Rewind the Clock and Make New Memories With a Throwback Bachelor Party

Nostalgia is an excellent theme for a wholesome bachelor party. Getting married is an emotional occasion, so why not throw an event that comforts the groom-to-be by evoking the past?

Sentimentality can feel personal to the celebrant without alienating guests. Time machines are fictional, but nostalgic memories are the next best thing.

Recollecting bittersweet experiences and encountering blasts from the past can be therapeutic, increase appreciation for the present and create excitement for the future.

Organizing an event based on nostalgia takes a lot of work to pull off, though. Use these eight tips to plan your bachelor party thoughtfully.

 

1. Set the Tone With the Invitations

The invitation should be a solid throwback to the event’s era. Be creative and contemplate its design to the last detail — from the color palette to the font — to make it look as if it really came from the past. Pulling off the right aesthetics can be difficult if you didn’t grow up in the party’s era, so do deep research.

For example, draw inspiration from cultural symbols, like flip phones, the iPod and LimeWire, to

design invites to a 2000s throwback party. Regarding ‘90s-themed celebrations, cassette tapes, floppy disks or the original PlayStation were some that defined the decade.

Moreover, play with words. Title the event after an iconic line from a movie or TV show to jog the recipient’s memory about that period.

If you can’t think of anything, find the highest-grossing film or top-rating show on the bachelor party’s date years ago to get started.

 

2. Serve Evocative Foods

The senses of smell and taste activate the most powerful autobiographical memories. Fill the food station with items the celebrator grew up eating to hit two birds with one stone. Recreating favorite dishes from childhood, ordering classics from a frequented restaurant or hunting down famous treats of yesteryear are terrific ideas.

Not every food has to be nostalgic, but serve one to three sentimental options to make the bachelor party a trip down memory lane.

 

3. Require Retro Clothing

The dress code will make or break this themed event. Do your homework to discover or remind yourself what was in vogue in the decade you’re honoring. Assume all guests are clueless, so recommend fashion to ensure era-accurate drip and hairstyles.

Attendees to an ‘80s bachelor party can immediately blend in by sporting big hair, mullets, jeans with ripped knees, cutoff sweatshirts, spandex and neon colors.

4. Perfect the Mixtape

Every nostalgia-based party must sound like the time inspiring it. Do not play current hits. Blast classics by the chart-toppers from the celebrant’s generation to bring back the songs of their youth. Hearing them again after a long time will trigger the reminiscence bump.

Whether you book a disc jockey or not, tailor the playlist and add as many tunes as possible to avoid repeats of the same jams. Put a premium on variety. Play music following the event program. Start with upbeat songs to excite the new arrivals, switch to mellower ones when it’s time to eat and reserve the most danceable tunes for party time.

 

5. Buy a Cameo From a Celeb

Does the celebrant have a teenage Hollywood crush or a favorite football player who has been retired for years? A personalized video from a celebrity close to their heart will leave them speechless. Such a surprise will be one of the highlights of the party.

You can request a shoutout from thousands of stars for a fee. You can submit the event’s details to help ensure the message is on point and receive the clip in as fast as 24 hours.

 

6. Capture Moments on Film

Taking snapshots at a photo booth using a film camera is a nice touch when the theme is before the mid-’90s. Technologies define eras, so having a party without digital photography is a fun way to travel into the past.

It can be difficult to ask your guests not to use their smartphones to record moments during the event. Will you be lenient with them? How much you want everyone to relive the past is up to you. Small decisions like this can make the bachelor of the hour wax nostalgic and remember simpler times.

7. Go Back Further in Time

Host a party based on anemoia — nostalgia for a time the celebrant has never known. Longing for a past one never had is a fascinating phenomenon that can make the bachelor party unforgettable.

If you want to take this route, nail the venue. The place must unmistakably feel like a portal to a bygone era with its decorations. Most metropolitan areas have at least one of these spaces.

The AACA Museum in Hershey, Pennsylvania, is a popular venue for smaller events or larger parties with an expected headcount of 400 or more. It can host lively parties against the backdrop of rare automobiles, vintage buses and a restored Valentine Diner from the ‘40s.

The August Hall is the go-to place in San Francisco for any themed events. Its old-world charm does justice to Gatsby-style parties and masquerade balls, to name a few.

The Vintage Rock Club, located in the heart of New Orleans, is perfect for intimate get-togethers. It plays music videos and live performances by the greatest rock acts while the celebrant and guests sip gin and tonic and reminisce about the good ol’ days.

 

8. Invite the Oldest Friends

Company is a vital factor to consider when putting together a nostalgia-themed event. Ensure the celebrant and many of the guests go way back. This bachelor party can be a great motivation for a reunion so they can catch up on each others’ lives after all these years.

 

 

Throw a Bachelor Party for the Ages

Going back to the days of yore can be a memorable way to send off a bachelor to married life. Evoking nostalgic feelings is difficult, so use these tips to stay on the right track.

 

Author Bio: Oscar Collins is the editor-in-chief at Modded, where he writes about a broad spectrum of topics. Follow him on Twitter @TModded for frequent updates on his work.

 

 

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