Are you planning a stag party?
First things first, we need to make sure you’re in the right place. We’re pretty sure you are, but if you’re unsure whether or not you are, here’s a little bit of help for you:
The Stages of Planning A Stag Party
To be successful in planning the best stag party, you’re going to have to break down the occassion into three stages – before, during and after. That being said, throughout all main stages, commuinication is key. We recommend you collect each party members email as well as adding them to a groupchat.
Before The Stag
Planning a stag is no easy task. It requires patience and collaboration. Make things a whole lot easier by reading our blog on how you can plan the best stag party
1. First of all, decide on the date! Consult with the groom and his groomsmen. Try and plan it so that everyone on the wishlist can make it but don’t let everyone’s availability take over the date entirely!
- Don’t plan too close to the wedding – allow the groom some time to grow back his eyebrows or regain his dignity
- Avoid any League and or All Ireland finals
- Make sure everyone knows whether it’s for one night only or if it’s going to be a weekend ordeal
- Try to stick with the original date as best you can – party members will have other priorities they will need to set aside for the stag – work, family, training, etc
2. Next, decide on the actual stag type itself – how big is it going to be?
- Are you staying in your local area or are you jetting off to a city in Europe?
- Is it going to be a weekend of tranquillity or a drinking session to end all drinking sessions?
- Are you going to partake in any activities like tag rugby, paintballing, laser tag, etc?
3. Once we know the date and what we’re going to be doing – we now need to ask ourselves how many and who exactly are we doing it with?
- We recommend keeping it at a maximum of 10 guests purely from an organization perspective
- The more you invite, the more complicated dining and drinking out becomes and the longer the waiting time becomes for each party member during activities
- Consult with the groom – avoid inviting any individuals who might clash with one another
4. Now that we have a date, time and guest list in mind, we need to think about the budget
- Make sure the budget is F.A.R. – Final, Achievable and Realistic
- Avoid being too stingy that you’re unable to afford that Sunday morning fry-up but avoid going too big putting some guests into financial constraints
- Ensure the groom pays absolutely nothing – let the groomsmen take care of it
5. If you intend on travelling, take transport and accommodation into account when planning
- If possible – book a minibus or pre-book train/bus tickets in advance of the stag to avoid guests having to travel by themselves
- Make sure to book accommodation somewhere close to bars/nightclubs to ensure your guests are safe
- Be considerate of your guest’s financial situations – can they all afford the weekend and proposed activities?
6. Some other bits of advice
- Do not overbook activities – be realistic, are you really going to go paintballing, scuba diving and go-karting all in the one day?
- Do your research – know the good bars and avoid the bad ones. The same goes for restaurants and clubs
During The Stag
7. Stick to the plan
- The more changes made to the original plan, the more confusion between the guests will arise
- If any changes do occur, be sure to alert the whole party via group chat or in-person
8. It’s all about the groom
- Make sure the groom is happy and comfortable at all times – you may have planned the party, but don’t forget it’s all about the groom
- Don’t allow him to go too far – remember he’s still getting married in a couple of months
- Make sure the groom doesn’t spend a dime
9. Everyone should pitch in
- While dining out, have everyone pay an equal bill to share the cost
- For each pub, get everyone one to throw €30 behind the bar. This means at a steady pace, each guest will have 2-3 drinks per bar and the groom will also be taken care of
- Whether you’re staying in a hotel or an AirB&B, get everyone to pitch in for some drinks and snacks before you all hit the town
10. Prioritise everyone’s safety (especially the grooms)
- Use the buddy system – throughout the entirety of the night, each guest should have their own assigned buddy to ensure each others safety
- Each party member should carry the hotel’s name and address in their wallet in case they don’t make it back with the others at the end of the night
- In the case of the group losing one another, a meetup point should be agreed upon – be it back at the hotel or possibly in the town square or at a landmark somewhere within the city centre
11. Some other bits of advice
- Keep away from social media – what happens on a stag – stays on that stag
- Someone has to be in charge – for every 10 guests, one person has to be responsible for herding the flock
- If going to clubs, break up into groups using the buddy system as security are less likely to let in a group of 10 or more grinning lads
After The Stag
12. Don’t hang around the morning afterwards
Leave. Seriously, go as early as possible. Walk away and don’t ever look back.
