Traditionally, bachelor and bachelorette parties have been a time for the groom and bride to enjoy their so-called last nights of freedom before getting hitched. However, they have recently become simply a time for them to bond with some of their closest friends and family members before the big day.

There is a variety of things to do and activities to be planned for one of these parties, but it ultimately depends on the bride and groom’s tastes.

Planning

Both bachelor and bachelorette parties are typically planned the same, except for a few differences.

Both sides need to come up with a guest list. When doing this, one must keep in mind the cost of whatever they plan to do in order to split costs without charging too much per person.

The location may be decided after the activity is planned to make sure it’s the proper venue. Most parties will start out with dinner at someone’s house or a restaurant and then move somewhere else.

When choosing the activity, the planner (most likely the maid of honor or best man) will need to take into consideration the interests of the bride or groom.

It is customary to set the date of the bachelor or bachelorette party no more than one month before the wedding. Most people tend to host their parties either the night before the wedding or the weekend before.

Other things to think of when planning a bachelor or bachelorette party include a designated driver or other form of transportation, whether or not it will be a surprise and who is going to be in charge of the camera.

Bachelor Parties

When the Spartans held the first form of the bachelor party, they simply held a dinner for the groom the night before the wedding. During this dinner, they would toast the groom and celebrate his upcoming marriage.

As stated before, the bachelor dinner evolved into a celebration of the groom’s last night of freedom. This night has been a popular night for the groom and his friends to go out to the bars or even strip clubs. Now, bachelor parties are more a chance for male bonding since future chances to do so may be few and far between.

Some popular things to do for bachelor parties include bar hopping (for those of age), sporting events, bowling, a poker night, renting a party bus or doing something outdoors.

Bachelorette Parties

Bachelorette parties do not date as far back as bachelor parties do. When they first emerged in the 1960s to 1980s, the guests of the bridal shower would go out for drinks afterward. In the 1990s, it became popular for the bride and her guests to go to a night club to celebrate.

Now, bachelorette parties are just as elaborate, if not more so, than bachelor parties. Some of the current trends include destination parties, a night of bar hopping, a spa day, glamping, a winery tour, or a scavenger hunt.

Accessories

Two of the places in Ames that carry accessories and party favors for bachelor and bachelorette parties are Party Time on South Third Street and Celebrations on Main Street.

Paula Motz, retail manager for Party Time, said they carry a variety of party favors and accessories to fit the tastes of nearly every bride. Some of these items include sashes, boas, tiaras, bridal cups and a few risque items.

Motz said it depends on the age group of the bride and her guests as to what they typically plan for their bachelorette parties. Some of them pick up sashes and tiaras to make the bride stand out while others will get the more inappropriate items. Since the novelty items cost more, the younger crowd typically sticks to something the bride can wear while out on the town.

Motz also said they don’t sell too many games because people are becoming more creative about coming up with their own.

Patty Tucker, manager of Celebrations, has noticed that the most popular bachelorette party items they sell are hot pink and black or luau-themed.

They do carry and sell some risque items, but most of their merchandise includes shot and wine glasses, table settings including plates and napkins, scavenger hunt games and Koozies.

They also carry invitations for bachelorette parties but haven’t sold many. Most people these days are using social media and text messaging to invite their guests to their bachelor and bachelorette parties.