Planning Separate Hen and Stag Weekends? Why Not Have a Hag Weekend?

Hen Weekends and Stag Weekends; now these are definitely the stuff real traditions are made of. For hens (bachelorettes) and stags (bachelors), these parties are about denouncing the freedom that is associated with singledom and transitioning into life as a married couple.

Hen and Stag Weekends pretty much stick to the same bachelor-bachelorette party norms—classic inebriation, blackouts, and even public humiliation are all part of the deal, and it is all in good fun and games. Hen and Stag Weekends are what pre-marriage memories are made of, and unfortunately sometimes we just cannot seem to be able to tear ourselves away from that special someone for a whole weekend. Rather than planning separate Hen and Stag Weekends, work on a Hag Weekend instead!

The trouble with planning a Hag Weekend to replace the two is that it breaks the tradition of having the last ‘fling’ before marriage. To combat this problem, there are many ways to go about planning a Hag Weekend, but the most popular alternative seems to be to have separate Hen Weekend and Stag Weekend parties for the first day in the weekend, and combine the two for the last half of the weekend. This decreases the time that the bride and groom have to spend apart over the weekend, and it gives everybody in the wedding party a chance to bond and spend time together before the big event.

Some ideas for Hag Weekends include:

*Planning a camping party—having a Hag Weekend at a campsite is a great idea. Try booking two campsites for the first night and one for the next. This means the ladies and the fellas can have their fun separately on the first night and together for the second night.

*Planning a Bar Crawl—call the babysitter and have a weekend long bar crawl. Go to separate clubs (sometimes Ladies Entertainment or Gentleman’s’ Clubs) the first evening, and party together the next. The idea behind this is that the party stays together the whole weekend and goes to a motel room or a common house at night.

There are a whole lot of ideas where these come from; weekends at water parks or amusement parks are a great start, as are weekend getaways for the whole group.

Be creative with your hen and stag nights and combine them into a whole hag weekend. This gives you and your loved one a chance to spend some time together as girlfriend and boyfriend before the big day, and put in some time with the other people who are special in your life as well. Hag weekends may very well be the last time you and your loved one have to walk on the wild side before marriage.

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You want your hen night to be something special, memorable and most of all good fun. Increasingly the Hen Night has turned into a Hen Weekend away even overseas. The following articles take a look at the general organisation of Hen Events and offer some suggestions and ideas so the boys don’t have all the fun….

Traditionally it is the job of the maid of honour or chief bridesmaid to organise the brides hen night or hen weekend. However as times change this is now something the bride and the maid of honour work together on.

All brides want their hen night to be the most remembered and talked about, usually consisting of a meal in a fancy restaurant followed by some serious clubbing and copious amounts of alcohol. Nowadays hen nights have turned into hen weekends some even joining forces with the stag and his friends for a combined hen and stag weekend. Some will spend the whole time together and others find it nicer if the women and men split up in the day time and do separate activities (lets face it some of the things the men want to do may not be suitable for the women) and then meet up again in the evening for drinks and a meal and possibly a club later on.

For most people the thought of a hen night that involves travelling and more that one night away would seem costly but this need not be the case. If you book well in advance considerable savings could be made and always ask if there is a group discount depending on the size of your group.

Once you have decided on your destination look around for activities either on site or in the area that will suit you and your group, these could range from crazy activities such as bungee jumping, go carting or the quieter ones such as a health spar most of which will provide a fantastic hen night package, and what could be better than a group of friends spending time together and getting thoroughly pampered.

If money is tight then you could always opt for a hen night in, gather a group of your closest friends or family or both and spend a night in eating what and as much as you want. It is a good chance to spend some quality time with your friends, do not worry about it being boring, it wont be, in the up and coming weeks or months you will be so busy with the wedding then the honeymoon and then most likely starting a family so it will be nice to take time and spend it with your closest friends. Whatever you do decide to do for your hen night or hen weekend always take plenty of pictures or even a camcorder, there is nothing better than sitting down in years to come to see what a wonderful time you had with your best friends you could even make a scrapbook or mini scrapbooks to give as gifts at the wedding.

Vicki Churchill is the owner of Perfect Wedding Table Ideas, a site that specializes in Weddings Wedding Table, Wedding Decorations, Seating Plans & all your wedding needs. And Diamond Rings including how, where & what to buy.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Vicki_Churchill

Hen Night Ideas

Whether you are the bridesmaid planning a surprise weekend away, or the bride-to-be trying to organise a big girls’ night out, the list of Hen Night Ideas is endless.

A hen night is all about having fun and for that reason, they don’t all have to be a night out on the town. Brides want a night that reflects their personality, and that everyone is going to enjoy, whether it is the party loving bridesmaid or the groom’s mum.

That’s not to say the big hen night out has lost its appeal - quite the opposite in fact. But what more people are choosing to do is combine it with something else. Many people are choosing weekends away in another British city. This can keep the cost as low as you need, or as high as you want. To have a wild time on a budget, just choose your city, book train tickets well in advance and book yourselves into a cheap chain hotel, or even a local B&B. (If it’s the latter, you may want to warn the owners you are a hen party.) If the sky’s the limit, you can go to town. Perhaps book flights for everyone or hire a limo to get there, complete with champagne. Find a swish hotel with a spa where your group will be able to laze away the afternoons. Just don’t forget, a hen weekend on a budget can be as memorable as any - it’s all about what you make it.

While you’re away, you can pick and choose activities to suit your group. A weekend in Birmingham may seem like a waste to some without a visit to Cadbury World, but if you are not big chocolate lovers, you may wish to spend time in the Sea Life Centre or just sitting and enjoying a drink in Brindley Place. Likewise, the London Eye is unmissable for some groups, but if the bride-to-be has a fear of heights - perhaps not such a good idea. Try Vinopolis, the world of wine on the South Bank instead. British cities have an amazing array of attractions to draw in groups, and most of them have amazing nightlife too. Cardiff, Edinburgh, Brighton and Manchester can all offer a jam packed weekend or a couple of days of total relaxation.

And that’s something else to remember when planning a hen night, day or weekend. Why should the boys get all the fun? They have been going karting and white-water rafting on stag do’s for years, now it’s the girls’ turn! More companies are turning to hen parties to find their customers, with lots offering incentives. A weekend away truly can offer everything, if outdoor pursuits are organised for the first day, such as Go Karting or Quad Biking, with a pamper day for the second. Just pay attention to a few golden rules to ensure your hen night is the best ever: find out everyone’s maximum budget before you start planning, ask for deposits for people before you book anything, and most importantly, don’t think there is such a thing as a ‘normal’ hen night. It is the bride-to-be’s night, and can be whatever she wants it to be.

Kerry Bradburn also helps to promote a number of other website topics including:
Show Jumps
Hen Night Ideas

Kerry Bradburn is a marketing consultant for the World Of Surplus Group, one of the UK’s MOST popular Army Surplus companies.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kerry_Bradburn

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Travel Writer, Liz Wilson, takes a look at possible overseas locations for Hen and Stag Dos and the associated costs of essentials like food and wine.

The popularity of hen and stag dos in the sun is as high as ever, with one in three stags and hens heading abroad and spending an average of £550 each*.

With the ability to book separate hotels and low-cost flights, friends of the bride and groom can now just as easily catch a plane to Amsterdam as a bus to Brighton.

But Cooptravelshop.co.uk says that it’s vital to pick the right destination - or guests could end up with an overdraft as well as a hangover.

Traditional Euro- zone destinations such as Dublin, Amsterdam and Barcelona, which are still extremely popular for the ‘last night of freedom’ knees up, hit British wallets hard due to currency fluctuations.

But there are financial rewards for those willing to go far. According to Cooptravelshop.co.uk, Las Vegas has hit the jackpot thanks to the amount of US dollars to the pound, cheap dining and drinking deals offered in many of the Strip’s casinos.

Eastern European countries are also establishing themselves as favoured stag and hen do haunts.

Tallinn in Estonia is the newest rising star for a stag or hen weekend, thanks to its trendy all-night club culture that is eclipsing major party cities like Amsterdam and Barcelona.

Prague, in the Czech Republic, is also continuing its rise in the rankings for stag and hen venues. Known as the Amsterdam of the East, Prague is the place where Pilsner beer was invented. So a packed pub, where beer costs an average 80p a pint, is never far away. The Czech Republic itself also boasts over 40 spa towns for hen weekenders.

Paul Drew, eCommerce Marketing Manager for cooptravelshop.co.uk, apollotravel.co.uk and cumbriacruise.co.uk says: “The days where you spent your last night of freedom over a couple of beers in the local pub have come to an end. It’s now evolved into a more elaborate affair as people are not satisfied with going for a single night out. People now want a short break that they can truly remember for years to come. But with careful planning and research with an expert, it’s easy to ensure that friends aren’t dissatisfied or priced out of the hen and stag do party.”

Paul added: “It’s also vital that whoever is organising the party ensures that everyone has adequate travel insurance. Foreign Office research has suggested some 24% of stag and hen goers face problems abroad, ranging from money, credit cards and tickets being lost or stolen to people falling ill or getting injured.”

Cooptravelshop.co.uk’s quick stag/hen do guide:

Las Vegas

• Average drink prices: All of Las Vegas’ bars offer happy hour deals, which can range from 2-4-1 deals to 99 cent Margheritas and bottled beer from $1(57p).
• Average meal price: Nowhere can travellers dine as well for so little. The ultimate eating experience for the smallest price is the ‘Las Vegas buffet’. Started in 1940 at the original El Rancho Vegas Hotel on the Strip, it was originally the “Midnight Chuck Wagon Buffet - All you can eat for a dollar.” This idea of treating guests to an elaborate array of food for a small price was copied by other hotels and the ‘Las Vegas buffet’ was born. Many hotels feature weekend champagne brunches. They cost more but include all the bubbly a person can drink. Shrimp cocktails are another enticement for which Las Vegas is famous. The shrimp are huge and the price is low — generally no more than $1.50 (85p) and still 99 cents (56p) at Golden Gate.
• Hotel accommodation: Visitors can get rooms from £17 at the El Cortez hotel in Downtown Vegas, right up to plush rooms at the Bellagio from £142. Vegas offers rooms for every budget.

Enjoy a 3 night stay in the Vegas Club Hotel and Casino on a room only basis for 3 nights from just £2358 for 6 adults. That’s just £393 per person. Includes flights from Gatwick, 20 May 06. Includes all taxes.

Prague

• Average drink prices: 80p for a pint of beer
• Average meal price: In normal bars, restaurants and shops, food and drink costs are roughly half the price of Western European countries. A uniquely Czech meal usually includes beef or pork draped in a thick sauce with sides of potatoes or dumplings. Don’t expect to spend more than £6 for two courses and a pint.
• Hotel accommodation: Something for every budget. You can get rooms in the centre of Prague for under £20 per person.
• Stay in the picturesque city of Prague for 2 nights from £630 for 6 adults that’s only £105 per person. Enjoy a stay at the 2* Slavia Hotel on a bed and breakfast basis. Includes flights from Gatwick, 27 September 06.

Tallinn, Estonia

• Average drink prices: From £1 for a pint of beer
• Average meal prices: Main courses in a restaurant will normally cost between 90 and 100 Estonian Kroon (£3.90 - £4.40) but cafes, bars and pubs often offer much cheaper alternatives. Tallinn has a wide and varied assortment of restaurants and eateries, ranging from the traditional establishments offering Estonian as well as international food, to ethnic restaurants, pizzerias and also some fine dining places.
• Hotel accommodation: Varied hotels and hostels to suit all pockets. Rooms at cheaper hotels from £27.25pp.

Escape to Tallinn for a 3 night break and stay in the 2* Dzingel Hotel on a bed and breakfast basis. Includes flights from Heathrow. From £1393 for 6 adults, that’s just £232 per person, 17 June 06.

Cooptravelshop.co.uk has created a stag and hen do web guide for Las Vegas, Prague and Tallinn, for best men and bridesmaids.

Visit Cooptravelshop’s stag and hen guide for more information.

*Source: EggInsure

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