Hi guys...... This weeks topic is going to be about the very important celebration that every bride or groom is looking forward to before their wedding. The last party as a single: the bachelor party or polterabend. It's called different things in the different countries, but bachelor party, polterabend, stag party etc. are the typically used names for this day.
Basically the bachelorparty is a day that is planned by the best man for the groom or the maid of honor for the bride. The day is celebrated individuelley, the boys together and the girls together. Some couples meet up in the evening when both the bachelor parties for the bride and groom are celebrated the same day. The day is accompanied with the closest friends, who will also be planning the day together with the best man / maid of honor.
The day typically starts out with breakfast. After that, the boys normally go for something wild and something that pushes their limit to the extreme. Most of the bachelor parties I have heard of, from my friends all included paintball, beach activities and other extreme stuff. The most female bachelor parties starts out with brunch, small group activities and nice dinner in the evening. Some girls also, do go out and challenge themselves with extreme activities, but basically it's not that common. Another very important part of the day is to dress up the bride or groom. Dress them up, so they will be embarrassed, for example as a baby, with minimal clothes, the groom as a lady and it goes on with no limits. Only the creativity will stop the dressing up. After that they will go to the midtown and embarrass themselves, by either selling stuff, roses, condoms, kisses etc. to people walking by, It is a very funny and entertaining activity for both the friends and people walking by. You are never in a doubt when there is a bachelor party taking place. People are often loud and happy, and it's very clear when the group comes near you on the street. Some of my friends also travels to foreign countries and have ONE BIG PARTY that normally lasts for a few days. With the cheap airline tickets nowadays, it's easy to get a break out, go somewhere else, and be crazy there :)
So the history behind the bachelorparty comes from polterabend. The tradition comes from Germany. The word itself means (poltern) making noise and (abend) evening. The actual high point of the event is the throwing onto the ground of porcelain that has been brought by guests. However, stoneware, flowerpots or ceramics such as tiles, sinks and toilet bowls are also happily thrown items. Metal objects such as tin cans and bottle tops are brought along to the festivities. Glass is not broken because for some glass symbolises happiness. Mirrors should not be broken due to the old superstition that breaking a mirror will bring seven years of bad luck. The couple must thereafter take care of cleaning up the pile of shards. This is supposed to make the couple aware that they will have to work together through difficult conditions and situations in life.
The day and evening normally involves a lot of alcohol consumption and typically a stripper etc. so many bachelor parties has gone wrong, rooms has been damaged etc., Many hotels do not even want bachelor parties to be held in their hotel. The damages and costs after a party can be very high, so they simply do not want to take the risk.
No matter what, this is the day that's spent with your closest friends as "the last day of freedom", and needs to be held for every bride and groom. So if you have any friends who are soon to get married, go and Google for ideas. There are tons of ideas out there. But be responsible and try to limit the damage during the day :)
Until next time
