friend\u2019s wedding. All you have to do is give a funny speech at the reception, right? Think again. Some serious responsibilities come with the lead groomsman role \u2014 namely, planning the bachelor party. And you need this party to be unforgettable. No pressure.<\/p>\n
You can\u2019t depend on things to work out through dumb luck, like the guys in the Hangover<\/em> movies. You\u2019re going to have to make a plan.<\/p>\n But while strip clubs, steakhouses, and trips to Vegas are classic stag\u00a0party activities, such a trip isn\u2019t a fit for every husband-to-be. Luckily, there are countless ways to get creative with bachelor party ideas, tailored to your friend\u2019s tastes.<\/p>\n Here are six concepts you can implement easily for your buddy\u2019s bachelor party, plus some tried-and-true tips to make it a success.<\/p>\n We\u2019ve all got that one friend who loves the great outdoors. He likely has a beard, and he also likely doesn\u2019t fancy going out to nightclubs. Why not throw this modern lumberjack the perfect bachelor party in his favorite place \u2014 nature? Plan a simple camping trip with the groomsmen and BYO a few cases of beer, burgers and hot dogs for grilling, tents, and maybe some kayaks or canoes if you\u2019re near a body of water. (Choose grass-fed meats for true natural friendliness.)<\/p>\n You can even roast s\u2019mores and trade ridiculous stories over the fire pit, and the controlled area of your campsite (as well as the occasional roaming park ranger) will ensure nothing gets too<\/em> out of hand. Just make sure drinking is allowed on the campground \u2014\u00a0some state parks have rules against alcohol consumption.<\/p>\n Our country is flanked by two beautiful coasts and dotted with endless lakes. A beach or lake house getaway is a perfect destination for a bachelor party. Just by renting a house near the water, buying a bunch of drinks and food, and inviting groomsmen, you\u2019re already off to a great start for a relaxing and fun event. If interactive activities are your thing, consider surf lessons for all the groomsmen, or a scuba diving excursion with a rented boat. (Yes, there\u2019s an app for that.) Don\u2019t forget the sunscreen.<\/p>\n Nothing beats a mountain lodge on the slopes that you have all to yourself. If the groom is an avid skier or snowboarder, and the wedding is at the tail end of winter, consider a rented house in Colorado, Vermont, Upstate NY, Utah, the Poconos, or a number of other great snowy destinations. Even if all your groomsmen aren\u2019t into winter sports, you can still have just as much fun at the lodge bars (strategically placed all along the ski mountain for convenience).<\/p>\n Stock your rental property with groceries and snacks so you guys can cook up a feast. Bring plenty of beverages, DVDs and vintage videogame consoles (Nintendo 64 brings people together). Voila: you\u2019ve got yourself the makings of a killer bachelor party. This type of event is especially good when the groomsmen aren\u2019t already close with one another. By essentially kicking into \u201csurvival mode\u201d in the snow-covered mountains, you\u2019ll automatically create a team-building mindset, and you\u2019ll likely leave the house\u00a0with a newfound bond.<\/p>\n Incorporate some competitive sports into your bachelor party plans. Buying 5-10 tickets to an NFL game can be pricey, but you can have just as much fun tailgating the big game in the parking lot \u2014 then retreating back to the house or hotel afterward for more sporty shenanigans. Or make the athletic aspect of the party participatory, with paintball, bowling, go-kart racing, or other live games that can involve the whole group. And don\u2019t forget \u2014 there are always sports bars.<\/p>\n Everyone\u2019s got that one friend who claims, \u201cI don\u2019t really go out.\u201d (How did he get engaged?) This calls for festive hibernation, in the comfort of an Airbnb or other rental property. Just have everyone throw in a few bucks for the overnight stay, and bring some interactive games \u2013 think Cards Against Humanity, customized Jenga blocks, or any number of drinking games that help bring out the honesty in people. You could even set up a Xbox Halo tournament for a little healthy competition among groomsmen.<\/p>\n To add a relaxing touch to the low-key bachelor party, book back-to-back massages on demand<\/a> through the Zeel app, delivered to your house or hotel. These can be clothed table massages, if you\u2019d prefer. Technically you don\u2019t even need to plan ahead for this \u2014 Zeel massage appointments can be booked on-the-fly with as little as an hour\u2019s notice, and the massage therapist brings the table, sheets, and everything your group needs. Just make sure you do the massages before<\/a> you drink heavily, or you risk canceling out the positive effects.<\/p>\n We\u2019re not saying Vegas is a bad idea. All we\u2019re saying is to think outside the Strip. There are a million ways to craft a crazy experience for your friend who likes to party hard. You can plan a bar crawl in the destination of your choice \u2014 anywhere that has a lively downtown or center city district. Kick it up a notch even further by creating a scavenger hunt or game out of it. I once participated in a bachelor party that involved a Jumanji-themed bar crawl through Baltimore. Everyone\u2019s faces were painted to correspond to their team, and each roll of the dice led to things like a human pyramid in the middle of a bar, people trading clothes with strangers, competitive axe throwing<\/a>, and swimming in a rooftop pool.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n When people are hung over the morning after, they don\u2019t want to rush around fulfilling your intricately plotted itinerary. The most important thing is crafting a laid-back experience, where everyone feels the fun is happening organically. Yes, have a list of ideas handy. But don\u2019t book tickets to every single event, as you will most certainly not make it to everything \u2013 and if you do, the night will fly by so quickly that you won\u2019t actually get to enjoy it. Think of your plan as \u201cfreedom with a framework.\u201d<\/p>\n Keep a threaded email conversation with your group leading up to the event. Get everyone\u2019s cell phone numbers as well, just in case the group gets separated at any point during the night (or people ignore their personal emails, as tends to happen when you\u2019re asking them to do something).<\/p>\n If you\u2019re asking for cash in advance, make sure you are 100% clear about how much things costs. Don\u2019t lowball and then ask for more later. There shouldn\u2019t be surprises along the way, like cover charges and hotel fees. This is especially key if you have guests on a budget.<\/p>\n Equally important, make sure you collect the money that\u2019s owed to you, if you\u2019re the one booking things in advance. Everyone should have the Venmo app by now for quick and easy payment transfers, and if they don\u2019t, make them download it. This is extremely helpful in splitting checks at the restaurant or bar, or simple divvying up the total sum of the trip.<\/p>\n Always have a place for everybody to stay, even if some people say they\u2019re just swinging by for the dinner and drinks part. If you host the party right, chances are your friends will be having so much fun that the guy who\u2019s \u201cjust stopping by for half an hour\u201d will get jealous and end up sticking around after all. You\u2019ll want to have sufficient hotel capacity, floor\/couch space, or tents to accommodate the whole group.<\/p>\n Yes, these gaming establishments provide a great built-in nightlife ambience, where you can gamble and act a little bit out-of-your-shell. But I want to warn against casino bachelor parties specifically in two instances:<\/p>\n If the groom hates gambling.<\/em> No amount of peer pressure is going to make this experience enjoyable for him if he just doesn\u2019t like casinos. Remember, this party has to be about what he<\/em> would like, not what you<\/em> like, or what you saw in Casino Royale<\/em>.<\/p>\n If any of your friends like to gamble a little too much.<\/em> You\u2019ve probably seen it happen before. Group of guys shows up to the casino. Everyone\u2019s pumped. Energy is high. And then the group immediately splits up to play their favorite casino games on their own. Travis likes the craps table. Bill is a poker guy. Two or three others just pass the time with slot machines. Before you know it, the crew is broken up, satisfying their respective addictions. Even worse, one of them starts losing money. Now he\u2019s down $300. And nothing sets a night off on the wrong foot like being in a financial hole.<\/p>\n Do yourself a favor \u2013 avoid the casino altogether, unless EVERYONE is an equal fan of the idea. You\u2019ll keep the group together and ensure a happier vibe.<\/p>\n Tailoring the bachelor party to the groom\u2019s personality doesn\u2019t mean you have to deliver exactly what he asked for and nothing more. Kick it up a notch \u2014 whether that\u2019s with a surprise activity (e.g. tickets to a comedy show or shooting range), an experience he\u2019s never done before (like sky-diving or karaoke), or a unique lodging situation that he wouldn\u2019t otherwise have tried (Airbnb has rented treehouses<\/a> to over 114,000 people!). Come up with something he\u2019ll never forget.<\/p>\n <\/p>\nBachelor Party for the Outdoorsman<\/h3>\n
Bachelor Party for the Beach Bum<\/h3>\n
Bachelor Party for the Snow Fan<\/h3>\n
Bachelor Party for the Sports Fanatic<\/h3>\n
Bachelor Party for the Low-Key Guy<\/h3>\n
Bachelor Party for the Party Animal<\/h3>\n
Tips for Bachelor Party Success<\/h3>\n
Don\u2019t over-plan activities.<\/h4>\n
Streamline communication.<\/h4>\n
Be clear about money.<\/h4>\n
Use Venmo.<\/h4>\n
Provide lodging for everyone.<\/h4>\n
Avoid casino night.<\/h4>\n
Think 15% outside his comfort zone.<\/h4>\n