Alright, this one’s for the boys! Guys, we’re going to come clean here: we feel pretty guilty. We know it can be hard to find info about planning your bachelor party, so we’re going to fix that with our comprehensive bachelor party planning guide! Whether you want to stay local or plan a full-on destination bachelor party, we’ve got you covered. We know how excited you are, so let’s start planning! 

First Up: The FAQ’s

We feel like there can be some confusion surrounding the actual planning part of bachelor parties, so let’s clear it up with some quick bachelor party planning FAQs. 

Who Typically Plans? 

Traditionally, the best man and groomsmen, or close family members, plan the bachelor party. But hey, if you’re the groom and you want to take the reins on planning, you do you! 

When Should the Bachelor Party take place?

Since you’ll probably start getting busy with wedding planning in the weeks leading up to the wedding, plan to host the bachelor party around 3-4 weeks before the big day. If you’re going out of town for the party, plan for it to be 5+ weeks before the wedding!  

When Should Planning Begin?

The planning timeline depends on a few things: How long is the party? How far are you going? What time of year is it? If you’re planning something local for everyone, you can probably get away with starting to plan 3-4 months before the bachelor party. But, if you want a guys weekend out of town, you should probably start planning 5-6 months before the weekend itself! That way your pals have plenty of time to take off work and get everything squared away before they have to leave town! Between coordinating dates, flights, hotels, etc. the more time you give yourselves, the more people will be able to show up! 

Planning Your Bachelor Party

Now that you’re starting to get the hang of the typical bachelor party planning timeline, let’s dive into the details.

The Guest List

The most important part of any party– who’s invited? If you’re the best man planning the weekend, this one is easy – ask the groom! If you’re the groom, it’s up to you whether you just want to invite just your groomsmen or if you’d prefer to have your entire extended friend group tag along as well! The bachelor party is a great time to bring together the different friend groups you have and create the connections that will lead to an epic wedding celebration. Invite people that would fit the vibe of what you are looking for in your bachelor party. There might be some people you feel you need to invite like an older brother, but make sure to give him an out to decline if you know the party won’t be his speed.

The Location

Miami, FL

Home to one of the biggest nightclub scenes in the US, Miami is obviously a great choice. Not only does it have amazing nightlife, but the beaches are also amazing. If your ideal bachelor party weekend is soaking up the sun and hitting the waves during the day, and then partying with your bros at night, Miami is your spot! 

Things to Do:

• Sip some brews in Park West Downtown at the Corner
• Catch some rays and rent a yacht for the day
• Take a tour of the Everglades National Park

Newport, RI

If you’re looking for a fun, action-packed adventure weekend with your closest friends, Newport is perfect for you! From fishing charters to axe throwing, surf lessons and paintball, you and the boys will never get bored in Newport! 

Things to Do:

• Learn how to surf with surfing lessons & gear rentals
• Charter a fishing boat and look for bass, flounder, bluefish, stripers, and more!

San Diego, CA

Honestly, nothing screams bachelor weekend more than a sunny SoCal weekend with the boys. San Diego truly has something for everyone, with over 72 golf courses, 120 breweries, and miles of gorgeous Pacific coastline, your weekend will be action-packed! And did we mention– the downtown district is 16 square blocks of bars, restaurants and nightclubs! 

Things to Do:

• Enjoy an epic pool party, Vegas-style, with a swim-up bar at Harrah’s
• Head to Ocean Beach for the ultimate afternoon of bar crawling and microbreweries

Jackson Hole, WY

In the last few years, Jackson Hole has become a hot vacation destination for both summer and winter visitors! With amazing ski resort proximity in the winter, and close proximity to 2 national parks in the summer, Jackson Hole is the ultimate outdoorsy destination for your bachelor party. 

Things to Do:

• Swing Dancing at Million Dollar Cowboy Bar
• Visit the Jackson Hole Still Works to try their gin & vodka

Fun Bachelor Party Activities for Any Location

If you’re not sure where you’d like to go for your bachelor party, that’s totally fine. But, that doesn’t mean that you can’t start day dreaming up a list of things you would like to do while you’re away! Here are some of our favorite bachelor trip activities that you can do wherever you choose to go:

• Rent an AirBnb and have an Iron Chef competition. Share your creations over a beer pot-luck style and decide on a winner!
• Host a poker night & make some bets
• Go to a game or two! Who doesn’t enjoy group outings to sporting events?
• Take a group hike to burn off all of the beer calories
• Plan a relaxing day of golfing 

Plan the Details

Now that you’ve got some ideas for what to do for your bachelor party, it’s time to start coordinating everyone’s schedules and deciding on the details! Your food and drink plan will be critical for people’s enjoyment. If there is any element of the party that will be in an AirBnb, make sure you will be stocked with enough food and drink. Getting people’s ideas for food and drinks is a good idea, but having one person buy everything will make splitting costs at the end much easier.  

One great way to keep in touch with your bachelor party group before your trip and to keep all of the details in one place is to use Guestie’s group message board to coordinate. Not only will Guestie keep all of your details in one place, but it will also help your friends from out of town get to know your friends from in town before your trip! That way you can skip the awkward intros and test drive the platform before you use it for your wedding (to introduce all of your guests beforehand, of course!)

Don’t Forget to Enjoy!

Hopefully your best man is planning the bachelor party for you so you can let loose and have a blast. If you are running the show, sometimes it can get easy to get wrapped up in the planning, and the timeline. So make sure you’re taking a step back to create some core memories and enjoying every minute!

If you’re worried about making sure that all your friends get along for your bachelor party, we have a hot secret for you: Use Guestie to introduce them ahead of time! They can chat, learn common interests, and get to know one another before your bachelor weekend. By the time your party rolls around, they’ll all be ready to party with old friends and new! Sounds way better than awkward intros and small talk, right?

Ready to give it a try? Click here to check out the demo! 

Good luck planning, and we hope you have an awesome bachelor party!