Last week we discussed throwing a bachelorette party for the bride-to-be. This week, let’s focus on throwing a party for the bachelor – one that won’t end his marriage before it even begins.

We all know what a bachelor party is “supposed” to look like. It involves high levels of drunkenness and debauchery, and it usually includes at least one stripper and some poor decisions. Women hate them. Men are supposed to love them, but you’ll often see the groom getting embarrassed or downright angry when his buddies decide to “tempt” him before his wedding.

If you’re planning a bachelor party for your best buddy, take some time and think about how to make it really fun for him and all the guys. Does that fun include a stern talking to from his future wife? Does it involve drinking like you did when you were in college, only to wake up the next day, remembering that you’re not quite as young as you used to be? Or does it involve something a little bit cleaner that will actually be a lot more fun?

Check out these ideas for a bachelor party that might not fit the traditional mold, but will definitely have all of your friends laughing and reminiscing later.

Go for an Adventure

Before your buddy gets married, go out and enjoy a big adventure together. Are you close to the mountains? You could book a zip-lining tour through the treetops or go on a mountain biking adventure. Does the groom like to fish? Head down to the river for a peaceful day of catching dinner with your own two hands.

Even if you live in the city, you can still book a pretty great adventure. Is there a place to play laser tag or stage a paintball war near you? You could even embrace your inner children and go race go-carts.

Take Me Out to the Ballpark

Is the groom a big baseball or football fan? Get your buddies together and rent a VIP suite for the next big game. You can all kick back and enjoy a few brews, watch the game, and eat all the snacks you can stomach. Do it right, and don’t let anyone drive drunk. If you book a limousine service to get you to and from the game, you’ll all be able to drink your beers and enjoy yourselves, and the groom will feel like a VIP, from start to finish.

Combine Bachelor and Bachelorette Parties

Another growing trend is combined bachelor/bachelorette parties. Rent out your favorite bar for the evening, and let her friends and his friends mingle. You never know what might spark. The next wedding could be on the horizon if a couple of those friends hit it off.

If you don’t all already know each other well, you can use any number of icebreakers. We love the idea of a murder mystery game to get everyone mingling while you all try to solve the mystery.

When you combine parties, you’re showing the bride that you and her husband-to-be’s other friends aren’t plotting against her. You’re all behind this marriage 100%, and everyone loves a good party, right? Whether you decide to combine or make the bachelor party a stag-only event, make sure you let the bride-to-be know what’s going on. She’ll trust you to take care of her intended husband, and she might have some good insights on the best party for him.

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