Spill the beans...on MoneySaving stag/hen parties

Former_MSE_Debs · 10 May 2012 at 5:06PM

Spill the beans...on MoneySaving stag/hen parties[IMGRIGHT]http://images.moneysavingexpert.com/images/spillthebeans2.gif[/IMGRIGHT]

Stag/hen invites sound great, until you hear it's a spa in Dubai. There's nowt wrong with one last night (or weekend) of fun and indulgence, but it's best not to force those who can't afford it to shell out. So we want your tips on how to organise a top stag/hen without breaking the bank.

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thebigbosh · 16 May 2012 at 7:47AM

had a great stag do for a good mate last year through http://tipiadventure.co.uk/

As 15 lads we spent two days canoeing down the River Wye dressed as pirates. Filled the canoes with supermarket beer and shouted "arrrr" at everyone we saw at riverside. Stayed in three of their tipis overnight and amused ourselves with a catered bbq, caveman-like bonfire antics (far away from anyone we could injure) and drinking games. We were well looked after by the organisers and overall it turned out pretty cheap and actually an awesome weekend of pirateness!

cdsmiler · 16 May 2012 at 9:27AM

For my hen do we had a 'Children's Slumber Party'! Everyone was asked to wear PJs, took over my friend's house, had loads of party type food, loads of drink (obviously) including home made punch, cheesy music and films on, and everyone slept over. Weather as lovely too so we all sat in the garden drinking too. WOuldn't have wanted anything different - still plenty of boozing, but LOADS of chatting too. Cost?? Very little! Just a few decorations, booze - some people brought their own, and the food - again some people brought home made cakes etc.

Sparkos · 16 May 2012 at 10:17AM

I arranged a Stag Do last year and cost was an issue for most.

My big tip would be to avoid Stag/Hen companies. By all means do research with them, but most of the time the costs are overpriced.

I went straight to suppliers and negotiated a much better deal.

The Stag and I considered many options, with many of the main stream activities being done already and proving rather pricey.

In the end, I managed to find a brilliant deal with a local camping site which had watersports facilities on site. We got accomodation in spacious static caravans for about £40 each for three nights. A whole day of watersports acitivities cost us about £60 a head. The rest was spent on the beer.

It was a great weekend and all done on a budget.

taylorman · 16 May 2012 at 10:31AM

I'm a bride, (despite my login!) and I have arranged for my hen do to be held in some yurts on a farm. Pubs are walkable and there are activities on hand ( a friend is organising the details) . I wanted to avoid anything expensive as many of my friends wouldn't have money to throw around (and traditional hen nights are scary!). by sharing the yurts ( they sleep 6 - 8) it has cut the cost right down and the payment has been broken into two stages ( total under £50 for 2 nights) Any extras will be optional - eg activities or flexible pub meal. And the first night we will just bring wine and food and sit around the camp fire ( or woodburner if really cold!). I will be in fantastic company and can't wait!

AnneWorkman · 16 May 2012 at 10:33AM

I'm planning my Hen Do for later this year, to keep costs down I am looking to do something locally, and put everyone up at my house - saving hotel costs.

Currently investigating nice restaurants and cocktail bars near by and looking at options for at home during the day - considering wine tasting and beauty therapies currently. My fiance runs a small business, so using his contacts to find smaller local suppliers to arrange deals with.

masonhv · 16 May 2012 at 10:35AM

I always find it's best to get an idea of how much all those invited are willing to spend. Some Stag and Hen dos can end up costing as much as you would be willing to pay for an average week long holiday.

The best Hen I've been on is where there was the option to join in with as much or as little as you wanted. Not everyone is going to be up for activity after activity followed by a night out and a stay in a fancy hotel. Making each event optional means you can cater for everyones tastes and budgets and do as much or as little as you want. From the Hens perspective it also means all those invited are likely to show up/ get involved for at least one part of the day/ evening and surely that's the main point of the do. (I think some people lose sight of this and focus on trying to wow people instead of spending time with them!)

The only good thing about the companies that organise on your behalf is that they take over the money situation. We all know people who like to say they are willing to attend but have no intention of doing so or flake at the last minute. With the companies they tend to take deposits and break down when payments are due which lessens the blow to the organiser when people do drop out.

Kittendreich · 16 May 2012 at 11:23AM

A friend has a pajama party at home and got students from the local beauty college to come and do treatments. For £20 each we got 2 treatments and there was a big buffet with some drinks (we all brought our own too).

My main tip is to think about what's important very carefully - if it is a fancy holiday/weekend away don't expect many people to be able to come. If having people with you to celebrate then there are loads of cheap options - and ask for freebees - I got free use of a spa in a hotel we were having a meal at for one friend (15+girls) - great for chatting and having a break from drinking!

minerva_windsong · 16 May 2012 at 12:41PM

cdsmiler wrote: »

For my hen do we had a 'Children's Slumber Party'! Everyone was asked to wear PJs, took over my friend's house, had loads of party type food, loads of drink (obviously) including home made punch, cheesy music and films on, and everyone slept over. Weather as lovely too so we all sat in the garden drinking too. WOuldn't have wanted anything different - still plenty of boozing, but LOADS of chatting too. Cost?? Very little! Just a few decorations, booze - some people brought their own, and the food - again some people brought home made cakes etc.

This is what my sister did, albeit expanded slightly with home-made beauty treatments - face masks, manicures/pedicures etc. Most of which we either made ourselves with stuff like mashed up fruit or people brought bits of stuff they already had themselves.

secreticicle · 16 May 2012 at 2:17PM

Not the cheapest in the world but very good value! Last year we did something like this:

£28 quid return flights (hand luggage only!) to Pula in Croatia
£60 a night hotel rooms off season (split between two for three nights) @ Park Hotel Rovinj
+ car hire was very cheap (maybe £30 per day between four)

Worked out around £150 each for a long weekend (and then spending money).

Once there paid £10 for access to a gorgeous spa @ Hotel Istra, on an island, only accessible by boat.

Was quite proud of that one seeing as I've been invited to Hen Nights in the UK paying twice that! Scoured Ryan Air for the cheapest flights available on the weekend and then plotted a trip around those.

aliilapp · 16 May 2012 at 3:24PM

I am pregnant and as I was on a very tight budget with the wedding and baby on the way I was not going to have a hen but my wee sister insisted we do something to celebrate. I had the very closest of my friends come along during the day for a Treasure Hunt! My sister had come up with clues for the A to Z of my life and I had to go and colect all of the clues! It took me to teh address where I grew up, to old friends and new, and on a real trip down memory lane! We stopped at lunchtime and my mum made a small lunch for everyone.
In the evening we went to an all you can eat resturant, who gave us a discount for booking and paying ahead of time. It was a BYO bottle and everyone provided their own drink (perfect for me as I wasn't drinking). Then when I went back to my house, it had been redecorated to turn my living room into a private disco complete with (automated) music, disco lights and a cocktail bar (ready mixed cocktails that were on offer in the supermarket!). The cost was minimal (20 pound a head) and covered the cost of the food, drinks and the streamers etc at the disco. All other equipment was borrowed and of course because it was my house the venue was free too! My wee sister didnt forget the point of the Hen and using some wisely set aside funds she got a local stripper to round off the evening! Perfect and everyone had such a laugh because it was so laid back and casual! My wee sis is a :staradmin!

Spill the beans...on MoneySaving stag/hen parties

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