Two Bachelors: One Party

David and I sat on the terrace, sipping wine and anxiously awaiting company. It was already half-past the time by which the "anonymous" voice had instructed us to be ready. The downtime was starting to get the best of us. It finally set in that in less than week, we would be married. I silently reflected on the months of planning that had lead up to this week. Tears flooded my eyes as I thought of how this "small, informal" event had transformed itself into what was to be our one and only big day. I explained to David through restrained sobs what had just occurred to me. In the beginning it was okay that I was doing this on my own. But now that it had become a big deal, I wasn't okay at all. The thought of going forward without the most important women in my life, the women who had been there for me through so much wouldn't be there for me when I needed them most. "I need Shelly or my mom or somebody here!" I plead. And then I quietly tried to make peace with the impossibility of this notion.

The "Cubelles group", all sporting penis hats, marched into our tiny apartment like a small—albeit loud—army. Gerard, Mark, Gloria, Edu, Elena, Cristina and Jordi gathered around our Ikea coffee table and began setting up a game that they had crafted themselves. We were informed that we had an itinerary to stick to. A truly eventful night was set in motion.

Lambrusco and an assortment of liquor was poured into cups and shot glasses as we picked our pieces and began a Peter & David-themed game: a hybrid of Chutes and Ladders, Cranium, Trivial Pursuit, Truth & Dare and every drinking game I've ever played. It was a race to get to the end of the board, that is: the wedding!

In good bachelor party spirit, this segment of the night was not without a few humiliating moments caught on film.

Before we could even complete the game, we moved onto a photo montage video they had put together. And then it was time for a second, less complicated game. This one was more my style. We were handed a giant box filled with newspaper, confetti and an assortment of small, wrapped gifts. Elena read off a number and then a "clue". We would then find the corresponding present and open it.

Before I forget, I have to explain the glorious accessory you see on David's head in these photos. A week or two prior, David and I were watching Sex and the City: The Movie. We had been hitting the wine pretty hard (as we're apt to do whenever Carrie Bradshaw is involved) and David turned to me to say "I want a bird for my wedding". He was, of course, referring to the blue headpiece that Carrie wore to her first and unsuccessful wedding. He made me promise I would find one. Well, I couldn't, so I had to settle for making one. He didn't know what to think when I handed him this deranged-looking concoction just hours before the party. Quickly, though, he began to wear it with pride!

Anyway, the gifts ranged from the mildly embarrassing to extremely thoughtful. We couldn't help but gorge on some cookies one of the boxes contained as we completed our task.

Before we knew it, we were late! For what? We had no idea, but we were ushered to the Metro where a third and final game was played. Drinks still in hand (God bless Barcelona!), we each had a notecard with a word or expression attached to our forehead, all of which had to do with our wedding. From there, to the delight of the fellow commuters, we went around in a circle asking questions in order to guess what word we were assigned.

Needless to say, it was a blast.

As we neared our stop, David and I were blind-folded. Our friends ushered us (an experience I will never forget as I was lead into several obstacles "by accident"), to our final destination. We were greeted by some "mystery guests", who were instantly identified as our cousins, Sonia and Manuel. They gave us a mini makeover while still blindfolded, and carefully maneuvered us into the location.

Obviously I wasn't pleased with said makeover. The surprise location was a VIP table at a swank restaurant with an impressive drag queen show! The dinner was great, the entertainment was better and the conversation was just to die for! We even had a great photo opp with Lady Gaga!

Well, through my drunken haze I suppose she was a bit more convincing. The host of the evening made "her" rounds, embarrassing the guests of honor at each VIP table. David seemed nervous to me as "she" interrogated us in the spotlight. Apparently, he was nervous, as he answered "America" when asked where we were going on our honeymoon. Lucky for him, I didn't remember that detail until he reminded me of it a week and a half later in Michigan! But now I vividly remember my crawling suspicion!

After dinner, we migrated to a popular gay nightclub where the party continued. It was seriously a bachelors' party to be envied, and I thank everyone that had a hand in it! My only wish is that they would have been there the next day to help clean up all the confetti that David had intelligently decided to toss all over the apartment!