Traditionally, when a man was about to get married, his friends would throw him a raucous bachelor party to celebrate his last single moments in outrageous fashion.
Meanwhile, the bride-to-be had a demure little shower where she received the spatulas and placemats that she would need to create a cozy home for her husband.
Well times have certainly changed! Bridal showers are still great, but for many brides, they are not quite enough.
Most brides these days want to have a party just as fun as the groom's night out on the town; these are some ideas to make your bachelorette party a terrific time.
Usually it is the bridesmaids who will organize a night out on the town for the bride-to-be.
When making the plans, it is a good idea to keep the bride herself in mind.
If she is the type to be easily embarrassed, don't worry about trying to plan a night for her that will be as raunchy as the craziest bachelor party.
The bachelorette party should definitely be a walk on the wild side, but for some brides that might mean dancing until dawn in a hip new club, rather than hitting the local Chippendale's strip club.
Party planners, use your discretion and common sense.
One way to make the bachelorette party really fun is to keep the plans a surprise for the bride.
Tell her to put on her favorite party dress, and then "kidnap" her in a stretch limousine.
This is a fun way to make the night memorable, and a great source of transportation for club hopping.
No worries about a designated driver, and you will get to make a grand entrance at all of your stops.
Everyone loves a bachelorette outing, so make sure that your group is marked in a way that everywhere you go people can get in on the fun.
For the bride, a short veil and a tiara is a must.
Of course, you would not want to risk damaging the actual wedding hair jewelry, so just pick up a cheap fake tiara.
The poufier the veil and the gaudier the fake tiara the better; you can be understated and elegant with your real wedding jewelry.
Another fun touch is a t-shirt that says "bride" for the guest of honor.
Add to the fun by having each bridesmaid wear a shirt that proclaims her role in the wedding.
There are lots of options for where to have a bachelorette event and what to do.
The weekend in Vegas is an unforgettable good time for pre-wedding festivities.
You can hit the casinos, see some shows, and wash it all down with abundance of cocktails.
Add in a group trip to the spa for even more pre-wedding bonding.
Another trend quick becoming a staple is a group pole dancing lesson.
Most bachelorette parties are a bit more local, usually held in the bride's favorite watering hole.
In these cases it is the special nature of the get-together that will make it particularly high-spirited and memorable.
Sometimes the organizers of the party like to plan some funny (maybe R-rated) games.
Favorites include risque dares and creative scavenger hunts.
Just be sure not to do anything you wouldn't want your groom to do at his bachelor party! The bachelorette party is a great chance for the bride to get together for one last wild night out on the town with all of her girlfriends (whether they are bridesmaids or not).
It is a time to cut loose and get a little crazy, while taking a break from the wedding planning.
Your bachelorette party will be a night that you will never forget, assuming that you can remember it in the morning!