Module 6:

Types of Bachelor and Bachelorette Parties

Once you’ve got your bearings with the client, it’s time to start exploring your party options. Maintaining

files with information on the types of parties outlined in this module is a vital practice in the party

planning business. It’s also vital to be able to provide variety within a given party-type, so we

recommend filing information on 2-3 locations or activities within the type.

For example: A common bachelorette party is a pub-crawl with the final location being a hotel for the

girls to spend the night. For this, your files should reflect 2-3 routes of bars or clubs in varying degrees

of price and aesthetic, 2-3 hotels, and 2-3 transportation options.

6.1 Destination Parties

6.2 Pub Crawls

6.3 Activity and Theme Parties

6.4 Venue Parties

6.5 Unique Party Ideas 6.1 Destination Parties

Destination parties come in four sup-groups: beach/waterfront, woods/mountains, cities, and Las

Vegas, baby!

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How you choose your destinations will rely heavily on working relationships with the hotels and

venues in the area. What does this mean for you? Getting on the phone with some concierges and

building some relationships. Know the big three of travel: eat, sleep, and go. For your destinations

you should be able to outline food, lodging, and transportation options – bonus if you can get all

three in one (think: resort!).

If you can, try to connect with businesses that will decorate the rooms or party space for you since it

is unlikely you will be on the trip yourself. Having a few balloons and streamers ready to greet the

party when they arrive is one of the special touches that will help get your business talked about to

future prospective clients.

Beach/Waterfront– Waterfront locations are prime for adding resorts to your files. Resort locations

allow parties to show up and have almost everything taken care of for them. Provide packing lists for

guests!

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Woods/Mountains–Similarly to beaches you can find woodland and mountain resort locations. Use

these to begin building a file for your book. Often they will be more rustic, featuring cabins and

themed dining based on the nature of the location.

Cities – Endless varieties of city locations are available. From quaint bed and breakfasts to the

rooftops of high rises city life provides a plethora of amusements and entertainment venues. Pick a

few near you, about 4-6 hours driving time or 2 hour flight time, and add them to your repertoire.

Las Vegas – No planner’s files are complete without a section for Las Vegas partying. Vegas is the

most popular location for bachelor and bachelorette parties worldwide, so make sure you are up-to-

date on the latest offerings including hotels, shows, and casinos!

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6.2 Pub Crawls

No matter what form the pub crawl takes, it ranks as the most popular of all bachelor/bachelorette

parties. Since bachelor and bachelorette parties are designed to be the “last night out” for the bride

or groom, debauchery of all kinds is often on the docket for the evening, and for debauchery, you

need alcohol.

At a traditional pub crawl, guests are bussed to different bars or clubs where they party for a set time

and then move on to the next location, but this type of party can take on many forms and can also be

themed to keep the party together. No matter where you send your group, make sure they are aware of

any cover charges that may be required!

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Karaoke Crawl – In this version of the pub crawl, guests go to different karaoke locations, order a round

or three, and sing a few numbers before moving on to the next location. Dance clubs can also be visited

like this and costumes are always a hit.

Scavenger Hunt/Race – For especially large groups you can split them into two teams with two routes

that lead to the same bar. Each group has a list of drinks and activities that must be completed and

photo-documented before moving on to the next location. For example, “Drink a shot wearing a

stranger’s jacket” or “three guests must take a shot while linking elbows.”

Wine/Beer Tastings – This type of libation-centered party allows groups to go to a location that

offers a number of house-made wines or beers for tasting and purchase. At a tasting location,

servers usually stand at a counter and pour samples of their wares. Guests can sample as many as

they like and purchase a glass or bottle.

The group can spend the whole day at one location, which seems to work better for beer locations,

as they tend to have more offerings available to try, or turn the experience into more of a crawl. If

your business is in a location that has wine country close by, chances are there will be several

wineries within a small area, and the group can be ferried around by bus and driver to several

locations where they can share a couple of bottles and move on. Wineries often have indoor-outdoor

options and some offer food as well.

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6.3 Activity and Theme Parties

6.3.1 Activity Party Ideas

Exotic Dance – Dress in sexy clothing and take an exotic dance class. There are offerings for pole

dancing, strip teasing, and chair dancing. This works great if you hire a limousine and have your

group go out on the town afterwards.

Theme Park – Again, part of the fun of bachelor or bachelorette parties is standing out in the crowd.

Wearing feather boas or cowboy hats and boots and riding roller coasters is sure to get a few laughs.

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Horse Races – If there’s a track near your location, have your group put on their suits and fancy hats

and head to the track to make bets on their favorite pony. A bus for transportation and mint juleps are a

must!

Spa Night – This can be done on location or at home, though typically most grooms will want to stay

away from this one. Hire out someone to come do facials or DIY it. Do manis and pedis and watch chick

flicks!

Laser Tag – This is another activity that works great with a theme applied. If bachelorettes, have them

wear thrift store bridesmaid dresses and duke it out.

Roller Rink – If you can find a place that serves alcohol or allows it, all the better. Roller rinks make

great costume party locales as well.

2.3.2 Theme Party Ideas

Costume Party Ideas

Costumes can lighten up any activity party and generate a sense of unity for the group. Make sure

that your bride or groom is comfortable with the idea and then run with it. One person in a costume

at a dance club is awkward, but ten? Now you are the people everyone wants to be.

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Crayon Box – This idea is especially good for tying together a pub crawl or helping the ball game to feel

more like a party. You can do a black and white party where the bride wears white and her entourage

wears black, or get decorations all in a specific color scheme to help the party stand out wherever they

go.

Character Acts – Have all the guests come to the party dressed as characters from a book or movie. Use

the bride or groom’s favorite or a classic like The Wizard of Oz or Alice in Wonderland, or comic book

movies for the guys (t-shirts with different heroes on them make great favors!).

School Girl Swag – Plaid skirts, knee-high socks, and ties will attract all the right kinds of attention.

Costumes have the power to loosen people up and having an army of schoolgirls will ensure no one feels

singled out.

Nightmare before the Wedding– This goes hand in hand with a Halloween themed party. Have guests

dress up as their favorite spooks! Pick out dresses or suits from the thrift shop and dirty them up to

become the living dead. Smeared lipstick, dripping mascara, and a little hair gel go a long way.

Decade Party Ideas

You can often use the ages of your bride or groom to determine a decade that would be a good fit

for them. What clothes were they wearing in high school or college? What music did they listen to?

These themes are easy to apply to many different activities for a fun night on the town while staying

close to home.

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The 90s – We are now entering a time where 1995 is a throwback. Wear jean jackets, scrunchies, and

frosty lipstick and dance to Alanis Morrisette or TLC.

The 80s – Think Flashdance. Neon colors, hair bands, and the power ballad are going to be staples of this

party. This theme works great for a night at the roller rink or karaoke and is great for bachelors or

bachelorettes.

The 70s – Okay flower children, grab your bell bottoms and turn on “Bohemian Raphsody.” Look in your

area for disco clubs and have your group dress the part!

The 50s – Poodle skirts, leather jackets, and Grease. The 50s are back in a big way and you are certain to

find a location or two that compliments the theme, like an old-fashioned soda shop.

The 20s – Now we are really going old-school. Dress your group like flappers or in zoot suits and have

them hit the town for a Gatsby party!

Holiday Themes

It can be a great idea to tie in a holiday with the bachelor or bachelorette party but you have to be

careful. Nothing looks worse than going for classy and getting tacky instead, but if tacky is a good fit for

your bride or groom, go all out! Ugly Christmas sweaters for all!

4th of July – Dress in USO fashion or camo. You can also do an event to Support the Troops and raise

money as part of the party.

Christmas – Ugly sweaters or sexy Santa’s helpers are both possibilities, so feel out your group and help

them make this the most wonderful time of the year!

New Year’s – Clubs and casinos often put on parties for the New Year. Have your group attend but apply

a theme to help them stand out as a group.

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Halloween – Your group can trick or treat (for booze) as a group or go to a club in costume.

6.4 Venue Parties

Occasionally the bridal party will want to host the party themselves. In this case you will be looking for

locations where outside decorations and possibly outside food can be brought in. Many restaurants and

hotels offer private party or meeting locations that can be decorated to taste. Recreation centers and

town halls sometimes have meeting rooms that can be rented as well, but remember to check the

alcohol policy!

You should map out venues in the low, medium, and high price ranges so you can fill the client’s needs

appropriately. You will also need to be familiar with which venues are small, medium, and large.This is

also where vendor files will become important.

Knowing where to get supplies like decorations, serving items, and even costume rentals can be valuable

information depending on the client’s needs, and most party stores, catering businesses, and theatrical

providers will be willing to work with you to your mutual benefit. Again, as you get your business off the

ground a lot of your time will be spent networking and creating connections with the people who will

become your regular suppliers. You can think of these people as coworkers, since by the 27th party when

you call for balloons they will probably know you by name!

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6.5 Unique Party Ideas

As you gain experience in the business, you will develop a repertoire of venues, activities, and

destinations that are sure to please a wide variety of clients. These staples of your business will

serve you well, but every once in a while you will find yourself with a client who wants a truly unique

experience, perhaps based on a hobby or personality quirk of the bride or groom. This is where

your knowledge of hotspots and entertainment venues will really come into play and you’ll have to

think on your feet. You only have to Google “offbeat wedding” to see some examples of unique

ceremonies – when it comes to the bachelor/bachelorette party, no holds are barred. Let’s prepare

you for some of the possibilities.

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6.5.1 Purdy Nerdy

At the top of the list of “unique” party ideas are ones that bring out the nerd in everyone. We’re not

talking about taped glasses and suspenders; today’s nerds are passionate about certain forms of

entertainment and knowledgeable about a wide variety of subjects. If you find out that your bride or

groom is a big fan of a certain TV show, does cosplay (building and wearing costumes related to a

favorite character), or plays video or card games, see if there’s a way to capitalize on that for their party.

People who love “nerdy” things really love them, and would most likely love to see their favorite form of

entertainment as a motif at their party.

“Nerdy” takes many forms. Here are some ideas for how to incorporate the bride or groom’s particular

brand into their party.

TV Show. Have guests dress like certain characters, speak in a certain accent, and play games related to

the fandom[1] in question.

Games. Depending on the game in question and the abilities of the guests, you may find yourself

organizing a game night for your group. Online and Role-Playing Games (RPGs) can be set up and played

together in a small space. Games that tend towards the single-player mode like Minecraft or Assassin’s

Creed can be used as the theme for the party instead.

Comic Book Heroes. Costumes are great for parties like this. Especially when everyone dresses up and

goes to a venue like a dance club or bar.

[1] A fandom is the collective reference for a group of people who are all fans of the same show, movie,

or book series. For example, people who enjoy participating in extensive discussion and thought about

the Harry Potter books by J.K. Rowling are part of the “Harry Potter fandom” and are collectively known

as “potterheads.”

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6.5.2 I’m with the Band

Musical people provide a unique opportunity to stretch your party-planning wings as well. Whether the

bride or groom is in a band or loves a band, music can be a great jumping-off point to get your party

started.

Concert. If you and the client begin planning early enough, you might get lucky and be able to send your

group off to see the bride or groom’s favorite band in concert. If they aren’t showing near your city, this

kind of party can easily become a destination if they are going to be in a nearby town. Be a little willing

to let the timing go on this one. Sure the bachelor/bachelorette party is typically held fairly close to the

wedding date, but having it a little early is no big deal (come on, it’s his or her favorite band).

Karaoke. Does the bride or groom have a set of pipes? Head to a karaoke club. Find one off the beaten

path where the group hasn’t been before. Costumes optional.

Musical Theater. As we’ve discussed before, shows are great to take in. Find a local theatre in your area

and have the group see a musical, ballet, or opera.

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6.5.3 Wack Attack

Some people just love trying new things. File away information for paintball parks, shooting ranges, go-

karts, and arcades. Start following local entertainment news sites and magazines for information on

novelty activity start-ups in the area like the following:

Escape. “Escape” games make popular phone games, and they are starting to make the jump to the third

dimension. Companies are buying up old hotels and theatres and remodeling them into escape games.

The party is locked up in a room and has only so long to find the clues necessary to escape. Sometimes a

“zombie” is locked in the room with them.

_______ for a day. There are a ton of these around. Cowherds, rock stars, dolphin trainers, you name it. Set

your group up to do that thing the bride or groom has always wanted to do for a day.

Fun runs. Color runs, zombie escape runs, and obstacle courses are great options for an active bridal

party. The pictures turn out amazing and your group will have a great time completing the course

together.

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