Bucks & Hens
No, not a bunch of Bambi-like bucks and funky little lady chickens boogying away at a party, but men and women celebrating their upcoming nuptials. These bucks and hens parties Down Under are very similar to bachelor and bachelorette parties in America. Bucks and hens parties in Australia usually last for a whole weekend. The Best Man and the Maid/Matron of Honor Honour usually help with planning a bucks or hens party for the groom and the bride, but the bride or groom can feel free to plan their own.
A typical bucks party for the groom
The guys get together and, depending on styles and tastes, the festivities may last all weekend. There is something for everyone to do together: Fishing, surfing or even skydiving. They might travel to get to the location{s} where the festivities will be held. Here are some of the ideas:
· Road trip — A weekend away in the mountains for snowboarding/skiing or at the beach for surfing and partying. What they’ll be up to depends on the group of guys, really…
· Casino — Vegas-style. Can go all night. Or all weekend.
· Golf — 18 holes thrown in somewhere during the weekend. Dads and grandpas might join in on this part.
· Steak — Meat. A man and his steak dinner… From the barbie or at a steakhouse.
· On a boat — This could involve staying on a houseboat for the weekend for fishing and water sports, or taking an evening cruise on a party boat in Sydney Harbour.
· Limo — Have someone else drive them around. In style. So nobody is drinking and driving either.
· Alcohol — And loads of it, if that’s what they prefer. Sometimes drugs are involved as well, depending on the group of guys.
· Clubbing — Either going out clubbing or renting out the VIP room of one of the hottest clubs in town, if this is their style.
· House party — They might hire a house for the weekend, somewhere away from the bride and her group. This is where most of the festivities will take place, while the evenings are often spent in the city at clubs.
· Stripper{s}/Topless Waitress{es} — Oh, but of course… Much to the chagrin of the ladies normally, this seems to be an element of nearly all bucks parties. And hopefully this is as far as it will go.
A typical hens party for the bride
Similar to what the bucks are up to, the ladies get together and the festivities may last all weekend. There’s something to do together: Pampering, shopping and/or… even skydiving. They also may travel to get to where the festivities will be held. Here are some of the ideas:
· Pampering — The ladies will take a whole day to indulge in getting manicures, pedicures, facials, hair styling, massages and more. If they can afford it, they might do so at a day spa.
· High Tea — High tea is like steak for the ladies. Moms Mums and grandmas are usually along for this part of the celebration.
· Road trip — A weekend away of relaxing on a beach, being pampered during the day and partying all night.
· Clubbing — As with the bucks party, the ladies will go out but often in some form of a dress-up/costume theme. Most of the hens I’ve seen are just wearing a tiara and sash, but I’ve also seen some pretty extreme ones where they’re dressed-up {down} into sexy costumes, boogying away on the dance floor.
· House party — Same as with the guys, the girls might indulge in a lot of their partying at the hired home and then set out at night for the clubs.
· Limo — Have someone else drive them around. In style. So nobody is drinking and driving either.
· Alcohol — Lots of bubbly going around, but it all depends on the group of women. Drugs might also be involved, depending what type of group we’re talking about.
· Harbour Cruise — There are many types of party boats out there on the Sydney Harbour, just as an example.
· Wineries — I’ve seen a hens party tour bus stopping off at every winery in the Hunter Valley…
· Stripper{s}/Topless Waiter{s} — I might be partial to this because I’m a woman, but I think that most of the women who throw a hens party will involve a male stripper only because their significant other is having the same activity going on at his party and she is aware of it while planning her own.
Typical places where the bucks and hens parties are held in Australia:
· Surfers Paradise/Gold Coast
· Night life: In Sydney this might be in Kings Cross or Darlinghurst
· Beach/Bush — Camping, skiing/snowboarding, fishing, or surfing getaways
· Byron Bay
· Wineries
· Cruises
Have you held a bucks or hens party of your own? Been involved in any parties lately? If yes to either of the above, what was the most outrageous/fun/hilarious thing that happened?
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