When men get married, they often ask brothers and best friends to participate in the nuptial fun. Just like brides and their bridal party, some planning goes into that fun. While the dudes of the day might not invest in decorations and other details that bridesmaids would, there are still several ways to make a wedding trip memorable.
Help Plan the Vegas Events
A Vegas wedding needs planning beyond the fun stuff, including the rehearsal dinner. Nick Fields, owner and founder of World Crawl in Las Vegas, knows that the bachelor brigade is responsible for more than just toasting the groom
“Typically, the best men and the groomsmen should take [planning the events] off the groom’s plate,” Fields says. “If it’s a planned trip to Vegas, it should not be planned by the groom. It should be signed off on [by the groom] but … it should be handled by the groomsmen.”
Some details to consider include transportation, lodging, restaurant reservations, event planning and buying supplies for the entire trip.
Organize the Bachelor Party
Most guys love a party, and a good bachelor party in Vegas takes on many forms. The casinos are open 24 hours a day, the accommodations can take on any budget or preference and the restaurants are always top-notch. With so much variety, the best way to choose is helping plan as much as possible.
Fields knows that taking extra steps to plan a bachelor party is worth the effort, including the party planning elements.
“We’ll do private tours for bachelor parties that want to go all out, that want to have their own custom experience,” he explains. “The best man or a groomsman usually does the work [for planning a trip to Vegas].”
If a few nights out on the town aren’t on the agenda, consider scheduling a tee time at one of the many Las Vegas golf courses, or planning some hiking or camping in the nearby nature hotspots.
Hold the Ring
On the actual day of the wedding, a flurry of activity is in store. Since the rings are a touchstone for the event, the groom may ask for one of his attending men to hold onto the bride’s band before vows and important ceremony points. The best man or groomsman usually holds it inside a breast pocket until exchange time during the ceremony.
Prepare a Groomsman Speech
Depending on the wedding vibe, some groomsmen grab the mic and say a few words. The Knot describes the art of giving a best man speech as a fun experience that needs some structure to be successful, and the other groomsmen in the party that stand up to speak can take the same advice. Consider this outline as guidance for crafting a well-spoken toast:
- Think ahead on what to say
- Be authentic when speaking
- Don’t venture into dangerous topic territory
- Take it down on paper, or type it out
- Practice makes perfect
Beyond the wedding, making a dinner speech can be a fun start to a weekend away, or a cool motivator in the morning while the crew is getting ready. Ask the groom if he wants some extra words thrown in for fun.
Show Up on Time
Vegas might be called the 9th Island, but that doesn’t mean the fun should run on island time for bachelor party events and wedding festivities. Be punctual for events that require attendance, such as dinner reservations, tee times and show tickets.
Usher The Fun
Being an usher at a wedding is another responsibility to consider. A groom may ask one of his guys to keep the events moving on time at the wedding, through the ceremony and reception and even for the afterparty. Consult with the day-of coordinator or other wedding planner to master the schedule for the big day.
Get Silly …
Fields notes that the more creative energy that groomsmen bring to the party, the more fun they’ll have during the actual parties. He has memories of seeing groomsmen dress up their main man as a woman, or locking a ball and chain around his ankle, and notes that groomsmen should bring back the concept of pulling off funny stunts before the nuptials commence.
“I see it less and less, but there are definitely some groups of guys that are creative, and they’ll get [a gag gift] that’s funny and hilarious,” Fields says.
… But Behave
It can be tempting to go wild for a Vegas trip to celebrate, but it’s important to maintain a reasonable pace for drinking and partying, especially if the ceremony itself is in the city. Guests and families will appreciate an alert and present groom, sans hangover, but not as much as the groom in question. In short, keep it classy.
Head to Vegas for Groomsman Fun
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