A step by step guide to organising the perfect stag or hen party

1. How to organise the perfect
stag or hen party
www.stagandhendoideas.com

2. Before you start
A stag or hen party is a momentous occasion for the bride/groom and
it can be quite a lot of pressure to organise the party that everybody
will remember.
Which is why we’ve put together this guide to help you organise the
perfect party.
Remember to read our article on what exactly hen and stag parties
should be about so you can get everything spot on.
Ready to start organising? Let’s go…

3. Stage 1 Make some decisions
• Start the process as early as possible so everything can be booked in good time and people have
time to pay.
• Involve the groom/hen. Remember it’s a celebration for them not an excuse for you to do what you
want.
• Set a realistic budget. You may be on a fine salary but is everybody else? Involve the bride/groom,
or even the groups in choices so you can manage expectations.
• Set a date that people can make. The further in advance you plan the easier this will be.
• Sort out an attendee list and get all their contact details from your bride/groom
What to decide:
When organising a stag or hen party there are 5 main areas to make decisions in and here are a few
things you’ll need to consider in each area covered in more detail in the next few slides…

4. Location
Where will you head to? A night in your local city or
further afield? Location is a crucial part of organising any
party so here’s just a few things to consider…
• Home city: Low cost but not as exciting so you’ll need
to make an extra effort to make it memorable!
• UK: Try a new city but still be familiar with the country
(and the laws)
• Abroad: New country away from home. Probably
warmer but you won’t be familiar with customs and
laws so extra research may be needed.

5. Accommodation
Are you looking to be pampered or do you just want somewhere to lay
your head after a night on the town?
Here’s a few things you may want to consider when thinking about
accommodation
• Type: Will you go self catering or for a hotel or B&B?
• Budget: Are you going for cheap and cheerful or do you want some
where to really relax?
• Location: Do you want to be right in the action or a bit further out?
• Is the accommodation stag & hen friendly? Be honest when
booking to avoid any problems

6. Activity
An activity really can be the thing that makes the stag or hen
party you organise the one that everybody remembers, but be
sure to organise something everybody will participate in..
• Group: Think about your group: fitness, age, likes and
dislikes
• Distance: Is it far from your accommodation. Do you need
to arrange travel?
• Budget: Can everybody afford what you’re planning
• Type: classic (paintballing, go karting etc), alternative
(coasteering, in door skydiving, snowdome) or unusual
(charity parachute jump, segway)

7. Travel
Getting to your stag or hen party destination can be a
major consideration for attendees so it’s important you
give travel some thought.
• Do you organise travel for people or do they make their
own way? If you’re heading abroad then it’s more
likely you’ll be organising travel for people.
• Is the city you’ve chosen to visit easy to get to for all
attendees?
• How far is the hotel from the main travel stations? Be
sure to supply directions and travel information

8. Food & Drink
This may seem like the easiest part of a stag and hen party; just hit the
town and find somewhere while you’re out.
However, there’s a few things you can do before the party to make
things a bit easier for you on the night
• Research places to eat and drink
• Make sure they are stag & hen friendly
• Get your name on the guest list to avoid queuing
• Make them aware if you’re going in fancy dress – you don’t want to
be turned away at the door.
• Remember to stay safe by reading our essential articles: Stag Party
Safety and Hen Party Safety.

9. Stage 2 Start the ball rolling:
Now you’ve made all the decisions you can finalise the costs and then work out a cost
per person for all the attendees. But don’t forget:
Negotiate: When making your bookings don’t forget to negotiate on costs! Big groups
can get hefty discounts on activities, food, drink and accommodation.
And a bit more: Our advice is to add a bit extra on per person to cover any problems.
If there’s money left over when you arrive for the party stick it in a kitty for drinks or
food which will make you popular.
Formally invite the attendees giving clear information on cost, dates, and other
arrangements. Decide on the point of no return: People inevitably drop out of stag &
hen parties but clear at what point they’ll need to pay to cover costs.
Set up a spreadsheet to track payments and a folder on your computer to save
relevant information.

10. Stage 3 Firm it up
This can be the most stressful part of organising a party
so here’s a few tips:
Collect cash and make the payments. Important: Don’t
make payments and then ask for cash – make sure you
are paid before paying out, being left out of pocket will
leave you very resentful. Pay the minimum deposit for
each booking so you know you’ll cover costs.
Update the attendees with firm arrangements and ask for
cash. Don’t be afraid to chase people who drag their feet
on paying!

11. Stage 4: Go for it
You’re now ready to give your best friend the celebration
they deserve and for you to enjoy your hard work:
Not everything can be planned so don’t try to manage
the stag or hen party in micro detail, it’ll only mean
people don’t enjoy it. Go with the flow!
Make sure you enjoy yourself and stay safe:
Hen Party Safety
Stag Party Safety

12. Ready?
Ready to start organising then take a look at our:
• Stag Party City Guides
• Hen Party City Guides
Both sections are packed with in depth articles on the
best places to eat, drink and stay as well as information
on the very best stag and hen party activities…