Function

• The purpose of a bachelor party is for a man's friends to mark his impending marriage to a woman and note that his time as a bachelor is about to end. The bachelor party is usually held by the best man as a mark of appreciation for his friendship with the groom. The party is generally boisterous and an opportunity to engage in debauchery, but it may also take on a nostalgic feel and serve as a moment to recall the joys of youth.
  
  

History

• Bachelor parties are believed to have originated in ancient Greece, where Spartan men would toast a groom-to-be the evening before his wedding day and voice appreciation for him. The bachelor party has since evolved into a notorious evening of revelry among male friends, and the tradition has also expanded to include women, who hold their own pre-wedding parties. Bachelor parties also do not usually happen the night before a wedding anymore.
  
  

Types

• A bachelor party is known as many different things in other parts of the world. In Australia it is called a buck's night, and in Canada and the UK it is often referred to as a stag night. Sometimes these parties extend beyond one night and can be called a stag weekend. While most bachelor's parties involve drinking and sexual innuendo, other activities such as camping, paint-balling or playing golf are also done. Women now host their own bachelorette parties, or hen's nights. There are also stag-and-doe events, which is where the bride and groom hold a single party together.
  
  

Features

• Most bachelor parties involve heavy drinking, especially of beer, and exotic dancers. The parties may be held at home with a private stripper, or in strip clubs. Also common at bachelor parties are pranks and hazing at the expense of the guest of honor, often involving taking advantage of his drunken state. Gambling is another common theme. Bachelor parties are usually loud and raunchy, and have all male attendants.
  
  

Significance

• The bachelor party is seen as a rite of passage for heterosexual men. The majority of Western men who marry will have a bachelor party, and almost all Western men will eventually attend one. The plots of many movies, especially comedies, such as "Sideways" and "Very Bad Things," have revolved around a bachelor party evening or weekend, as have many television show episodes. In their bid for equal fun, the same can also be said in modern times of bachelorette parties for women.