Has your H2B organised his stag yet? Is the bestman confident about organising a trip for a large group†¦. especially abroad? If not, consider using a professional travel service and take the pressure off the best man to plan a Stag party to remember…… and not one to forget!
The most important responsibility confronting the best man is to give their friend the send off to single life that they deserve. For a best man with little or no experience in arranging a group trip, planning a fun, original Stag party can prove a daunting and almost overwhelming task! Choosing a Stag friendly destination and sourcing suitable entertainment and accommodation are crucial details that if not correctly selected could lead to a night that you would prefer to forget!
A newly launched company, www.thefunfactory.ie, is a one-stop shop catering for Stag and Hen parties. As a fully licensed and bonded travel operator, they are the first Irish company to offer a wide range of activities based packages in a host of exciting destinations from Dublin to Vegas! So they are in the best position to advise how on to put together a successful Stag party.
The Stag Party Formula?
The tried and tested formula for a Stag party is for the group to head away for a weekend of drinking and fraternising. Build in some fun, day time activities for “team bonding” and crazy, night time activities to encourage debauchery. If a weekend away is impossible, you can fit it all into one accelerated day and night session!
For ideas on Stag party themes, rules, forfeits, dares and drinking games, check out www.thefunfactory.ie
Stay Home or Party Overseas?
Irish Stags – If you choose to stay in Ireland, you are almost guaranteed to have a big turnout. Traditionally, huge numbers of Irish Stag groups gravitate towards Kilkenny and Cork. But if you want to travel further afield; some cool, new contenders that are emerging are Belfast and Carrick-on-Shannon.
UK Stags – There are a host of top Stag destinations in the UK such as Newcastle, Liverpool and Glasgow. If the groom has friends living in the UK, it could be an excellent decision to hold the Stag here.
Eastern Europe Stags – Lured by the promise of cheap drink and amazing value for money, destinations such as Prague, Bratislava and Riga are proving popular with Irish Stag groups. Another advantage of heading East are the lower restrictions placed on activities. How many other places serve free beer when Karting and Shooting AK47s?!
Las Vegas – If you are operating on a generous budget and have the time, then this must be the ultimate Stag destination. With legalised gambling, drinking, world class shows and hedonistic clubs, this destination has it all … just stay away from the wedding chapels!
The Best Time to have the Stag Party?
6-8 weeks before the wedding is the recommended timeframe for holding the Stag. This allows plently of time for bones to heal and eyebrows to grow back! And closer to the wedding, the bride-to-be will have a mounting list of tasks so you’ll have little time for mischief.
Can you invite guys on your Stag that are not going to the wedding?
Yes! When surveyed, the overwhelming response to this moot point was that it is acceptable to ask people on the Stag that are not coming to the wedding. Guys understand that you might be having a small wedding but generally, they are just happy to have any excuse to escape on a lads only weekend or night out!
Should you invite your father, father-in-law and brothers-in-law?
This is a tricky one for the grooms. It really depends on what type of people they are. Are they young at heart and up for a laugh? Or would they be uncomfortable on a weekend of debauchery with younger lads? You have two options – (A) invite them on the Stag and assign some unlucky pals to “Daddy sit” and distract her brothers. Or (B) have a seperate and more restrained Stag specifically for the fathers and uncles. Arrange to have a couple of drinks with in a local pub before the big day.
Stag Party Checklist
*Nominate an alpha male: Once the Stag himself, the best man or a good friend have selected the destination and activities, get the other party-goers to stump up the cash
*Determine the budget: 4* and 5* hotels are expensive so consider other choices available such as basic hotels, apartments, hotel apartments and student accommodation
*Book as early as possible: There will probably only be one or two weekends that will suit everyone. So book early to avoid disappointment and ensure that you get affordable flights, your preferred accomodation and activities in your first choice destination, on the dates that suit. Ideally this should be done four months in advance of the Stag date
*Consider transport options: Given the recent clamp down on driving the morning after, avoid penalty points or worse, and book a bus or limo for the group. Better still, you can kick start the party en route and let your chauffer get you there and back safely
We do the work, YOU take the credit!
Given all the elements to consider when organising a Stag party, there are clear advantages to using a specialist travel company over doing it yourself. Drawing on 12 years experience in organising group travel, www.thefunfactory.ie offers a wide range of benefits including; cost savings, guaranteed allocations in Stag friendly hotels and activities across Ireland, the UK and Europe, and VIP club entry ensuring that you skip the queues to your reserved area avoiding the need to dismantle the group in order to gain admission; flights, airport transfers and Limousine, Hummer or bus hire.
One call or email to them with your ideas and the entire trip is put together immediately, removing the stress and hassle of having to trawl the Internet for hours yourself. Best of all, let the guys in TheFunFactory.ie do all the hard work and you can still take the credit for it!
For further ideas and details of offers, visit www.thefunfactory.ie or call 0818 300232
