A stag party is often a fantastic event for the groom, as both he and the bride each plan a party to commemorate the end of their single lives and the beginning of their time spent together as a married couple. While many will choose to arrange a bar crawl or an activity such as laser tag for their bachelor party, this is an event you can get very creative with if you choose to. Whether the stag do is going to be organised by the best man or the groom, it is crucial to ensure that the event you plan reflects the personality of the groom and will work for everyone invited. For example, planning a short staycation for your stag do is a wonderful way to celebrate, but you will have to inform everyone attending well in advance so they can book time off from work to attend.
Regardless of what form your stag do takes, careful planning is crucial for the success of an event. Booking each venue, your meals, activities, accommodation and dining at least a month before the beginning of the event, will help ensure you achieve what you need to with minimal fuss. There is nothing like searching frantically for a hotel with rooms still available a week before the grand event. Here are a few tips to help you plan a great stag do that you and your mates will remember for years to come.
Organising a Stag Do
This is an event that is centred around celebrating an end to the groom’s single life. It is important to consider what they want from the event – they might have no fixed plans for the event, but they may have quite concrete ideas about what they want from the stag do that you should keep in mind as you plan. Here are a few of the key questions to ask that will give you a guide to work with when planning a bachelor’s party for the groom:
- Agree on a budget
Make sure you discuss what your budget should be before you start booking venues and activities. Having a fixed budget for each part of the event can help you to select a venue, a dining option and plan the stag do as effectively as possible, as you will be able to contact venues directly that will work for the budget you have available.
- Book a venue
Finding a venue that will work well as a base while you plan a range of activities can be difficult. Many accommodation options will not offer function rooms or a bar, for instance. Here at Salomons Estate our Gatehouse and the Cottage are perfect accommodation options for a stag do, offering a secluded and social location to stay while only a short drive away from the Tunbridge Wells town centre. To find out more about our rooms follow the link here.
- Decide a location
When planning a stag party, often the event will be planned either for a location abroad or a staycation. Planning your stag do for another area can add interest and excitement to the event, as you aren’t just enjoying each other’s company but exploring a new area as well. Tunbridge Wells has a lot to offer as a stag do location, with a quick connecting train to London for a night out in the city, as well as a range of local bars and eateries perfect for a lads’ night out.
- Create a guest list
Ask the groom for a guest list and ensure that everyone is up to date with what you are planning for the stag do. The guest list could also affect what you want to plan for the event. For example, booking a lunch with the groom’s father and perhaps male members of the bride’s family to have a chat is more appropriate than bringing them with you on a bar crawl that is planned for later in the day, while still including them in the festivities.
- Choose a theme
As the best man, you and the groom may have a similar hobby, or you will at least know about the groom’s passions. For instance, if the groom is a big fan of rugby then holding a rugby themed stag do, with all the groomsmen in the colours of the groom’s favourite team, is a great way to enjoy the night and stay recognisable while out and about. Other themes, such as silly hats, fake beards or even a beer themed night can be a great way to include the groom’s interests in his bachelor party event.
- Arrange Activities
Arranging a few more active activities such as booking a round of laser tag, or a game of a favourite sport such as golf or football can keep everyone’s energy high in the run up to the big event. Active sports and games are a great way to introduce everyone to each other if not all the guests know each other all that well. If the outdoors isn’t something you are interested in, a quiz referencing the groom’s favourite book or television series is another great way to introduce everyone to each other.
- Book Events in Advance
If you are arranging a party in a function room, going out for a meal at a restaurant or booking an activity such as canoeing, then make sure you book at least a few weeks in advance of the event. Making sure everything is booked and ready to go a while before the event will be a weight off the groom’s shoulders as they plan their wedding day. In order to support them it is important to have everything under control so that by the time the stag do comes around, everything is ready for a fantastic night.
Here at Salomons Estate in Tunbridge Wells, we host a range of events including private dining, parties and have an incredible team of bar staff to ensure your stag do goes off with a bang. To learn more about what our incredible venue can do for you, please contact us here.