A stag night a must have for any soon to be married man

In countries such as South Africa it is also referred to as a Bull’s party.  So whatever you’d like to call it the celebration itself dates back to the Sparta’s in a time in ancient Greece when the men would throw the soon to be married man one final party. It began with soldiers toasting each other the day prior to the wedding.  Effectively their friend was giving up his status as a “stag”. This party consisted of several activities that under normal circumstances might be seen as inappropriate such as gambling and binge drinking.

Whilst drinking is still a very large component of the stag night, these days the stag night is often held at least 1 week prior to the wedding and the organiser of the party (usually the best man or collectively the groomsmen)  plans several activities throughout the day/night including poker parties and the use of strippers.

Additionally, pranks on the groom throughout the night are very common. Things such as dressing him up as a convict with a ball and chain or making him wear clothing of his wife to be are just a sample of the pranks the groom can expect.  But this is not done to offend or hurt the stag, it is designed to be light hearted and encompass the fact that their friend is leaving bachelorhood for marital life.

In the past bachelorhood was more commonly associated with the groom’s life during his adolescent stage. This was as important in the past as are high school and college years presently. Marital life on the other hand signifies leaving the irresponsibility of the past life and joining a more responsible group of individuals.

The final and most important part of a stag night is this: Keep it as secret as possible from the guests and especially the stag.  Even if the group has an idea of what is being planned it is always good to keep a couple of surprises up your sleeve for the night.  These parties have evolved in such a way that they have often been depicted in movies and television shows.

The activities of these parties may vary from one location to the other. In some rare circumstances parts of the Stag night and Hens party are combined together, when this takes place it is commonly referred to as a Stag and Doe party.

Nonetheless, the bride to be has her separate party known as a Hen party. In Singapore, many stag parties finish at a strip club. The groom’s mates may often indulge in heavy drinking and may then subject the groom to multiple humiliating situations, both in public and in private. Extreme examples of this involve strapping the stag to a pole with little/no clothes or putting him on a train to a distant destination.

Throwing a Hens night is a great way for a single women to enjoy her final moment of unwed life.

Traditionally the task of organising the hens night is given to the bridesmaids’ and not the Hen herself. It is therefore important to plan the activities of the party well in advance to make certain that the attendees and mostly the bride to be is well entertained. This is to ensure that the bride to be and of course all the guests carry long lasting memories of the party.

There are numerous activities that can be done during a hens night.  Usually the day activities will be relaxed such as a champagne lunch or day trip to a winery or race course.  And the night party can be a lot wilder with activities including strippers or topless waiters.  Whilst there’s no hard and fast rule as to the timing of the party, most people favour a night party, and some will do both a day party and night party (The day party will often have older members of the group who might not approve of the night entertainment!).  The group usually chooses a theme or colour for the night, which all attendees must dress in.

So step 1 for a memorable party is to select a theme for the party. However, try to take into account all attendees when doing this and make sure it’s a theme which guests are comfortable. The last thing you want on your friends’ special night is a few members of the group feeling uncomfortable and ruining the mood of the group. It is also important to remember the night is about the Hen more than anyone, and the entertainment should be centred on her tastes.

Step 2 is to choose the entertainment and activities for the hens night, but be sure to keep some of these secret from the bride, it is always good to have a surprise or two for the night! 

Step 3 is working out a budget, and collecting at least a deposit from the ladies attending (this will help ensure you’re not out of pocket when booking, as most will ask for some % of payment in advance to the night). 

The final step is to be flexible!  Remember things won’t always go exactly to plan, people might run late, entertainers may not be on time, but as long as you’re flexible you’ll be able to find a solution.

You should also ensure that you do not plan anything that might lead to disagreements between the couple. Therefore, it is necessary to consult widely before putting your plan for the hens night into action. It is also good to plan the event well at least a month or two in advance and get an idea of how many people will show up by sending out email/text messages with an RSVP date.

Once the number of people to attend the event has been agreed upon, you’ll have a better idea of the type of budget and entertainment that you can provide is.  A discreet enquiry on the preferences of the attendees and most importantly the bride to be is also encouraged. As mentioned earlier, having a theme is desirable. This is because it not only serves as entertainment during the event, but also helps the organiser plan out the activities to take place and keep track of all the guests.