Adult males have very few pre-planned opportunities to cut loose and have fun. A bucks party, however, is one such opportunity as it is a period of time where the groom and his friends are permitted to engage in any number of mischievous acts that they would not normally associate with their adult lives. Psychologist Stuart Brown studied play and its importance to human and animal life and reached the conclusion that play is necessary for survival. Moreover, he noted that the opposite of play is not work but depression. This has serious implications for bucks parties as they are designed to be an authorized period of release from depression by allowing men to participate in whatever frivolous activities they choose.
Sensory play: a tasting session
Skip the boring pub crawls and organize a private tasting session at the local distillery or whisky bar with a private room. The right venue will allow guests to experience four or five different tastings with an explanation from your hosts about what they are experiencing with each dram. This is important because it creates a shared sensory experience between attendees that facilitates a new type of interaction. Additionally, it provides the group with the opportunity to be engaged in a tasting session rather than the usual bar-hopping that most bucks parties resort to. Research on the “experience economy” has revealed that people derive much greater value from shared experiences as opposed to material goods. In this case, an organized tasting session will give the group a shared experience that will create lasting positive memories.
Nostalgic play: an arcade tournament
The next idea is to create a bracket-style tournament in a retro gaming bar where the entire group can face off against one another in Mario Kart, Street Fighter or another available game. The idea is to have an hour or two of the group’s day being consumed by the tournament which accommodates a variety of skill levels. This is a great game for adults of all ages as the competitive spirit of youth can be unleashed on a game that they most likely haven’t played since their high school days, with only the bragging rights and the loser’s punishment as stakes. The nostalgic value of this activity is difficult to beat for most adults who spend the majority of their time interacting with their peers as adults.
Rough and tumble play: a physical activity before drinking begins
Organize a physical activity to take place in the early hours of the event, before anyone has had the chance to drink. Go-karting, laser tag or axe throwing are great options that provide participants with an outlet for their energy. It is the first activity on this list, but it is probably the most essential: any bucks party should include something along these lines. Adult males don’t get the opportunity to engage in physical competition with their friends on a regular basis and most of their interactions are sedentary in nature. This type of activity should ideally take place before any drinking commences as it provides the group with something to do while they wait for the next activity to begin, as well as giving the group an opportunity to satisfy their competitive urges early on while they are still relatively sober after arriving at the event.
Fantasy play: a private, professional production
Some bucks parties want to include a fantasy or adult element to their event, and this can be facilitated by hiring a professional production and performer. The reason this is a fantastic idea is because the right performer will be able to help the group get into the headspace of being an audience to something that they would not typically see on a day-to-day basis, without crossing any particular ethical or comfort boundaries for any of the participants. The key word for this style of production is professional, and agencies such as Topless Babes specialize in providing the exact type of safe, professional and consensual entertainment that most bucks party groups are looking for. This is ideal because the right agency will know how to set the right expectations for the performer as well as set the mood for the group to enjoy the production without feeling discomfort or crossing personal boundaries. A private hire for a professional performer through an agency sets the tone for the evening and makes a major difference for the experience that the group will have for the entirety of the night, for everyone involved.
Risk-simulation play: a casino night or cocktail challenge
The final activity should be a casino-style night where everyone gets chips and a dealer, or a cocktail-making competition with a karaoke segment. This is important because it provides the group with an outlet for risk-taking behavior that is harmless and non-destructive, and leaves everyone with a good feeling about the night. It is the final activity for another reason as well, as it allows the group to finish on a high note. This is very similar to the poker nights that have become extremely popular in recent years, as it gives people a chance to engage in harmless gambling that they likely wouldn’t do on a regular basis.
Finale: finish on a high note
There is one rule of thumb that ties together all of these activity suggestions, and it is to ensure that the group finishes on a high note. There is substantial research that demonstrates this principle, with the most famous study being Kahneman and Redelmeier’s cold-pressor experiment. In this study, participants were asked to hold their breath for as long as they could while submerged in icy water, and the results demonstrated that people remembered experiences based on how they finished much more than how they started. In fact, the second trial that was much shorter but finished under less duress was remembered as being much less painful than the longer first trial.
The same principles can be applied to bucks party planning. Finishing the night on a high note gives the group a stronger positive memory of the night as a whole, whereas dragging it out for too long with a gradual decrease in excitement leaves most of the group with little to no recollection of the final few hours. The best way to achieve this is to plan the entire night such that it finishes when everyone is at their happiest.
Any bucks party worth its salt should include at least one activity from each category above, which will ensure a great time for everyone while also giving the group an opportunity to learn more about each other and create long-lasting positive memories.