Arranging The Hen Night and Stag Night

The Hen Night (Bachelorette Party)

For the forthcoming bride, the Hen Night can vary between a quiet night with friends, as simple as dinner and a movie to a wild night out on the town, or even a weekend away. The most important aspect of the plans for the Hen Night is that it should reflect the personality of the bride. If she doesn't drink or doesn't like the night club scene, you shouldn't arrange for her to go bar-hopping or clubbing on her last 'single' night out. 

A good Hen Night should be judged by the bride's standards - if the night is enjoyable for her, then it is a success, but if it becomes an uncomfortable experience then it failed - even if everyone else enjoyed it! Numerous possibilities are available as choices for the Hen Party, a nice dinner followed by a trip to the theatre or a movie, a day at a health spa followed by a relaxing evening out or at home and even the good old pajama party can still be great fun when you have a number of adult girls together. Another alternative is for a group of close friends to go off for a weekend in sunnier climes, either including the riotous night out or celebrating in quieter style. Whichever option you choose make sure it's fun - for the soon-to-be bride above all else.

Hen Night Ideas

Stag Night Ideas

Alternative Stag Parties

If the bride is a party girl, then of course the night on the town, barhopping and clubs is still on the cards! Starting off in the bride-to-be's local favourite pub is always a good option to get things going for a good night out. If you're travelling on into the local town or for the city nightlife, hiring a limo for the night takes away the need for anyone to drive and removes the nightmare of organising taxis between the various points. A limo will add to the Hen Night theme and becomes one of the features of the evening itself. If the bride is happy to do it, you could consider taking in a male review bar (or male strippers), which are very popular on many Hen Nights.

Whatever you plan for the Hen Night, always take account of the bride's personality and enjoyment, as this is HER Hen Night. We don't recommend that the Hen Night should be held on the evening prior to the wedding, when she will need to be up early the following morning and need to look and feel fresh throughout a long wedding day.

The Stag Night (Bachelor Party)

The 'Stag Night' is a term that has much wider definition than just the 'night' on many occasions. In America, on the majority of occasions, the Bachelor Night lasts for just a few hours on one night. In the UK the Stag Night has developed into a wedding occasion of it's very own! The UK Stag Party has grown to become a Stag Weekend on many occasions and often even includes a trip abroad to celebrate. 

The days when a groom-to-be was taken out for a "pint and a stripper" have passed - and if you're even considering thoughts about handcuffing the naked groom to a street sign or cling-filming him to a lamp post, forget it now! Those days are past and it's just so old-hat that you wouldn't want to be associated with such antics.

The trend for the Stag Night has evolved to a day and/or night out with a group of the groom's closest friends. Often including sports or activities during the daytime, followed by dinner and a night out on the town together, culminating in one of the more popular clubs. There is a growing trend for the Stag Night to take place over a weekend in one of the popular European destinations, many of which promote their facilities especially for this purpose. 

The trend towards a European Stag weekend stems from people demanding more sophisticated entertainment and environment for their special once-in-a-lifetime celebration. Amsterdam has always been a popular Stag party destination, but with more of the former Eastern Block countries now developing their tourist trade, many of them are attractive alternatives and can offer relatively low-cost Stag weekends. There are travel companies who specialise in arranging Stag weekends both in the UK and in Europe, where they will arrange travel, accommodation and the entertainment to reflect your requirements.

When arranging a Stag Night, consider how many nights you will want to spend on the celebration. Do you want an action-packed day or weekend for the boys, or do you want a more leisurely Stag holiday somewhere in the UK or Europe? If time is a consideration, a UK destination will mean less travelling time and you can arrange for action packed days and fun filled nights in most of the major cities. If you have the luxury of a little more time, then you can plan for an activity-filled break or a sun soaked leisurely Stag Party at any of the European destinations.

Whichever options you choose for the Stag Night, make sure you arrange something that falls within the groom's interests and enjoyment. Always remember that it is the groom's forthcoming marriage you are celebrating, and so he should have a Stag party that he will both enjoy and remember fondly in later years. We strongly recommend that you arrange for the Stag Night at least a week before the wedding, you wouldn't want him to be nursing a hangover, red eyes and upset stomach when he faces the wedding photographer, would you?