Harper Blog

Planning the Ultimate Stag Party

Top ideas for planning the ultimate Stag Party

You’ll want to give the groom-to-be a day, night, weekend or week to remember, so as the best man, a best friend, an usher or a future brother-in-law, planning the ultimate stag party should be high on your ‘wedding duties’ list.

Planning the perfect event will take time, but here are some top tips to help you along the way.

Guest List

Firstly, you need to decide who is on the guest list; this can be a minefield of disappointment and awkwardness if you’re not careful. Unless you’ve shared the same circle of friends since leaving school, and even if you have, chances are there will be a number of people you don’t know well enough to decide whether or not they make the final cut.

Do you invite workmates or will that mean the groom won’t be able to let his hair down quite so much for fear of professional indecency? Do you invite Fathers and in-laws-to-be?  In situations such as this it is always best to CONSULT THE GROOM. Yes, the details of the stag party should ideally be kept on the down-low, but don’t go solo with this one. You want this to be something he’ll remember for the rest of his life and not a night of embarrassment or guilt… well, perhaps you do but that’ll be for different reasons!

You’ll also need a rough idea of how many people to invite, as this will probably dictate the type of event you’re going to be organising. If the guest list appears to be endless, you could always consider having two stag nights?

When to throw a Stag Party?

Once you’ve nailed the guest list, you’ll need to fix a date. Tradition has it that the stag do is the weekend (or night!) before the wedding. We’ve all seen ‘The Hangover,’ right? Having ‘the last night of freedom’ so close to the ‘biggest day of your life’ is just a disaster waiting to happen! It’s best to allow some breathing space between the two, giving you time for, say, the Groom’s eyebrows to grow back…. Exchanging vows with any suggestion of a hangover is somewhat disrespectful to anyone who has had a part to play in the wedding, especially the bride!

Couples these days tend to have their hen and stag parties over the same night or weekend. If you are planning a destination stag party, planning in advance is a good idea. Invited guests may need to take the time off work and when it comes to the destination and budget, this should be discussed and agreed with the groom well in advance – unless it is all a big surprise of course.

15 Destination Stag Party Location Ideas

Wherever you are in the UK, the following destinations are all know to be well equipped for stag parties.

  1. Dublin, Ireland
  2. Edinburgh, Scotland
  3. Barcelona, Spain
  4. Cardiff, Wales
  5. Brighton, England
  6. Berlin, Germany
  7. Benidorm, Spain
  8. Munich, Germany
  9. Ibiza, Spain
  10. Las Vegas, Nevada USA
  11. Tenerife, Spain
  12. Amsterdam, The Netherlands
  13. Magaluf, Spain
  14. Budapest, Hungary
  15. Prague, Czech Republic

Top tip:

If travelling overseas, check to see if a visa is required and that all of your passports are valid befoe you travel. Plus, don’t forget to book travel insurance if you plan on heading overseas.

Budgeting for a Stag Party

On average, a UK based stag do will cost in the region of £100 per person, whist hopping on a plane will likely be double, triple or quadruple the price, depending on the destination you choose. You’re best to book as early as possible to ensure you get the cheapest deals but make sure you get the money up front from anyone confirmed. Booking months in advance, you’re likely to get dropouts and you don’t want to be the one footing the bill at the end of it all. Communicate with everyone involved throughout the planning process. Perhaps set up a Whatsapp group or ensure you have everyone’s email address to simplify communication. Don’t forget to be open and honest with guests about the budget/price of the stag party you choose to book. A discussion about budget should be top of the list. Not all of your guests may be able to afford it, but letting them know about the plan well in advance could make a difference.

Top tip:

In some cases, paying for a stag party in installments could be helpful.

20 UK Stag Party Ideas

Casino night
Dinner + clubbing
Clay pigeon shooting
Camping
Brewery tour
Wine or whiskey tasting
Off road driving
Archery
Bowling
Treasure hunt
Comedy club
Live football/rugby game
Round of golf
Race car driving
Stock car racing
Kayaking
Laser quest
Bungee jumping
Go karting
Paintball

Top ideas for planning the ultimate Stag Party

You’ll want to give the groom-to-be a day, night, weekend or week to remember, so as the best man, a best friend, an usher or a future brother-in-law, planning the ultimate stag party should be high on your ‘wedding duties’ list.

Planning the perfect event will take time, but here are some top tips to help you along the way.

Guest List

Firstly, you need to decide who is on the guest list; this can be a minefield of disappointment and awkwardness if you’re not careful. Unless you’ve shared the same circle of friends since leaving school, and even if you have, chances are there will be a number of people you don’t know well enough to decide whether or not they make the final cut.

Do you invite workmates or will that mean the groom won’t be able to let his hair down quite so much for fear of professional indecency? Do you invite Fathers and in-laws-to-be?  In situations such as this it is always best to CONSULT THE GROOM. Yes, the details of the stag party should ideally be kept on the down-low, but don’t go solo with this one. You want this to be something he’ll remember for the rest of his life and not a night of embarrassment or guilt… well, perhaps you do but that’ll be for different reasons!

You’ll also need a rough idea of how many people to invite, as this will probably dictate the type of event you’re going to be organising. If the guest list appears to be endless, you could always consider having two stag nights?

When to throw a Stag Party?

Once you’ve nailed the guest list, you’ll need to fix a date. Tradition has it that the stag do is the weekend (or night!) before the wedding. We’ve all seen ‘The Hangover,’ right? Having ‘the last night of freedom’ so close to the ‘biggest day of your life’ is just a disaster waiting to happen! It’s best to allow some breathing space between the two, giving you time for, say, the Groom’s eyebrows to grow back…. Exchanging vows with any suggestion of a hangover is somewhat disrespectful to anyone who has had a part to play in the wedding, especially the bride!

Couples these days tend to have their hen and stag parties over the same night or weekend. If you are planning a destination stag party, planning in advance is a good idea. Invited guests may need to take the time off work and when it comes to the destination and budget, this should be discussed and agreed with the groom well in advance – unless it is all a big surprise of course.

15 Destination Stag Party Location Ideas

Wherever you are in the UK, the following destinations are all know to be well equipped for stag parties.

  1. Dublin, Ireland
  2. Edinburgh, Scotland
  3. Barcelona, Spain
  4. Cardiff, Wales
  5. Brighton, England
  6. Berlin, Germany
  7. Benidorm, Spain
  8. Munich, Germany
  9. Ibiza, Spain
  10. Las Vegas, Nevada USA
  11. Tenerife, Spain
  12. Amsterdam, The Netherlands
  13. Magaluf, Spain
  14. Budapest, Hungary
  15. Prague, Czech Republic

Top tip:

If travelling overseas, check to see if a visa is required and that all of your passports are valid befoe you travel. Plus, don’t forget to book travel insurance if you plan on heading overseas.

Budgeting for a Stag Party

On average, a UK based stag do will cost in the region of £100 per person, whist hopping on a plane will likely be double, triple or quadruple the price, depending on the destination you choose. You’re best to book as early as possible to ensure you get the cheapest deals but make sure you get the money up front from anyone confirmed. Booking months in advance, you’re likely to get dropouts and you don’t want to be the one footing the bill at the end of it all. Communicate with everyone involved throughout the planning process. Perhaps set up a Whatsapp group or ensure you have everyone’s email address to simplify communication. Don’t forget to be open and honest with guests about the budget/price of the stag party you choose to book. A discussion about budget should be top of the list. Not all of your guests may be able to afford it, but letting them know about the plan well in advance could make a difference.

Top tip:

In some cases, paying for a stag party in installments could be helpful.

20 UK Stag Party Ideas

Casino night
Dinner + clubbing
Clay pigeon shooting
Camping
Brewery tour
Wine or whiskey tasting
Off road driving
Archery
Bowling
Treasure hunt
Comedy club
Live football/rugby game
Round of golf
Race car driving
Stock car racing
Kayaking
Laser quest
Bungee jumping
Go karting
Paintball

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