How to Plan a Stag Weekend

Being handed the best man role comes with one very specific problem: you're now responsible for the stag do. You've got a groom who says he's easy but has already vetoed four ideas, a group chat full of mates who can't agree on a plan, and a spreadsheet of costs that makes your eyes water.

Planning a stag doesn’t have to be a disaster. The best stag parties follow a fairly predictable sequence once you break them into the right steps, and most of the stress comes from leaving things too late rather than the planning process itself. Our guide will help you get it sorted from start to finish with plenty of time.

What Makes a Good Stag Weekend?

A stag party wouldn’t be a stag party if it wasn’t about the stag himself- before you start planning a thing, go to the pub with the groom and have a chat to find out what he actually wants from the day.

Some of the most important questions you should ask are:

• Is he thinking of a full weekend or one big night?
• Does he want to go abroad or stay local?
• Would he rather be surprised or know the plan?
• Is he after something physical and competitive, or would he prefer a more relaxed pace?
• How many people and who in particular does he want there?

Getting straight answers narrows your options down dramatically. As long as you plan around what the groom wants, you can’t go wrong.

How to Budget for a Stag Weekend

Nobody enjoys having conversations about money with friends, which is exactly why it needs to happen before anything gets booked. Everyone in the group will be in a different financial situation, and the quickest way to lose attendees is to present a plan that costs more many of them can comfortably afford.

According to Statista, a night out in the UK costs an average of £74 per person- this number could be higher in major cities. If the stag goes on for a full weekend, adding on the cost of accommodation, activities and multiple nights out can grow the price to somewhere between £150 and £400 per head. An overseas trip can push well past £500 once flights and hotels are factored in.

Collect the money in stages using a group payment app rather than one person bankrolling everything up front. That avoids the painful cycle of chasing bank transfers and keeps everything visible to the group. Be specific about what the total includes so everyone can budget their spending accordingly.

How Far in Advance Should You Plan a Stag Weekend?

Three to six months gives you enough breathing room for a UK stag. If it's a popular city on a summer weekend, lean towards six. Overseas trips need longer, typically six to twelve months, to give everyone time to book flights and clear their schedules.

Get the main activity booked in first. That confirms the date, gives you something to centre the rest of the plan around and stops the group drifting into endless suggestions that lead nowhere. The best venues and experiences get snapped up months out, especially between May and September.

As for when to hold it relative to the wedding, four to eight weeks beforehand works for most groups- close enough to feel like part of the build-up but far enough out that nobody's still recovering on the big day itself.

How to Choose a Stag Do Destination

The destination sets the tone for the whole weekend. A city gives you nightlife and variety on your doorstep, while booking a rented house in the countryside offers privacy and the freedom to make your own schedule. Going abroad raises the excitement and the budget in equal measure.

The most important consideration is matching the destination to the group, not to a list of trending stag locations.

A dozen mates in a rented cottage with a barbecue and a planned activity nearby can be a better weekend than dragging twenty people through airport security at 5am. If the groom has a specific location or activity in mind, start there and build outward.

BUILDING THE GUEST LIST

Always let the groom have the final say on the guest list- your job is logistics, not deciding who makes the cut. Somewhere between eight and fifteen people tends to be the sweet spot for planning a memorable stag: enough for a good atmosphere without the coordination becoming a full-time job.

Once the list is locked, create one shared communication channel like a WhatsApp group or a Discord and keep everything there. Use this to organise dates, costs, agendas, and provide updates. It stops you becoming a human relay between fifteen separate text threads and gives the group a place to warm up before the weekend itself.

Push for firm commitments and deposits early. Dropouts are inevitable, but they're far less disruptive during the early planning stage rather than two weeks before when everything has been booked and the deposits can’t be refunded.

CHOOSING THE RIGHT STAG WEEKEND ACTIVITY

The activity needs to work for the full group- something the less sporty lads can get stuck into just as much as the competitive ones. You want an experience that keeps everyone in the same place, gives the day a focal point, and leaves the group with a shared story to talk about afterwards.

Popular UK stag options broadly split into a few categories.

• There's the adventure route, such as go-karting, paintball and clay pigeon shooting.
• There's the experience route, like axe throwing, escape rooms, and sports simulators.
• Finally, there's the purely social (often boozy) route, including brewery tours, pub crawls and casino nights.

Most good stags combine at least two of these across the weekend to create a broad and exciting stag. Before you book, check the essentials such as the maximum group size, total cost per head, whether it's indoors or reliant on weather, and whether food and drinks (https://sixescricket.com/food-and-drink) are included or available- finding a venue that includes catering cuts out another layer of planning.

ADVENTURE STAG ACTIVITIES

Adventure activities like go-karting, paintball and clay pigeon shooting suit thrill-seekng groups that thrive on competition. Go-karting works well for almost any fitness level and most tracks can handle groups of 15 or more. Paintball and airsoft need a bit more physical effort but they're brilliant for bonding, especially if the group doesn't all know each other yet. Clay pigeon shooting is a strong pick for a slightly older or more laid-back crowd who still want something with an edge to it.

EXPERIENCE-LED STAG PARTIES

Experience-led activities tend to keep the whole group in one place for longer, which makes scheduling the day easier. Escape rooms are a reliable option for smaller groups of up to around ten. Axe throwing has become a popular stag choice in most UK cities, and sports simulators like party cricket or mini-golf work particularly well because they combine sporting competition with a bar or restaurant setting.

SOCIAL STAG DO ACTIVITIES

Social activities are the simplest to organise and suit groups that would rather spend the day eating, drinking and talking than running around or competing. Brewery tours and distillery visits give the day a structure without requiring much physical effort. Pub crawls are the classic stag format for a reason, and a casino night adds a bit of theatre without needing to book anything elaborate. These work especially well as the evening portion of a stag that starts with something more active earlier in the day.

Stag Do Themes

A theme gives the weekend a bit of identity and makes the photos worth keeping. Matching shirts are the go-to, but fancy dress, decade themes, or something tied to the groom's interests all land well if they're kept simple.

Be sure to plan and communicate the theme in advance. The theme should be compatible with the activities you’ve planned- a subtle matching colour or custom t-shirt works almost everywhere, while a full superhero costume might get you turned away at the door. Make sure every guest has the time and the budget to fit the theme- don’t remind them they need an expensive fancy dress costume the night before.

Organising the Stag Weekend

Plan the flow of the weekend so energy builds gradually rather than peak early and peter out. Start with something relaxed when people arrive, bring the main activity into the afternoon or early evening, then let the night out carry things from there. If it's a two-day affair, leave some breathing room for recovery on day two- nobody wants a 9am paintball session after a late night out.

• In the final few weeks run through the checklist:
• Is accommodation confirmed?
• Has transport been arranged?
• Does everyone have the itinerary?
• Have any food requirements or allergies been passed on?

Double check every booking to make sure everything is still in place, and delegate some responsibilities to trusted guests where you can. Give one groomsman transport, give another the playlist, and let someone else handle planning the pub crawl route. Finally, arrange a single point of contact on the day so that the groom spends his time enjoying the weekend rather than getting sidetracked by wedding planning.

Throw a Stag Party at Sixes Cricket

If you're still pinning down your stag do activity, Sixes Social Cricket could be the place for you. Sixes is home to a professional-grade virtual cricket simulator where everyone takes turns batting in high-tech nets. It’s suitable for beginners with no knowledge of the sport and the competitive element keeps the whole group involved and having fun.

Sixes also offers food and drinks on site, with a full sports bar and sharing platters- you're covering the activity and the meal in one venue rather than herding the group between locations. We host stag events at all our UK locations - if that sounds like the right fit for your group, book your event now or get in touch with our events team.