Wedding Planning|Wedding Planning & Wedding Advice

Getting Married Soon?

An Independence Day Bachelor Party

Why? Well, July 4th usually involves outdoor fun, barbecued food, and beer so it sounds like a perfect day to get the guys together and celebrate your groom-to-be’s independence one last time. Here are some ideas…

Patriotic Spots to Celebrate

If the groom is a history buff, this is the perfect opportunity to take him on a weekend that celebrates his heritage while you celebrate his impending wedding. Tripadvisor.com lists top 10 Patriotic Attractions, here are my picks:

Freedom Trail (Boston Massachusetts)

“Boston’s Freedom Trail is a two-and-a-half mile path through 16 significant U.S. historical sites where Revolutionary War heroes fought for U.S. independence, including the site of the Boston Massacre, the Old State House and Bunker Hill Monument, to name a few” (tripadvisor.com).

Mount Rushmore (Keystone, South Dakota)

“A famous 60-foot mountainside carving created by sculptor Gutzon Borglum and completed in 1941 pays homage to the most influential U.S. presidents in our country’s first 150 years: George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln and Theodore Roosevelt” (tripadvisor.com).

Revolutionary Refreshments

It doesn’t matter what you serve as long as you grill it and then stick it with a lot of American flag toothpicks!

Barbecuing is as American as, well… apple pie!

Patriot Games

Don’t forget to organize some games. This truly American football is available from carnivalimports.com (irony somewhat intended).

The baseball is from chinawholesalegift.com.

Clubplanet.com lists 5 different drinking games for the 4th of July.

All American Stories

End off the night (or the next morning) with an All-American movie perfect for some all-American guys: Saving Private Ryan, The Outsiders, American Pie, Dazed and Confused, Animal House… whatever suits your group of friends the best (any other suggestions?).

Don’t Forget Your Independ-pants

…and shirt, and shoes…

This cool shirt is from onlinesports.com.

You might also consider throwing your stagette or bachelorette (or Jack and Jill party) on Independence Day!

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Get Crafty!

Add some activities to a bridal shower to make it more fun. If you give everyone something to do with their hands you’ll have less awkward small talk and more fun overall – particularly if your guest list is made up of a bunch of people who won’t know each other very well. These ideas could work at a bachelorette party too, depending on the tone of the event.

Ring Fling

Provide an assortment of materials and let guests craft their own engagement ring. Offer prizes for the most outrageous, most realistic, etc. Raid your craft supplies – if you’re not a big craft nerd like me, you can also go to a dollar store or craft store and pick up: metallic-colored pipe cleaners, large beads, ribbons, glitter glue, and whatever else you see that will work.

Check out this impressive looking ring from craftbits.com (visit the site for a tutorial).

Garter Fun

Everyone makes their own garter and then make all the guests wear it out on the stagette, if you like! Or everyone could make one and then the bride picks which one she will actually wear at the wedding.There’s a tutorial at applebride.com. Another option, buy simple and inexpensive garters for every guest and then ask them to decorate them instead. This is a quick and easy activity that could start off a fun evening. Garters should include the guests name or role in the wedding and the decorations will serve as an icebreaker when everyone is mingling at the party. It’s also a cheeky way to identify everyone in the group if you are heading downtown for the second half of the evening.

A plain white garter at koyalwholesale.com is only $2.99 (while on sale). Ideas for decorations: feathers, flowers, felt hearts (or other shapes), beads, gems, lace, ribbons, charms, etc. Also consider buying some fabric pens or self-applicating paint.

The garter pictured below is from mypromstyle.com.

Tampon Brides

Each guest makes a bride from a tampon for a fun craft activity that promotes lots of laughter and female bonding. Provide the following materials: tampons, glue gun, paint, pipe cleaners, yarn, embroidery thread, cardboard, glitter glue, beads, etc. This craft was inspired by the infamous Tampon Angel – I was pleasantly suprised to find a whole website dedicated to tampon crafts (tamponcrafts.com- their angel is pictured below).