What is a Bachelor Party and Why is it Celebrated?

Have you ever wondered how the Bachelor Party came about? It wasn't always about copious amounts of alcohol and strippers, it was more of a chilled out affair, dating back to the 5th Century BC! Yes indeed, all those centuries ago, guys were celebrating their upcoming nuptials for very different reasons than they do today.

Bachelor Party History

It was in fact the Spartans, who started this long held tradition. They began holding a feast for the groom-to-be and his friends and family the night before the wedding. They would eat, drink and be merry, making toasts to the Bachelor to wish him well in this new chapter of his life. By the 40s and 50s, the Bachelor Party had evolved into a 'Gentlemen's Dinner' which was held by the groom-to-be's father. In a similar fashion to the Spartans, they would have a meal to celebrate his rite of passage into married life and use the opportunity for some good old male bonding. As time has passed, the original tradition of celebrating the groom and his new life changed dramatically. By the 80s and 90s, it was all about the groom's humiliation and the partying. The genuine toasts to the Bachelor were swapped for numerous pints of beer and the meal had all but disappeared. Instead, it seemed the new rite of passage was to see a stripper, then be tied naked to a lamp post for the evening - oh, what fun!

The New Bachelor Party

Over the last 20 years, Bachelor Parties have been changing again. Although the Bachelor's mates still use it as an opportunity to pull pranks, the actual party has grown into a weekend of activities, rather than just one evening. Not only that, but the parties are now taking place in other countries too, not just in old Blighty! Europe is now the place to be, where Bachelors can take part in many crazy and exciting activities, as well as the standard drink until you drop, in the evenings. Maybe the original ethos of celebrating the groom is coming back, we'll have to wait and see...

Best Man Responsibilities

Apart from the obligatory snog with the chief bridesmaid, the Best Man is the guy who will be organising the Bachelor Party. He's the one who will decide when and where it will be and exactly what kind of capers you will all be getting up to! The Best Man is definitely the one who will have the nightmare responsibility of keeping the ring safe and of course, the wedding speech - so be careful what you get up to at the party, or all will be revealed!
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