Stag and Hen Nights

Bachelor and Bachelorette Parties

These nights are rather unkindly referred to as the "last night of freedom" for the bride and groom to be. The idea is that it is a final chance to go out "on the town" with one's favourite friends of the same gender before taking the wedding vows and settling down to a sedate family life. The custom is thought to have orginated centuries ago however the exact origin is uncertain.

There are as many different stag and hen nights as there are brides and grooms, however many follow certain general principles. These have changed considerably over the last few generations however they still usually involve fun, games and gifts.

It used to be considered standard for the stag and hen parties to take place as close to the wedding as possible - possibly even the night before. This obviously presents all sorts of dangers, especially if the party becomes especially raucous. We've all heard tales of the groom waking up naked and handcuffed to a lamp post in a strange town on the morning of the wedding day. Not all such stories are apocryphal.

Nowadays it is more common to allow a sensible "recovery period" between the party night and the wedding itself, at least a week preferably a fortnight.

A stag or hen party used to consist simply of the participants visiting one or more of the local bars and clubs. Today it is increasingly common for the whole party to go away, often for a whole weekend. If you wish you can buy a complete party package and book everything in advance rather than relying entirely on the poor best man or chief bridesmaid to organise it all. Sometime these will be based around a particular theme. A whole industry is growing up around organising stag & hen parties.

Some places seem to have become centres of attraction for pre-marital parties. In the US Las Vegas is, of course, popular. Here in the UK Edinburgh is becoming increasingly popular as I have seen for myself on many weekends.

And yes, even in these PC days "risque" activities are still common...

The stag and hen party should be fun for all concerned. Try to retain some semblance of self-control. What seems like a great gag or practical joke at the end of the night might seem rather less amusing if someone wakes up the next morning in a police cell or hospital.