Congratulations pal! You’ve been named Best Man, and someone out there wants you beside him on the biggest day of his life. Whatever you’ve done to win this honor, we’re sure it’s great… but you haven’t really earned it yet. Not until you’ve executed the most important of Best Man duties… the most absolutely epic bachelor party. Follow these 8 steps and send your boy off into the sunset with a night he’ll never forget.
Plan Ahead
Standing in line for a bar or club with twenty dudes is a guaranteed way to bring your bachelor party to a halt. Planning ahead is the most critical thing you can do to ensure bachelor party success. Restaurant reservations, private tables, bar or club packages, tickets, tee-times, transportation… there are a ton of moving parts to a bachelor party and the more you plan, the easier it’ll be. Plus, you’ll get to relax and enjoy the day. A month or two before the bachelor party, sit down and plan out as much as you can. Then contact your destinations and vendors to lock everything in.
Collect Upfront
As Best Man, you will pay more than the other bachelor party attendees. This is a fact of life and a small price to pay for the honor. However, you can take some proven steps to control the spending. Yours is the credit card that will be requested for happy hours, group reservations, hotels and more. Estimate costs early, communicate clearly, choose email over text chains and collect well in advance to ensure you don’t get left holding the bill.
Invite Her People
Inviting the bride’s closest male family and friends is not only a classy move, but it pays long-term dividends. It can ease pre-bachelor party tensions between the groom and his bride. It also can help form bonds early so that come wedding day there’s a familiarity and built-in camaraderie between both sides of the wedding.
Please the Groom
It’s tempting to make bachelor party planning a group decision, and even to throw in some of your own influence. However, this is the groom’s last hoorah and it’s his day. Your slate of events should reflect his interests and favorites. If he’s a golf nut, book a tee time. If he’s a foodie, get a table at a great restaurant. Beer snob? Brewery tour. Music lover? Concert. You get it.
The Groom Rides for Free
This is an absolute must. On the day of his bachelor party, the groom pays for NOTHING. Not even a beer. Make this bachelor party law known to your group well in advance, share the costs and budget accordingly.
Take Charge
You took suggestions during the planning phase, and you worked with your fellow bachelor party goers to get this thing off the ground. But come game time, every bachelor party needs a leader and that man is you. Call the shots, keep the schedule on track, communicate with the venues and vendors and solve the problems (they’ll arise). Nothing kills a bachelor party vibe quicker than indecision.
Stay Cool
Showing up to the altar with a black eye is a bad look for any groom. That’s why you’ll have to stay cool, calm and (reasonably) sober during the bachelor party. One of the Best Man’s most important roles is den mother, and that means being able to communicate, contain, control and ensure the safety of the whole crew. The bride will thank you later, possibly with an intro to the maid of honor.
Don’t Catch the Bachelor Party Blues
Stuck on how to go about planning your best bud’s big day? House of Blues is a Best Man’s best friend. We work with bachelor parties of all shapes and sizes to ensure that it is a night to remember. Pop in for a happy hour featuring an extensive beer list and craft cocktail menu. Join us for dinner and feast on soul-food inspired dishes from our professional kitchen. Stay for the country’s hottest live music and DJ’s or book your own private show. Class it up in the Foundation Room Club for a VIP bachelor party experience like none other! With 10 U.S. locations, you’re never far from an absolutely epic bachelor party at House of Blues.