If you have been given the honor of acting as your brother or friend’s best man, you have some party planning to do!  The best man traditionally plans and hosts a bachelor party, for one last night of shenanigans before the big day.

There is no right or wrong way to have a bachelor party; any event the groom finds entertaining is appropriate.  While many grooms look forward to a night out, complete with bar-hopping, free flowing drinks and live entertainment, some are just as happy to spend the day golfing with buddies or partying at a live concert.  Choose a theme and events the groom can enjoy.

Hold the party some time in the month approaching the big day, but avoid the night before the wedding so the groom and groomsmen are in good shape for the big day.  While choosing a venue and transportation, have a rough estimate of how many people you will need to accommodate.  Will you invite the groom’s coworkers or relatives, or is it for friends only?  It is best to ask the groom for guidance when deciding who to invite, to avoid leaving anyone out as much as to prevent embarrassing the groom or making him feel as though he can’t cut loose and have fun because certain people are there.

Bachelor parties can be as wild or as tame as the groom wants.  Find out how far you can go and toe that line without crossing it.  Keep the details and itinerary secret to surprise the groom with your amazing planning skills as you whisk him around town on a night he’ll never forget!  Just leave the cameras at home.

Use this checklist to get organized and make sure all of the important details are covered as the date of the party approaches.