Somewhere along the line, the bachelor party transformed from a classy affair hosted by the groom’s father to a weekend of debauchery complete with strippers, gambling, and plenty of booze. But there can be a party in between these two polar opposites. The cabin is the ultimate landscape for a bachelor party: there’s sun, water, booze, and your bros. What more could you want?
Here are seven tips for organizing a bachelor party at the cabin.
Delegate duties (or let the best man plan everything)
When it comes to planning the party, there are two approaches you can take. Either work together as a group and delegate all the duties, like organizing transportation to and from the cabin, making playlists, picking up booze and groceries, and planning activities. Or let one person, such as the best man, reign supreme and plan everything. If the best man is super organized and the rest of the wedding party is a ragtag crew living in different cities, then option two might be the best choice. If the groomsmen are all close friends, then it makes sense to brainstorm ideas together.
Pick the right time
Although Hollywood tells us the bachelor party should take place the night before the wedding, it definitely doesn’t need to be. In fact, most groomsmen and the groom prefer to do it a couple of weeks to a month in advance of the big day. As much as the bachelor party is about, well, partying, it’s equally about the groomsmen getting to know each other. It provides an opportunity for the childhood best friend to meet the brother-in-law, or the college buds and the workmates. When the actual wedding comes along, the bros will already be well acquainted—giving the groom one less thing to worry about.
Don’t forget the details
Once you’ve picked the date and location, it’s time to start thinking about the nitty gritty details that will help the weekend go swimmingly. For example, plan your meals in advance, ensure there’s towels at the cottage, fuel for the boat, and stock up on sunscreen, firewood, and booze. If your cottage is of the more rustic variety, give your guests a heads-up.
Ensure your drinking games are up to snuff
Drinking games and bachelor parties go together like bacon wrapped around pork tenderloin. While it’s important to stay true to the classics—i.e., beer pong and flip cup—play some of these lesser-known games, like Beersbee. It’s a mix of Frisbee and beer, where the objective is to knock the other team’s can or bottle off their pole, all the while holding a beer in your hand. Draw up a round robin tournament and see who is the ultimate Beersbee Champ at the end of the weekend.
Concoct a signature bro cocktail
We love beer as much as the next bro, but there’s nothing quite like sipping on a perfectly made cocktail. Along with ample amounts of beer, come up with a signature cocktail to serve at the party. It can be something as simple as a beermosa (beer and orange juice) or a build-your-own Caesar bar. If you’re looking for a classy tipple, pull a Don Draper and serve an old fashioned or sidecar.
Brand the party with a hashtag
Yes, we’ve reached peak Bachelor Party 2.0, and yes, it needs a hashtag. How else are all your friends going to follow along on Instagram and Facebook? Most importantly, it keeps everyone’s photos together in one convenient place. Future reminiscing will be a breeze.
Let your neighbours in on the party
If you don’t want to become the most hated cottager on your lake, let your neighbours know you’re hosting a bachelor party. Sound travels across water, and while you can’t 100 percent promise that the late-night campfire jam session won’t get to rowdy, you can give your neighbours a warning of the upcoming shenanigans. Be sure to also give everyone your cell phone number ahead of time too. Better they give you a call to quiet down before they call the police.
