Organizing a Stag Weekend

Traditionally it is one of the duties of the best man is to arrange the stag weekend, and this can be a time consuming and sometimes difficult task. Therefore it is important you approach this in a methodically and organized manner, to ensure that the weekend runs smoothly and is memorable for all the right reasons.

Before you set a date for the stag weekend you will need to confirm the date of the wedding. It is a good idea to hold the stag do close to the wedding, as it will give the groom some much needed time out amongst all the hectic preparations, but make sure you arrange it for at least a fortnight before the wedding so that everyone has recovered in time for the big day! Also you will need to check who is going to be paying for the stag weekend, as sometimes the bride or groom’s parent will offer to cover some of the expenses, or the groom himself may want to foot the bill.

Popular stag events can get booked up very quickly so as soon as you have the date fixed start make up a rough guest list. Always ask the groom which friends he would like to invite, and this is likely to be a mix of close friends, work mates and male relations. If you are holding a weekend event you may want to invite a mix of people to each different activity you have planned, but try and keep the numbers to no more 15 or 20, as it will become more expensive and difficult to organize with any bigger groups than this. It is unlikely that everyone you invite will be able to attend, so it is important to book things as early as possible to give everyone a chance to arrange their diaries.

In terms of what to do and where to go, there are a vast range of activities and breaks that are specifically tailored to stag weekends. If you know the groom well then you can arrange something as a surprise, but usually it is best to consult with him first on places he would like to go and activities he would be interested in taking part in. It is becoming more and more popular to go abroad for a stag weekend, and there are some excellent city breaks that are fun and suitable for low budgets such as a stag do in Barcelona. This is a beautiful and exciting city with a vibrant and bustling nightlife and some amazing architecture and summer festivals. Also this is a great city for football lovers and some tour operators arrange football orientated stag weekends, such as the ‘Footballers’ Paradise’ break – would make it the best stag.