Hen and Stag Nights – How To Do It In Style

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One of the most important things to consider when organizing a hen or stag event is how much it’s going to cost. This will obviously have a huge effect on who is able to come. Be sensible when doing the planning – the ideal situation is to plan something that everyone will enjoy but that is well within budget. After all, the majority of the hens and stags will also be attending the wedding, which is another expense.

Under €50 per person

A night on the town. Dinner and drinks followed by a nightclub. Look out for restaurants with a set menu or ask if they will do any offers for groups so that you don’t end up spending too much money on food. Equally, see whether you can get on the guest list to a club and, if the entry charge goes up after a certain time, make sure you get in there before the deadline!

A girls’ night in with take away, manicures and DVD’s. This is a guaranteed fun and inexpensive night. Rent out a few ‘chick flicks’ gather plenty of take away menus and fill the freezer with ice cream. Ask everyone to bring a sleeping bag and spend any remaining money on face packs, nail varnish and other beauty items so you can have a pamper evening. Perfect!

A paintballing or go-karting day with the guys, followed by a few beers in the pub. Outdoor activities don’t have to be hugely expensive so shop around for something that suits you perfectly. When it comes to transport, it might even be economical to hire a minibus for the weekend. After a few hours in the fresh air, you’ll enjoy nothing more than dinner and a fair few pints in the local pub. Paintballing isn’t the thing to do less than a week before the wedding – bruises don’t make a great look.

€50 – €100 per person

A night out on the town, with overnight stay in an inexpensive hotel or guesthouse. Dinner and clubbing makes for a great night out. If you have a little more money to spend, why not travel a little further and book some accommodation for the night. This doesn’t have to cost the earth – a cosy b&b can be just as lovely as a luxurious hotel and it means you get to reminisce over breakfast the next morning!

A ‘glam’ night out with cocktails and dinner at a smart restaurant. If you’re just organizing an evening and don’t need to think about overnight accommodation, you can splash out a little with this budget. Organise dinner in a great restaurant and move on to a swanky bar for cocktails afterwards. It’s amazing how much you can spend on a few Margaritas!

A camping weekend! An entire weekend away can start getting expensive and you’re unlikely to stay underneath a £100 per head budget… unless you go camping! Perhaps one of the least expensive forms of accommodation, but also one of the most fun. This is great for hens and stags alike… but only those who enjoy the great outdoors. Think camp fires, long walks and pub lunches. Perfect – but not for those who are concerned about damaging their manicure. Be open minded about this one, it could be a lot of fun!

A day at a health spa. For under £100, you really can enjoy a luxurious day at a health spa, hopefully including lunch and a few treatments. Health spas are always a good idea for hen days or weekends as people can generally do what they would like to do, spend more money if they want to or less if they don’t. Look out for any offers that could give you the opportunity to stay overnight.

€100-€200 per person

A cottage weekend. This is perfect for a hen or stag weekend – but costs do tend to spiral. Many plan these weekends basing the cost on the accommodation, which can be relatively inexpensive. However, you need to think of the ‘extras’ such as money for a food and drink kitty, and at least one night out for dinner, or a lovely lunch. Be sure to ask your fellow hens and stags to bring a long a selection of games, CDs and DVDs to ensure plenty of amusement.

A day trip to France, possibly with an overnight stay. Costs can vary enormously depending on how you want to travel and where you want to stay. Remember, you’re likely to want to sample some French cuisine and a few glasses of vino! Those who can splash out a little more might take the Eurotunnel and stay in a chateaux, or even head to Paris for the day on the Eurostar. If you’re prepared to party all night, you could even forget about the hotel and come home on the morning train!

An overnight stay at a health spa. There’s nothing more luxurious than spending the night at a health spa. Just as you’ve reached a total state of relaxation, you can fall in to bed, get up in the morning and be pampered all over again.

€200-€300 per person

A city break, perhaps to Paris or Barcelona. With a little more money to spend, you can organize a long weekend abroad. Plan your destination carefully, taking in to account what you think everyone will enjoy. Prague is a very popular destination for stag weekend while Paris, Barcelona or Madrid might be just the thing for a girls weekend (plenty of glamour and lots of lovely shops!).

A package week away to a sunny destination. If you’re planning for a close group of friends, consider organizing an entire week away. This isn’t ideal for a large group that includes people who don’t know each other that well – you simply can’t expect that everyone will want to spend a whole week together. Scour the internet and travel agents for any offers where you can fly away to the sunshine and enjoy a great week. So long as it’s not excessively alcohol-fuelled, this is a great idea as you get closer to the wedding – suntans and wedding photos are a great combination!

Blow the budget

A long weekend (or a week) in Las Vegas! If the sky really is the limit and you’re organising an event for a fun bunch… head to Vegas. Accommodation is remarkably reasonable and fabulous, so you can splash out on shows and in the casino. You never know, you might even win more than you spend!

The ultimate hen day. Oh yes, it’s truly amazing what you can spend over the course of 24 hours. Arrange accommodation for your hens in a London hotel before meeting for afternoon tea at The Ritz. Spend the afternoon being pampered in your choice of hair salon or spa, before getting ready for your night out. Cocktails at The Sanderson could be a good start, perhaps followed by dinner in the chef’s kitchen at Claridges. Enjoy a few after dinner drinks at The Blue Bar at The Berkeley hotel before collapsing in to bed. And, of course, you’ll need a chauffeur!

Whatever it is you decide to do. Make the most of it!

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Source by Colette O’Loughlin