Bachelor Parties for the Modern Man

I won’t lie, I’ve never been in attendance at a bachelor party. Oh, I’ve heard stories and I’ve seen movies, and I’d like to think that I’m not entirely naïve to some of the things that might go on. But when the subject of bachelor parties was brought up, I figured some of my younger brothers might have a few insights on the topic. After all, a number of them are of the prime marrying age and seem to be going to weddings every other weekend and flying home to attend bachelor parties at a fairly rapid clip. Surely they must have the scoop on bachelor and stag parties.

 “So, do all bachelor parties end up being an evening of shenanigans, tomfoolery, drunken revelry and general naughtiness?” I pose the question to my 24-year-old brother. His mouth goes up in a half-smirk and he slides his gaze across the room to our brother (his roommate) who is only one year his senior. They exchange a grin. “Let’s just say,” he begins, “that it’s a night of ‘male camaraderie.’” My husband chimes in at this point, “I think what your sister is asking is if all bachelor parties end up as a night of bar-hopping and waking up with a tooth missing and a tiger in your bathroom.”

This propels us all forward into a discussion about options and ideas. It would seem that guys have just as much of a sense of participating in varied activities as the ladies do. My husband opted for a fish launch on one of the Great Lakes. He and his friends spent the day on a boat, baiting hooks, casting lines and, well, I guess I’ve never asked what else. He points out that he’s joined in bachelor parties at the golf course, an evening at the pub indulging in dark beer and bocce ball, and a canoe trip. My brothers begin listing off guy get-togethers that included paintball, hunting, trap shooting, and other activities that typically catch men’s fancies. Camping, hiking, skydiving… What better way to have one last hurrah with the guys than to jump out of a perfectly good airplane?

Certainly, celebrating a friend or relative’s ending bachelorhood and impending journey into a lifetime of wedded bliss is an event worth celebrating. Whether that includes an evening out on the town, some awesome tickets to the big game, or the sounds of nature around a campfire, the options are endless.