Stag party

A few thoughts for the bridegroom-to-be:

What’s it all about?

The stag party can be thought of as your last chance to be behave in an unfetteredly masculine way before you calm down and become a civilised, married man. Although it doesn’t have to be like this at all (both in the sense that you can choose just to play golf on your stag weekend and in that you will almost certainly have other opportunities to behave badly, even after you’re married!) your stag party is a time when you and your mates can do exactly what you like, without having to worry about not making a mess, drinking too much or belching in public.

What a stag party is NOT is a “last night of freedom” for sowing wild oats. A stripper is one thing but don’t do anything you’re going to feel guilty about later.

A stag party traditionally involves a few practical jokes being played on the groom. If you are the sort who can deal with being tied naked to a lamppost and just laugh about it, we admire you. However, if you’re not, we suggest you take care in choosing whom you ask to organise your stag do for you. Traditionally, it’s the best man’s job but you can ask somebody else if you think it’s safer!

What sort of stag party do you want?

The possibilities are almost endless! Here are some questions to ask yourself:

• Do I want a stag night or a stag weekend?
• If it’s to be a stag weekend, do I want it in this country or abroad?
• Do I want an action-packed adrenalin rush or a more peaceful sort of event?

Once you have made these big decisions, you need to think about whom to invite, bearing in mind issues such as whether they can afford to do the type of thing you want to do and, if you’re planning something wild, whether they are physically up to it.

When you know the sort of stag event you want to have and who you want to be there, then you can delegate the organisation to your trusted friend – but it’s probably just as well to explain up front what you have in mind, to make sure it all develops in the right direction.

Start planning early, particularly if your event involves foreign travel. And do remember to allow a good couple of weeks between your stag party and your wedding day!