While longer days and warmer weather are obvious indicators of a fast-approaching summer, for many people it also signals the beginning of a fast-paced wedding season. If you're planning multiple bachelor parties this summer, here are several ideas for a cheap bachelor party that will leave you with cherished memories but not a battered budget.
Roast the groom.
William Shatner. David Hasselhoff. Donald Trump. Guys love giving their friends a hard time (in a good-natured kind of way), so get together with some of the groom's closest friends for a cheap bachelor party that involves an old-fashioned roasting. Whether you rent a room at a bar or simply meet at someone's home, everyone should come prepared with treasured tales about the groom. Go a little easy on the guy, though, as this won't be the most opportune moment to remind him of the demise of his favorite childhood teddy bear.
Roast something for the groom.
Regardless whether or not the groom eats meat, nothing says "male bonding" quite like a night in the backyard, replete with all kinds of food on the grill and a cooler stocked with the group's favorite beers. Crack open a cold one and revel in a laid-back night with good friends, good food, and with any luck, a riotous sunset.
Take the groom to a video arcade.
He might be on the verge of eternal marital bliss, but that doesn't mean the groom wouldn't appreciate revisiting video games from his youth. Include a few friends in this cheap bachelor party and let him loose in a video arcade, where his inner child will break out in full force. Be on the lookout for arcades geared towards adults that let you play like you did when you were kids but drink like you do now that you're grown up.
Take him out to the ballgame.
If you happen to live within striking distance of a professional baseball team, bleacher seats can still be had for about $15. However, tickets to a minor league game in your area are often more reasonably priced, as is the fare at concessions. Dust off your old mitts and head out to the park. The added bonus for this cheap bachelor party: Most minor league parks only hold several thousand spectators, which gets you much closer to the action than you would at any professional stadium - and at a cost-effective price point.
Make the groom sing.
There's a diva hidden somewhere deep within the recesses of the groom's soul, and you all know it. Most karaoke spaces charge per hour, regardless of the size of your group, giving you the perfect opportunity to hear the groom wail at the top of his lungs while you all reminisce over tunes you listened to while growing up.
Poker night.
Dust off the old poker chips from college, fill the fridge full of the groom's favorite beer, order a few pizzas, and you've got a simple and cheap bachelor party on your hands. This is the groom's chance to fleece you out of some money even as the gamesmanship of poker lends itself to recalling old times and giving the groom a last ribbing before he makes his way into married life.
