Dos and Don'ts for a Bachelor Party

Casinos, cigars, strippers, beer bikes, and Mallorca—the list of bachelor party clichés is so long that not even a segment on *Galileo* could measure it in soccer fields or bathtubs. We won’t be covering any of those clichés here. What you’ll find here are tips and dos and don’ts for a fun bachelor party that probably won’t end in a cheap motel room where an Eastern European stripper explains to her “manager” which of you he needs to “talk to” again about payment.

Before the bachelor party

Before you start planning, there are a few rules to keep in mind.

1. The groom is not a victim.

“Oh! I have a great idea! Let’s have the groom run around in a tutu.” – Just don’t. Contrary to what some people might say, a bachelor party isn’t meant to humiliate the groom or, heaven forbid, torment him. Rather, it’s about giving him a good time with his best friends.

2. The best man is the boss.

In this age of group chats, it’s tempting to involve all participants in the planning. It’s a nice idea, but it doesn’t work in practice. Too many cooks spoil the bachelor party. So make it clear from the start that ideas and suggestions are welcome, but the best man will make the final decisions.

3. A Say for the Groom

For many, it’s clear: The bachelor party has to be a surprise for the groom. There’s nothing wrong with that, but he should still have some say in the matter. It should be clarified in advance what kind of bachelor party the groom wants, who should be there, and what his absolute no-gos are. The best man should consider it his duty to respect these wishes—even if the rest of the group has different ideas.

4. It doesn't have to be a sausage party

At many bachelor parties, the rule is: "No girls allowed." But it doesn't have to be that way. If the groom would like his best friend or sister to be there, then make that happen for him.

5. Choose activities that suit the groom

It goes without saying, but it’s still worth mentioning: Plan activities that suit the groom. If he suffers from arachnophobia, a visit to a spider exhibition would probably be best considered a second choice.

Adventurous Bachelor Parties

According to your groom, could the stunts Tom Cruise does in the “Mission: Impossible” movies use a little more action? If so, adventurous activities might be just the thing.

Bungee Jumping

Do you remember how James Bond jumps off the Verzasca Dam in Ticino at the beginning of “GoldenEye”? You could do that, too. It probably won’t save the world, but you’ll definitely deserve a vodka martini afterward.

Skydiving

If you’d rather plunge into the depths from an airplane than from a building, then skydiving is probably the right choice for you. This suggestion refers to the classic form of skydiving, where you either jump from the plane on your own or do a tandem jump—but if you want, you can of course also do it “Fast and Furious”-style with cars. But you didn’t get that tip from us!

Road Trip

There’s no reason to wait until you’re all going through a midlife crisis before hopping on your motorcycles and exploring the roads of Europe together. It goes without saying that, especially in the Alps, you should avoid using the highways. Every mountain pass is meant to be ridden, every winding road is meant to be taken.

Camping Trip

Sleeping under the open sky, eating only what nature provides and what you can hunt yourself, shouting “I made a fire!” at the top of your lungs, and surviving bear attacks. If “The Revenant” has put you off this idea a bit, we think even a conventional camping trip with sleeping bags counts as an adventure.

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Active Bachelor Parties

Bachelor parties for all those grooms who will probably wear sneakers even at the wedding ceremony, because sports aren't just part of life—they are life.

Climbing

Overhanging rock formations, frozen waterfalls, cliffs, or skyscrapers—climbing is a battle against gravity, against fear, and against yourself. But if you’re more interested in having fun than in a challenge, or if you lack the necessary climbing experience, climbing walls are a good alternative.

Ski Weekend

Once you've climbed the mountain, you'll have to find a way back down. The best way to do that is with one or two boards under your feet. Since this is a hell of a lot of fun, we recommend doing it for a whole weekend.

Go-Kart

No mustachioed plumbers, no banana peels, no turtle shells—and the only fireballs are the ones that appear when someone gets knocked off the track—that’s go-karting for a bachelor party! But remember: safety first!

Paintball

Before the next generation of Fortnite players starts throwing bachelor and bachelorette parties, you still have a chance to show off what you’ve learned from “Doom,” “Counter-Strike,” and “Call of Duty.” If it’s too cold, though, laser tag is also an option.

Stadium Visit

If your groom is into sports but not necessarily into exercise, you can scream your lungs out amid hundreds of roaring, sweaty, and at least slightly tipsy fans while people in all sorts of outfits run after a ball on a patch of grass. Your heart rate will probably be about the same as it would be while bungee jumping.

Relaxed Bachelor Parties

Not everyone is into the kind of Fast & Furious-style Transformer action that flouts the laws of physics. If you happen to catch your fiancé watching an indie film, these ideas might be right up his alley.

Museum Tour

The beauty of museums is their diversity. You can easily plan your visit around your groom’s interests. You can visit museums of technology, natural history, art, crime, or porcelain dolls—whatever your groom prefers.

BBQ Class

If you believe the cliché, about 90% of all men are born with a pair of barbecue tongs in their hands. For all those who weren’t so lucky—or who actually want to learn the art of barbecuing—there are BBQ classes. As a nice bonus, great food is automatically guaranteed.

Video Games at the Movies

Your groom probably used to play “Super Mario” on a little CRT TV in his childhood bedroom and, during late-night car rides, would use every streetlight to make out the Tetris blocks on his tiny Game Boy screen. But not this time. This time, the screen is a damn movie theater screen!

Dungeons & Dragons

Your groom is about to take on the most important role of his life—that of a loving and caring husband. So wouldn’t it be nice if, before that, he could be someone completely different for just a little while and set off on a great adventure with you? Here’s a little tip: For once, give him one or two extra character points at the start.

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Traditional Bachelor Parties

Whether it's Sinatra or Queen, *Citizen Kane* or *Terminator 2*, a 1966 Ford GT or a Porsche 911 Targa—many classics have a charm all their own. It's no different when it comes to bachelor parties.

City Trip

Explore a new city, experience the best of what it has to offer in its smallest and most famous bars, and make fantastic memories that you’ll all cherish for a lifetime. All you need is a destination. Our tip: “Milan or Madrid—as long as it’s Italy!”

Festival

Three days, three stages, and three portable toilets spread across an area of about 30 hectares. If you’re still young, there’s probably no better way to party. If your youth is already behind you and you still manage to survive this, then one thing is certain: It’s not just the groom—all of you are ready for marriage.

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Disclaimer

Please don't take all the suggestions above too seriously. They're not meant to be copied word for word. Instead, they're meant to inspire you. The fact that you’ve been entrusted with planning the bachelor party suggests that you know the groom well. If he’d be happier with a sushi class than a BBQ class, then by all means, go for it. If go-karts are too boring for him because he’s into much more horsepower, take him for a spin on the Nordschleife. You get the idea: Make him happy!