The Stag Do Checklist

With great stag power, comes great stag responsibility. And make no mistake, there doesn’t come a role with more responsibility than that of the Best Man. You’ve got a ton of boring jobs such as tux fittings, ensuring the groom doesn’t do a runner, not losing the ring and one very, very important job – planning the stag do. It’s not just any weekend. It’s one of epic proportions and getting it right is essential.

Don’t worry, there’s not much to stress out about though, just the risk of ruining your best mate’s last days of freedom with a crappy stag do.

But never fear, as you might expect from a company that expertly organises stag dos, and even calls themselves The Stag Company, we’re experts when it comes to this sort of thing. So to help you get planning your stag, we’ve put together this handy checklist to ensure your weekend ends up being truly epic.

Stag Do Checklist

1. Who Going
2. When Going
3. Where Going
4. Where Staying
5. What Doing
6. The Other Stuff

1. Who Going - ? 

1. Your first task is to find out who’s going. This might seem an obvious one, but you’d be surprised how many budding best men have started planning the ultimate weekend of strippers, booze, booze, stripper and more booze only to realise that the groom would quite like his soon-to-be father-in-law to come. And he’s probably not a fan of watching the man who’ll whisk his precious little girl into married life licking vodka off a busty Bratislavan.
2. So ask the groom, you probably already know most of the attendees but he might want a mate from work or distant cousin to come. It’s now your job to get acquainted with these guys and find out what they may or may not (and definitely won’t) be up for.
3. You’ll also need to know numbers for everything from accommodation to activities to flights.

1. When Going - ?

1. Next up is when. It’s imperative that you get it in the diary so that people can save the date. And you’ll be able to find out if someone’s already booked out.
2. The standard ‘last night of freedom’ doesn’t really count anymore. It’s a terrible idea unless you want the big man to throw up on his big day (which you might actually want to see). You want the stag do to be close enough to the wedding that the groom’s getting excited, but far enough away that it won’t impact the big day (getting arrested in Eastern Europe aside).
3. Even if you haven’t looked at a destination yet, keep in mind any big events around the stag do. This can affect travelling and accommodation costs, and how fun your weekend is. There’s not much point heading to Budapest on a national holiday when nothing will be open.

1. Where Going - ?

1. This is where it starts to get fun. Where will you be going? Does the groom already have an idea in mind? Because if he does… that’s where you’re going.
2. An easy first choice is to make is – do you want to stay in the UK? Or go overseas? Generally, an overseas stag will be that little bit more mental, that little bit more special and (unfortunately) that little bit more expensive.
3. Keep in mind everyone’s budgets, not just your own. Also remember you guys will be splitting the stag’s costs amongst you, this makes things even price-ier.

1. Where Staying - ?

1. Picking the destination is only half the battle. Now it’s onto accommodation and there’s a world of choice here. From apartments to hostels, there’s something to suit every group.
2. But do make sure that it does actually suit your group. You might be happy sleeping in a hostel, but will the groom’s dad?
3. Again, keep budgets in mind, not everyone will want to splurge out on a luxury hotel experience with a fully stocked gym that let’s face it you’re never gonna use.

1. What Doing - ?

1. Now it’s onto the fun bit – what you’ll actually be getting up to. We know that you might want to just head to the nearest watering hole to drink until you pass out, but activities are perfect for your daytime. And even better? Plenty still involve drinking!
2. Whether it’s for breaking the ice in a big group with an activity like gun firing or unleashing your competitive side with some go-karting, activities are a great way to up the banter.
3. Activities aren’t limited to the daytime, remember that even your nights out will need a little planning.

1. The Other Stuff- ?

1. That’s it. You’ve planned a stag do. Congratulations. Now you’ve just got to count down the days to one of the most epic weekends of your life.
2. And the way to guarantee your stag do is epic? It’s often in the details. So why not spice up your weekend with a few dares or kick off with some classic drinking games.
3. The sticky subject of money - you’re here for a good time, not to be a debt collector whose left out of pocket long after the weekend finishes. So you might need to take a hard-line with the lads before you set off. Or take advantage of The Stag Company’s bespoke payment system, The Party Hub, which lets everyone pay separately and shows how much everyone has paid.

All good? Good… Now your next job is to get the Best Man’s Speech down.