Bachelor/Bachelorette Parties in New York

The bachelor party is a men-only night/weekend of hanging out. Usually the best man will host the party and plan it, but everyone invited will be expected to pitch in for the cost. With so many fun things possible in New York, many parties are really just outings, maybe going to a club, going bungee-jumping, etc.

You may be worried about the whole idea of the bachelor party- convinced that your husband-to-be will be spending the night with strippers and alcohol. There are a couple things you can do about this. One option is to not insist on having every detail of the party- don't even ask where they're going. Just assume the best and get on with your life.

If you are really concerned about his party, tell him. You can have a serious talk with him and find out what he had in mind for his party. If he really wanted to go to one last mud-wrestling contest before your marriage, maybe you could accept his wishes. If he had something a little more raunchy in mind, you may compromise with him, or try to persuade him to do something different. You should also have him tell his best man what the party's "rating" should be. If he wants to keep it PG, the best man should respect that and plan accordingly.

Just make sure you don't make it a big deal- if you get too stressed about it, the issue may lead to a postponed, or even canceled, wedding. Don't try to force your fiancé to do (or not do) something he would regret. This is his last big bash as a "free" man, and he should be able to have fun.

Weddings are notorious for their toasts. In fact, many New York couples are now buying commemorative champagne glasses etched with hearts, their names, or other designs. There are many different ways you can serve drinks at your reception.

First, and most expensive, you can have an open bar. This means that the bar will be available to guests for the whole duration of the reception. Generally, with an open bar, guests will be able to get any drink they would like (and how ever many), so it can become quite an expense. The second idea is to have a limited bar, which is much less expensive. This can be taken in two ways, you can either have a limited amount of time for guests to get drinks, or you can have a limited variety of drinks, or both. The third option is to have a cash bar, which makes the guests pay for any drinks they get. This is not recommended no matter how tight your budget is. The last idea is to not have alcoholic beverages at all. This will really decrease your reception costs and is a great option if you/your fiancé or your families do not drink.

For all of you couples who do choose to have alcoholic beverages, you may be confused about how much you actually need to get. Below are amounts for various drinks, based on an amount of 100 guests. If you are going to be serving many different drinks, you'll want to split these amounts accordingly.

Beer: 2 cases
Whiskey: 1-2 liters
Bourbon: 1-2 liters
Gin: 2 liters
Scotch: 3 liters
Light rum: 2 liters
Vodka: 6 liters
Tequila: 1 liter
Champagne: 1 1/2 cases
Red wine: 8 bottles
White wine: 1 1/2 cases
Dry vermouth: 2 bottles
Sweet vermouth: 2 bottles

You'll want all of the guests to at least have some kind of drink for the toasts. The most popular choice is champagne, with wine close behind. Some couples will choose to have the "bubbly" effect without the alcohol and simply use sparkling cider. If you are having a daytime or casual wedding, you may choose something a little more fun like cranberry juice or lemonade. Just make sure you take into account the style of the wedding as well as your own personal tastes when choosing drinks for your reception.