One of the highlights for all the groom's friends is the bachelor party. The history of the bachelor party is thought to have originated with a bachelor dinner that was traditional in ancient Sparta (5th century) where soldiers would toast each other on the eve of a friend's wedding. Out of this tradition grew a more formal party that evolved into wild partying which was portrayed in the 1984 movie Bachelor Party with Tom Hanks. In Europe, the bachelor party is called Stag Party which has the same traditions.

The best man is usually the organizer of the bachelor party planning along with the help of the groomsmen who want to participate. It is important to remember that the person who you are throwing the party for is the groom and he should be asked what type of party he has. All too often, it is the groomsmen who want to decide on what type of party to plan (i.e., exotic dancers, wild clubs) when the bachelor would like a great golf game and dinner with this friends. Make sure to take the groom's wishes into consideration as it is his "last night out". Below we have listed some information we feel would be helpful in planning the bachelor party festivities:

1) Plan Ahead - Make sure that you get a list from the groom way in advance on who he wants to have going to his bachelor party. The bachelor party is usually held anywhere from a month to a few weeks prior to the wedding but making plans to get all the groomsmen and friends together takes some planning. If it will be an away trip, make sure to get in touch with everyone as soon as possible so they can make airfare or travel plans. Get a list of everyone's email and phone numbers from the groom and start sending out emails with everyone on the list to get the energy going!

2) Type of Party - Again, check with the groom what type of party he wants to have, whether mild or wild. Some of the most common types of parties are listed below:

-Exotic Dance Club
-Bar Hopping
-Golf Excursion
-Dinner and Club
-Winery or Cigar House
-Home party with Exotic Dancer
--Ball Game and Dinner
-Bowling and Beer
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3) Money Collection - After figuring out what, when, where and how for the bachelor party, it is customary for everyone to pitch in and pay for the bachelor during the party. If you are going out of town, the bachelor usually will cover his airfare and hotel with everyone pitching in for everything else(i.e., dinners, drinks, other food). The reason to figure an estimated amount of the bachelor party in advance is to let everyone know before they go to the bachelor party how much they need to contribute. All too often, the best man gets stuck paying the most as someone always forgets to pay if it is left to the last minute. It is not rude to ask all the bachelor brethren to pay prior to leaving so the best man or person planning the bachelor party has the "funds" all ready to go for the bachelor.

4) Bachelor Party Supplies - The bachelor party will only be as good as the energy placed into it. If you are looking for a festive bachelor feel, check out www.bachelorpartyfun.com where they have great ideas as well as sell all types of bachelor party supplies and decorations. Another great resource is www.bachelorpartygifts.com which has lots of great information for game ideas during the bachelor party festivities. Again, follow the wishes of the groom as he may want a mellow party with no decorations and games being played.

5) Sober Driver - If there is drinking involved, make sure you have at least one sober driver who can be responsible for the group if needed. A great way is to rent a party bus or limo, depending on where you are going. Make sure there is enough time in advance to hire the company needed. Check out the page here for information on these services.

6) No Man Left Behind - Besides having a sober driver, make sure when you leave one party place to another (or home) that everyone is accounted for in the party. It is not bad for someone to take a count at the beginning of the night if possible. Assign the sober driver or someone with responsibility to do this.

7) Moderation Is The Key To Success - The bachelorette will want to make sure that her bachelor is well taken care of by his friends which means to not let him get sick. Make sure not to overload the groom with shots and know where his tolerance level is. The worst thing is to have him not remember his own bachelor party when he wants to have a memorable time. With that said, you can still have a raging time while being respectful of how much is too much for the groom.

8) Front Page In Tomorrow's Paper - After planning enough bachelor parties, I have seen many where someone ends up in jail which makes a great story but not for the parties getting locked up. Depending on where you are (i.e., Mexico), jail is not the best place to party after getting too rowdy or doing something illegal. Make sure to use judgment while having a great time and also know who in the party are the more rowdy groomsmen so the crisis groomsmen team can go into action when things get a little out of hand.

9) Socializing - Whatever event is chosen for the bachelor party, it is always great to have some part of the evening when the guys can hang with one-another, especially if everyone does not know one-another. Some of the coolest friends I have met were through a friend's bachelor party. Having a dinner, finishing the evening at a cigar house or lounge bar is cool as these will be the people you will hang with at the wedding and possibly establish friendships with.

10) What Happens At The Bachelor Party, Stays At The Bachelor Party - Many times there are events that take place that are not suited for the bachelorette's to hear about. It is an unwritten rule that pictures are not to be taken and stories are not to be told. Everyone can have a good time without the need for photos or stories when the women are around as it may be harsh enough to cause friction between a couple. Use some care when re-telling war stories from the evening.