Wedding Tactics

It is becoming more and more common for the groomsmen to take the groom away for a weekend trip to someone flashy, trashy and … manly. Think, Vegas Baby! or Atlantic City, New York City or Los Angeles. But, where do all those urban men go for a good time getaway?

Consider these rough-around-the-edges outdoor MAN activities for an upcoming bachelor weekend for your groom-to-be.

Whitewater Rafting: Available all around the country in varying states. Be safe, wear a life-jacket and use an adventure guide. Complete the weekend with a big cooler of beer and hot dogs and camp out under the stars.

Deep Sea Fishing: Available on the coasts, can be a little pricey. (Example: Chartering a boat out of Wachapreague, Virginia for one day of deep sea fishing is about $1500 - $2000, up drastically because of gas prices) . What guy doesn’t love fishing? Fresh air. Sun. Fishing. Good bonding time. Take along your sunscreen, a hat and some dramamine — those deep sea swells can also make your stomach swell a bit. But the views, air and back-to-nature experience are really priceless.

Skydiving: My brother is really into this, he’s all licensed and has his own suit and parachute. If you aren’t a master at this sport all you have to do is find a jump-zone and call up for available times. You go to a jump-zone for a day and anyone can do a tandem jump, where you are strapped to an experienced jumper. You go up in a plane … you jump out of it and free fall for awhile then gently float to the flat earth. Those who do it can’t get enough. It is quite a thrill and a good time. Also, relatively safe, all things considered.

Dear Stacy:
I hastily asked a friend to be my best man when I should have asked my brother. What sort of damage control do I need to do to un-ask my friend and what sort of role can I ask him to play instead of best man?

Yes yes. These unfortunate moments do happen: you are out with a friend, a ballgame or a bar and in the celebration of the moment you somehow ask him to be your best man. You aren’t the first person to make this decision so hastily. And now you remember DOH! your brother is your sort-of-required best man. How to tell your friend you made a mistake? Is there any amount of damage control that can make up for this grievous momentary lapse in judgment?

You should approach the situation with sincere concern and apology. Think about how you would feel if this was you in your buddy’s position. Start by telling your friend that you really want him involved in your special day but that you remembered after the fact
that you really need to have your brother as your best man but that he can be your head groomsman and you’ll be sure to give him some special tasks if he wants. Explain that the title is just a title and you hope he can be your lead man in terms of the good bachelor party fun you’ll be having.

The bottom line is that accidents happen and weddings bring out the best and worst of people. Explaining your Oops moment as just a momentary lapse in the midst of the wedding whirlwind should be enough for any understanding friend.

Be sure to include your friend a little more than you would normally just to be sure all feelings are well healed.

I’ve written a few times about Bachelor Parties.

Most recently, I wrote this entry advising that all wild parties occur a few weeks prior to the wedding to allow for the necessary … um, er, physical recovery. And a little further back I posted an entry about the top ten most popular venues for Bachelor Parties.
Since I’m a woman I really have no idea what happens at a bachelor party and my dear husband who recently attended one of these parties will only give me rough details that include nice dinners, a few happy hours, time on the beach, possibly some gambling depending upon the locale, and the inevitable strip club.

Just this past weekend Marc went to one of these. In Miami. For the weekend.

I have no idea what they did for three and a half days.

While it is largely agreed that you do not need to leave town, let alone for a 4 day weekend to give someone a nice bachelor party, it is becoming more and more common to take a trip out of town. Couples marrying later life, having more cash to play with and people wanting to travel contributes to this recent trend.

It has become common among my friends that when the men have a bachelor party the women go out to dinner. The dichotomy kills me.

What matters most is that the groom has a nice time. The bachelor party should be a time to have a break from the wedding planning, a night out with other guys, best friends or friends he doesn’t see very often.

Some other ideas if a trip out of town isn’t in the cards for you, consider a day at an amusement park, a tailgate party at a popular sporting event, a trip out to dinner and a few local bars, or a concert.

bachelor parties, top ten places, nudie bar, alcohol, strippers

Bachelor parties conjure up two thoughts: alcohol and nudie bar, no?

Bachelor parties have grown up a little in the past decade or so. As people are getting married later in life, the bachelor party is no longer just an excuse to get drunk with the guys one last time, and see the last pair of tits for the rest of your life. But rather, a bachelor party is also an opportunity to hang with the guys, it is the one time in the entire wedding planning process that the dear husband-to-be gets any attention whatsoever.

Bachelor parties of this decade are totally still about getting drunk and going to a strip club, it is just that this outing is usually one of several over the course of a weekend.

More and more grooms are traveling over one hundred miles from home, often several states away, with a few guy friends for a weekend of fun.

The most recent trend is a golf outing, seconded by gambling or some sort of outdoor activity like hiking, biking or camping. Men are finding it a welcome change of pace to go away with a few friends for a weekend shortly before the wedding. These trips usually span a weekend and can easily be planned without missing work.

It is highly advised that bachelor parties occur at least a week or two before the wedding, as the hangover and any jet lag from travel can take a few days to work itself out.

Some good gal-pals took me to a very nice dinner on Saturday night. It was at one of my favorite restaurants and it was a surprise! It was actually the restaurant where I met them, almost exactly two years ago.

We ate and drank some wine and talked, mostly, about the men. That? Made me feel a little old, but also, it was touching, that we care enough about our significant others to talk about them when they are not there.

I opted to have a calmer, cozier, quieter night, sans male stripper and bar-hopping. It was more, ME. And, was exactly what I wanted.

Brides, be sure to voice your desires to a close friend or bridesmaid who will be organizing a party like this in your honor. Modern brides are not all having traditional bachelorette parties. More than likely, a few girls will get together for a weekend away, or take a weekend and go to a spa, or a vacation home, or even just a night out to a local restaurant.

bachelorette party, bride, girl time

10. Cabo San Lucas, Mexico Known for Marlin fishing, beer drinking, and watching women.

9. Scottsdale, Arizona Known for GOLF, a great place to head if you want to sample sun awesome sun and fresh air. The steak restaurants and beer are plentiful and the clubs are the hot spot at night.

8. Whistler, British Columbia (Canada) Head to Whistler for skiing, mountain biking, hiking and nature watching. There are good bars and cigars and partaking in a certain natural herb is legal, when done conspicuously. Downside? It can be a pricey place to go, especially in mid-winter.

7. New York City Steaks. Food. Clubs. Bars. I can’t think of anything that DOESN’T happen in NYC. Greasy, oily pizza at 3:30am, after a wild night of drinking and dancing? Oh yeah!! If you are into the urban scene, this is the place to have a bachelor party. Hotel rates can be steep, so consider doubling up and sharing rooms.

6. New Orleans Mardi. Gras. Bars. Sensational food. Rum. Post-Hurricane Katrina, hotel rates are still low and the city is not crowded. Businesses that are open greatly appreciate your business. But please, perhaps don’t your smelly stinking clothes home to your soon-to-be wife. Consider brining a trash bag to wrap them in, INSIDE your suitcase. This is also a great locale if you are into touring weather ravaged areas. And, if you are the good-Samaritan type, consider working with a group like Habitat for Humanity or any of the number of rebuilding organizations in coastal Louisiana right now.

5. Vancouver, British Columbia Good nightlife, clubs and women. But, it is Canada. Don’t forget your passport. Also, there are a lot of pick pockets in this city. When drinking, be aware of your wallet.

4. Chicago, Illinois Museums. Wrigley Field. This was Frank Sinatra’s city. The Mafia? You won’t have to look far for a Gentleman’s Club.

3. South Beach, Florida Beach. Sun. Nightclubs. Women in bikinis driving convertibles.

2. Montreal, Quebec (Canada) Trendy bars and clubs. If you are planning a trip here, be sure to visit, Montreal VIP - the website.

1. Las Vegas, Nevada Does this one really need any hype? What happens in Vegas ….

The order and selection of these locales is courtesy of AskMen.Com