At this time of year there are a lot of weddings on the horizon and the job of the best man or maid of honor is a very stressful one. These tips are designed to help you plan a stag do of a lifetime, avoiding tears, dramatic fallouts, and drama.
Planning Your Trip – What to Do:
Start Planning Early
Talk to the bride or groom and find out what dates they are interested in, as well as the type of do they want. Many people choose to go abroad to celebrate, an Albufeira hen do is an ideal destination with its warm weather and great nightlife. Find out who is on the ‘must come’ list and make sure that you can find a date that suits as many people as possible. Leave a bit of time between the stag or hen event and the big day. Get contact details for people and coordinate to come up with the best possible time, see more here.
Have a Clear Budget
Remember that different people have different budgets. Try to make sure that nobody that the bride/groom really wants in attendance gets priced out. If you don’t want to be the one handling money, delegate it to a sensible close friend or family member.
Pick Event-Friendly Accommodation
Find out what your party wants to do for the “party”. Some groups might want a hotel that is centrally located near the nightlife, or may even like an apartment set up so that they can come and go as they please and not worry about annoying other guests. Some may prefer a luxurious spa hotel instead. Talk to your group and figure out what works best for everyone. Do a block booking to get a good price and make sure that everyone is taken care of. Get the money from the party to pay for the booking well in advance. Tell people to pay up before the cancellation deadline, so that you aren’t left holding a bill if anyone bails.
Plan an Ice Breaker
Try to figure out a way to get people to get talking, since a lot of guests may be meeting for the first time. Gather and share contact details so that your party can reach each other if anyone goes AWOL.
Have Some Plans Up Your Sleeve
Keep a list of last-minute options for attractions and venues so that you have ideas to keep the party moving if things start to flag. Be fluid with your arrangements, because a good party could end up doing impromptu things, and that’s all part of the fun.
What Not to Do
Don’t Invite Too Many People
Aim for 10 or 15 people at most, so that the groups don’t splinter. You can always host a cheaper local event if you want to have something for co-workers, distant relatives and other random attendees.
Leave it Late to Book
With a group booking you are more likely to get a good price if you book fairly early. Ask about group discounts too.
Just ‘Play it By Ear’
While it’s a good idea to be flexible you should have some key things planned for each day and book dinner destinations in advance as well. This will help people to know where to go if the group gets split up, and it will stop arguments over the trip as well. Make sure that there are food breaks between pub visits and that you have plans for non-drinking related activities so the party doesn’t peak too early.
Forget to Communicate
Check up on dress codes for the places you are going, and think about the activities you are doing so that people know in advance what they should pack.