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Alcohol-free beers have hugely improved in recent years. If you've not tried them for a long time and you have bad memories of watery weak liquids with little or no taste, now is the time to give them another try. If you're not sure which beer to try, why not order one of our mixed-cases of sample beers and take the time to find your favourite.
taking 25+ guests if he wants Quad Racing and White Water Rafting as his daytime entertainment, there's likely to be too much waiting around (though Paintballing and Karting would be ideal!) Other major factors in the final group size will be the choice of destination and, most influential of all, how many complete bottlers wimp out at the first disparaging remark from their partner. Their loss!
2: Group size sorted, a decision must be reached as to WHEN the whole shebang will take place. Ideally, a two week gap between the stag night and wedding is required, allowing the groom to either grow his eyebrows back, change the name on his tattoo or thumb his way back from Calais.. Also, once a date has been chosen, stick to it!
3: The most usual restraint hereafter is BUDGET. In other words, how much can everyone afford to blow on a weekend of mass carnage that they probably won't remember beyond the Sunday night anyway? Everyone's financial position must be taken into account for this bit and some sort of compromise reached - or last-minute pull outs can be expected. Again, if organised early enough then this can be budgeted for and even paid off week to week, perhaps into a central account specifically set up for the stag weekend. Who said that blokes can't be organised? (Your wives and girlfriends, that's who!)
Treasurer
This brings us nicely to our next issue, MONEY. As quickly as possible, the most financially responsible member of the group should be assigned as treasurer. By "most financially responsible", we realise that this may end up being the one amongst you who merely qualifies because he has less outstanding parking fines than the rest of you when you sit to ponder the role in the pub, and it might also be defined by others as simply "he who is tightest in the round-buying stakes", but, whatever your criteria is, make sure this role is assigned ASAP...
It should be the newly-crowned Treasurer's job to collect all of the stag night funds from the rest of the group and to pay all expenses promptly. It would seem logical that if there was an accountant in the group to delegate this task to him - though it goes without saying that you need to pick someone well known to everyone, lest the money end up in a Swiss bank account quicker than you can say "Nick Leeson". In our experience, it might also be an idea to set up an individual bank account for the explicit purpose of the stag getaway. (We would also advise you do this with a central e-mail account, set up especially for stag-related correspondence between the guests and Primary weekend co-ordinators. Too many stories of plate-throwing, email-reading, Stripper-phobic girlfriends to ignore here!)
Details, Details, Details
With the money issue behind us, we can get to the fun bit: deciding exactly WHERE, and just WHAT to include. These are big issues, which is why we've devoted a large area of the site to them, namely location and activities.
Top tips for stags
Give your groom a legendary send-off with these planning tips for a memorable stag party.
Getting it right
•Traditionally, the groom is kept in the dark about his stag do -- but make sure he’s going to enjoy it by putting out feelers to his mates to figure out what he might enjoy.
•It’s worth asking the stag if he’s got anything in mind -- a weekend away, an adventure activity or a boozy pub crawl.
•Check who he wants to invite. Are work colleagues and parents welcome, or just close friends?
•Think about the group's ages and interests -- you may need to organise different activities throughout the day, such as go-karting for everyone, followed by a wild night’s clubbing for the young ones.
•Get in touch with all the stags as soon as possible -- if you have a large group to organise, finding a date and a location to suit everyone may take time.
Perfect planning
•Nowadays, the night before the wedding is considered a definite no-no for a stag party.
•The best time is a week or two before the big day and, if possible, over the same weekend as the bride's hen party -- this means the couple won't lose two weekends together in the crucial last few planning weeks leading up to the wedding.
•You'll need to think about the party location -- do most of the groom's friends live in one area, or is there a central location that's easily accessible for everyone?
•Don't forget to ask the groom for names and contact numbers of any people you don't know.
Paying up
•The stag costs -- including those of the groom, who shouldn't have to fork out for anything himself -- should be divvied out among the group.
•If it's a pub crawl you're planning, sort out the money before people get too drunk. Ask everyone to contribute towards a kitty at the start of the evening.
•If you’re planning an action day or weekend away which involves a group booking, send everyone a note/email in advance asking them for a cheque to cover their costs -- make it clear that unless they pay up you can't reserve their place.
On the day
•Your main challenge now is to keep the momentum going, so pace the events.
•If lots of alcohol is involved, don't let everyone (especially the groom) get too drunk too soon -- plan a meal as part of the celebrations or organise food to be laid on in a pub.
•Take a camera with you for some memorable shots, or a video camera to record all the live action.
And don't forget it's your job to make sure people don't play jokes on the groom which may not seem funny in the morning -- such as dyeing his hair blue or sending him off on a cross-channel ferry.
Plan the Ideal Stag Weekend with these Top 10 Tips
Is there a right and wrong way?
Having many years experience of dealing with stag groups there do appear to be a number of basic lessons that can be learnt about planning the perfect stag party and stag do.
1. Confirm Date of the Wedding
Sounds obvious but unfortunately many best men get this wrong and don't leave themselves enough time to arrange things.
2. Confirm Dates for the Stag Night
It is recommended that this should be no closer than two weeks before the wedding although this is flexible. Any later and things can start to go wrong - like the groom doesn't make it to the wedding. As he is your responsibility (best man) do you really want to face the bride and explain what has happened? Setting rough dates with the Groom will also make it easier in narrowing down the numbers for the event.
It is extremely unusual for everyone you invite to be able to make the stag night. The most important person it has to be convenient for is the Groom so the dates have to set to suit him.
3. Who Do You Invite to the Stag Party?
The Groom obviously, his friends from home, school, college, work and family. It is becoming more common for invites to be issued to the Groom's father and , wait for it, the Bride's father - you'll have to ask the Groom about that one!
Don't get too large. Don't forget you're going to have to organise this lot. The bigger the group the more difficult it is to manage. You'll have to collect the money etc. We've all been there and had that one person who is slow to pay.
Also you have a number of different groups eg. school friends, college then they may split into their respective groups and not mix as much as the Groom would like. So keep the group size manageable. The Groom is the best person to ask as he knows them all.
One important tip is to get the e-mail addresses of all those invited. This is by far and away the easiest way to co-ordinate everyone.
Finally we all know one or two, how do we say, difficult people, especially when drinking! It would be prudent to not invite those people if you feel they won't get on with the group or locals. You want this to be remembered for the right reasons not the wrong ones.
4. Choose Your Venue and What Stag Activities?
Again depends on the Groom. It is becoming more popualr to go away for a weekend and try some unusual activities. The budget of the group, and the amount of time off work and spent away from partners/families etc will dictate how far you travel. Is it going to be 3 weeks in Barbados or a night in the local boozer?
5. Arrange Yourself or Use a Stag Weekend Company?
Depends on you and what you intend to do. However it is always advisable to use a company to arrange everything for you, especially for bigger groups. This is far less trouble than doing it yourself and can be more cost effective. You should also bear in mind that many places such as pubs, bars, clubs and restaurants no longer accept stag groups - Dublin and Tenby being prime examples of placing where stag groups are becoming less welcome.
Ensure that whoever you use arrange everything for you - be sure you know what you are paying for and what is excluded. Is it full board or are evening meals extra, what about lunch? Do you have to drive everywhere yourself or are transfers provided? Do you really want to be looking for an activity venue with a convoy of 10 cars and you navigating?
If you are wary of using a company then ask the company for testimonials or if you contact past customers.
It's your head on the block so make sure the groom has a memorable time (well maybe being memorable is asking too much) !
6. During the Stag Night - Games & Pranks
Jokes and embarrassing the Groom are traditional but remember don't go too far. You are the one who will have to explain to the Bride why her beloved hasn't got any body hair! You know the Groom best and will know where to draw the line - do you?
A good way to get everyone involved quickly to have t-shirts printed with photos or nick names of everyone. This breaks the ice and gets everyone talking. The other one which is very popular (those of you who have sampled Swansea will vouch for this) fancy dress - a must not only for the Groom but also the group.
There is also the usual dilemma of stripper or no stripper. Again you know the Groom. Don't be pressured by the group. Take a look around this blog for ideas on stag night games and pranks.
7. Keep a Kitty.
We don't mean a cat.It is far easier with a big group than going in rounds as someone will be missed out or miss their round - especialy as the night draws on. Gather the money early on and replenish when needed. So those who wish to drop out later on in the night can.
Make sure you can get back to your accommodation at the end of the night! Take the address or phone number with you. You'd be amazed how many blokes forget or don't know where they are staying. This is especially true if they travel in someone else's car. Many companies will arrange the trasnport for you as a matter of course.
Finally and most important of all LOOK AFTER THE GROOM HE IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY. You may have to lie for the rest of his life, which could be short if his prospective wife found out about some of the things that traditionally go on.
Stag Party Checklist
1: Firstly, you need to decide HOW MANY cast members there'll be. We recommend around 10-12, but this will largely be determined by how many good mates the groom has, who gets on with who (don't pretend that it's just the women who have this problem) and if there's an activity or event that he particularly wants to include, e.g. there's no point