Groomsmen get-togethers

A Millennial take on the bachelor party

 

Twinkle, twinkle, little star, point me to the nearest bar. This is often how planning for bachelors parties start, but thankfully this (in)famous bachelor party ritual has evolved over the years. The ideal bachelor party should really consist of the groom and his friends doing what they love and the younger generation is grabbing this concept with both hands.

Looking for a fool-proof recipe for a great bachelor party?

Remember the 3F’s rule, everything else on top of this is a bonus:

You need 1) Fun, 2) Friends and 3) Food

1) It’s a light-hearted celebration. Keep it fun and light with loads of humour. Add a theme – it may be team t-shirts for all or silly branded hats. Create a small ritual to remember the day.

2) Choose the people who played an important part in your life up to where you are right now.

3) Food can be the focal point/ theme of the bachelor party or the activity that binds the event together, like learning how to braai the ultimate steak.

Who should be invited to a bachelor party?

This is the groom’s call and usually includes close friends and relatives. Depending on the father and son relationship, the dad can be invited too, especially if he is young at heart and up for fun.

 

What do groomsmen pay for at the bachelor party?

The groomsmen pay for the drinks, food, and entertainment. It’s not unheard of that the groomsmen ask friends to chip in when it comes to expenses. If the party involves a stayover, each person usually covers his own accommodation costs and the groom’s expenses are covered by the group.

 

If you are in charge of organising the party, we have 4 steps to help you along:

 

1. Check with the groom what his expectations are

If the groom would rather spend a weekend camping next to a lake, don’t force him into a nightclub. You have known this guy for most of your life – arrange something fun but meaningful.

2. Work out a budget

Times are tough and you don’t want to exclude some really good friends because the party expenses are just too high. Chat amongst the groomsmen and decide what is reasonable and feasible. Some of the guests may want to contribute in a way by perhaps sponsoring their house as a venue, or gifting a case of beer.

3. Start early with the planning

Find a date when guests are available and give them plenty of notice. Create a Whatsapp group for arrangements. If you want to make it special with branded or themed clothing, keep in mind that things take time to design and order. Shipping time should be factored in as well if it is an online purchase.

The best and most memorable bachelors parties are those where thoughtful touches have been incorporated:

Make it personal on the day

• Print fun T-shirts with quirky quotes for the group to wear on the day of the outing.
• Buy identical hats and brand the headbands with a fun saying or date.
• Design a special T-shirt that the groom can wear again and remember the day and the camaraderie.
• Create a Spotify bachelor party playlist for the day which he can keep.

Personalised gifts

Consider an engraved or laser-printed braai apron, pocket knife, torch or a set of braai gloves. We loved the ideas from Arabiaweddings.com which include a key case, a leather cigar case, customised whiskey glasses, a leather wallet with embossed initials and sunglasses.

Great bachelor party ideas:

Get Out Of Town (Or Country) – Swop your city views for a view of the Indian Ocean. Imagine wide panoramic sea views, 600 meters from Umtentweni’s white sandy beach, and you are at Umthunzi Hotel. Keep an eye on this page for special offers.

 

Hiking – Exploring South Coast organises fabulous day hikes on the South Coast. Sasha Wyatt-Minter tempts us with her description in the Umthunzi Hotel blog: “Streams and waterfalls, koppies and sandstone cliffs, green hills and dense forest are all part of the magnificent scenery on the route, and the trails are designed to allow you to experience all the natural beauty of this reserve.’’

 

The Big Game – Build a weekend around whatever sporting event the groom loves. The South Coast is famous for its wonderful selection of golf courses and the local course at the Port Shepstone Country Club has been voted Best Golf Course for seven years in a row in the South Coast Herald’s Readers’ Choice Awards. The course is set alongside the stunning Umzimkhulu River and the Indian Ocean.

 

 

Rent Harleys or exotic sports cars.  GS Africa has a depot in Durban and will have the groom and his entourage spoilt for choice. They have an assortment of luxury BMW, Harley-Davidson, Yamaha, Honda, Royal Enfield and KTM motorcycles. The Harley-Davidson Motorcycles are dependable and have 24-hour roadside assistance.

 

Groom the groom and his team. Create a fun morning at your local barber shop and settle in for good old-fashioned grooming for the morning. Most barbers will welcome any special ideas you may have for the morning like grappa-fuelled espressos or sipping on an excellent whiskey while getting your scalp massage.

 

Distillery Tour – learn about whisky or brandy making with your friends

 

Beer tasting and tours – Durban and its surrounds have several beer tours and tasting available for a boys’ day out. Try Shongweni Brewery, Firkin Hophouse Micro Brewery and Pub or Prospecton Brewery in Durban.

 

Cocktail lessons – do you know how to make an Old Fashioned? Hire a bartender for the night to show you the ropes. These skills can be put to good use going forward.

 

Tell The Groom’s Life Story in 8 drinks (and match this with food items) – this is not venue dependent and can be done indoors or outdoors. Use the places he’s lived, and visited, important people, and inside jokes to craft a tour through the groom’s biography. A cocktail menu could come in handy for this game.

 

While the new-age groom is looking for something meaningful, entertaining and even educational to enjoy with his wedding friends it may be fun to watch some Bachelor-themed movies just to know what NOT to do. Men’s Health lists 13 Bachelor Party Movies That’ll Make You Laugh and Cry. Do we hear popcorn popping? Enjoy the movies, planning and time with your besties – it’s hopefully a once-off experience!

She knows her Merlot from her Mojito, her hotel from her motel. From craft food to caviar, her innate curiosity about life and wanderlust provide inspiration for her blogs, articles and press releases about the travel, wedding and Spa industry. Over twenty years in the hotel marketing & PR arena with impressive hotel groups, from Dubai to Durbanville, has evolved into the pure enjoyment of freelance projects under the banner of About Branding.