The phrase “bachelor party” conjures up heated emotions almost immediately. The “last night of freedom” has become known as a time to cut loose and go wild, often centered on drinking and sexuality. However, there is a rising trend of eschewing a more raunchy party and instead planning something that’s a little more friendly to the guests who are already married—or, in some cases, combining the bachelor and bachelorette parties into one event. This puts the focus of the party on camaraderie and friendship.
Some ways to plan “anti-bachelor parties” are to—
1. Plan an event instead of a party
By planning an event, you allow those in the bridal party to have an experience together that can be both memorable and respectful of boundaries. Many people would rather actively participate in an event instead of passively watch it. Perhaps most importantly, though, this allows the bride- or groom-to-be to just hang out with friends and have fun, which relieves a lot of stress. There are high-octane options for people who still want their “last night” to be thrilling. For example, a skydiving trip for a bachelor party, camping, playing a sport like flag football, going to an amusement park, or even taking a road trip. Most of these things can be done with both the bride and groom’s side of the wedding party; however, they could also be done separately. Or both parties could do a separate activity—the brides and her bridesmaids could go on a spa day, while the groom and his groomsmen play a volleyball tournament. Afterward, everyone could meet at a restaurant—this has the added benefit of creating a new social circle, one that includes friends from both the bride’s and the groom’s side.
2. Create something together
Instead of just creating memories, why not record those memories together? There are many ways to do this: brides can have scrapbooking parties with their bridal party, where everyone brings in pictures and mementos of their memories with the bride—leaving plenty of empty spaces in the back to fill in with wedding memorabilia. Or a party could go to a pottery-painting place, and each person could paint a plate or a bowl, creating a special personalized set of dishes for the new couple.
3. Feel free to make the details match your needs
While traditional bachelor and bachelorette parties are planned by the wedding party, there’s no reason a bride or groom couldn’t be involved if they wanted to. In the same vein, if the bride and groom will be too anxious the night before the wedding to enjoy themselves (or if they will still be trying to make last-minute plans), it may be better to plan the party a few days (or even weeks) before the actual event. (This has the added benefit of, if there is alcohol involved, making sure no one shows up hung over.) There are no hard and fast rules about this party, but remember that it’s supposed to be fun. Think about the bride, groom, and entire wedding party, and try to make it as comfortable of a celebration as possible.
