Sure, the Best Man is responsible for planning a killer bachelor party, writing a humorous heartfelt toast and keeping track of the ring — but what else can he do to really leave his mark as BEST Man?

I was recently invited to guest blog on this very topic over at  Every Last Detail. You can check out my post on “5 Unexpected Ways the Best Man Can Help” here.

Cheers!

Today we’re pumped to have one of our favorite groom bloggers contributing a guest post. If you haven’t checked out Temple of Groom yet, stop everything and do so now (actually read this post first, then go).

by SuperDave (templeofgroom.com)
I recently attended my first Vegas bachelor party (and actually my first bachelor party total).  In the grand scheme of things it was tame compared to what I’ve seen in movies – no animal “shows” or sacrifices, no high speed chases or little Asian mafia men jumping from car trunks.  Just a lot of drinking, gambling, and a few strippers sprinkled on top.  Nothing really had to “stay in Vegas” that I couldn’t bring back to me in California though (which isn’t a such a bad thing).  I think it was a more realistic version of what we see in movies or on TV.  So I’ve come back with a six pack of tips for the newbies on the block who don’t really know what to expect.

1. Pay more to get your own bed. This was something I should have been more adamant about.  Because most of my friends are on a TIGHT budgets, we opted for the “how many guys can we cram into this room” approach.  Sure it was great that we only owed $40 for the room at the end of the weekend, but it really wasn’t worth sleeping with my ear infected buddy on top of me for a night.  During the bachelor party planning stages, you need to do everything in your power to insure that you will get your own bed.  Even if you only sleep for 45 minutes over 2 days like I did, it’s at least a COMFORTABLE 45 minutes.  Additionally, it’s not enough that you simply suggest this to your buddies (this is my fatal error), you seriously need to make this your bitness.  If that means  you put a few extra dollars down, it’ll be money well spent.  Find someone else that feels the same way and split a different 2 bed room with him.  Additionally, and this may be tip 1a, when picking a bed at the end of the night if you’re sharing a room, don’t assume that the bed with the messier sheets was the one that got “slept in” – do a more thorough ocular investigation.

We strongly agree with SuperDave. Get your own bed and room key.

2.  Get a key to your room. This was another fatal mistake I made.  I thought when I was ready to go back to the room certainly one of the guys w/ a room key would be next to me.  Looking back, I can’t believe how dumb I was for thinking I’d be able to track down 1 of 2 drunk friends in VEGAS while I was also extremely drunk.  If you get your own bed, or your own room, you most likely don’t have to worry about this, but if you’re like me and pile into a room with guys, don’t be surprised if the lone key bearer is nowhere to be found at the end of the night.  You could get screwed out of a bed all together if your name isn’t on the reservation and your buddy goes missing.

3.  Bring your own soap. This one is kind of a no-brainer, but I promise you, when you’re stepping into the shower, you’ll quickly smack yourself that you didn’t think about this sooner.  Also, it’s a good idea to go grab a towel either from the front desk or the pool.  Sharing a bed with a couple of guys is bad enough, sharing their soap is inexcusable.

4.  Bring more cash than you think you need, but not more than you can afford to lose. The only faster way to lose your money in Vegas rather than the slots is the casino/strip club ATM machines.  At the strip club, there was a $12 fee to take money out of their ATM.  That’s insane.  More often you’ll find yourself digging into your pockets for CASH not your credit card, and when you’re out, the only option is the ATMs.  It’s brutal.  If you’re out of cash, take your smart friends that brought cash out to lunch and pick up the bill on your credit card.  Your friends don’t charge the ATM fee.

When the night starts to resemble this image, it might be time to down a 5-Hour Energy

5.  Drink 5 Hour Energy. This product got me through the weekend.  No harsh crash when it’s wearing off, and the taste wasn’t bad!

6.  When you’re at the strip club, “the truth will set you free.” I found that there was no really nice extremely polite way to get the strippers I wasn’t interested in to leave me alone.  If I told them I wasn’t ready for a dance, they’d say “well I’ll wait next to you till you are ready.”  If you said that you just got there, they’d say “so what?”  There is just nothing you can say or do to get a girl to quickly stop badgering you except “I’m sorry, you’re pretty, but you’re not my type.”  Most of the time after saying this, she’d give me a nasty look, but the fact that she would leave me alone was an fair trade.

A hilarious look at bachelor party concepts from one of our favorite TMR vendors – California’s own FireFly Group Events

I'm on a Boat (for my bachelor party)!

Your friend Jimmy is passed out in his own vomit as your bleary eyes register the tattoo on your arm. A tattoo that didn’t exist twelve hours ago because until last night, you didn’t know anyone named Trixie. A moment of clarity pierces your hangover fog and you realize that you’ve made it; your bachelor party is over and you’ve come through unscathed…Almost. Just wait until your fiance asks who Trixie is.

It takes one friend to tie the knot and the rest of you get a reason to party. Be careful though–if the bride learns any details from the bachelor party, that knot may become a noose for your friend. Maybe it’s time to consider a different approach to the bachelor party. We’re all for a liquor-fueled last hurrah with the boys. BUT, we suggest you shift toward memories that can be shared, and away from secrets that inevitably leak.

Bachelors and best men are already moving away from the standard and stale strippers-and-beer fests. Instead of bar hopping and strip clubs, men are deep sea fishing, kart racing, playing poker, and seeking out activities that offer more. They’re bonding (yes, men can bond) and they’re coming back with memories that don’t make enemies out of the bridal party.

As Best Man your goal is to become a legend, without endangering the groom’s status with the bride. It’s a send-off that lets him know what the rest of the guys think of him. It’s a lot of pressure, but don’t worry, we’re here to help.

1st – Figure out what the Groom wants! It’s His party, celebrating His last time out with the boys as a single man.

2nd – Check out our website: http://www.fireflygroupevents.com/main.php . We have a great selection of packages and tools to make organizing a party easier. We’ll collect the money, book the vendors, and let you take credit. With our help, this is the easiest party you’ll ever plan.

3rd –  All hands on deck. This ship will sink unless you get all your friends talking it up. Get them excited! Create a buzz!

Bonus tip– If you decide to use strippers, we recommend calling each and every tattoo parlor in the area. Ask them to ban you from their premises for a period of 24 hours.

Keep in mind that a bachelor party is not like a normal party, the details are harder to manage. You’re dealing with people you may not know well, multiple locations, and vendors you’re unfamiliar with. We simplify the process for you! Our custom event pages allow you to send email invites, see whose going, who’s paid, and communicate via message boards. Leave the vendors, money, and stress to us.

Also, be sure to read The Man Registry’s great advice for Bachelor Party Planning!

Now this is what we call a bachelor party

If you’re looking for some ideas to get the juices flowing, check out some of our pre-packaged deals for the grooms in California:

Los Angeles – Surf & Scale – Surfing lesson and Rock Climbing

San Francisco – Scratch It – Learn beat matching on the turntables, then load onto the Party Bus for a night of fun

San Diego – False Starts – Mini Grand Prix kart style followed by beer tasting at three micro breweries

Orange County – Hangman Strikes – Traverse this sixty foot ropes course to fly down their insane zipline and then head to our favorite lanes for some bowling.

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For more information on becoming a TMR sponsored vendor and writing guest blogs for our blog, view our Become a TMR Vendor page.