The stag do is all about the groom. This event celebrates the groom’s impending nuptials, giving him one last opportunity to hang out with his friends as a single man. The stag do can be anything from a night at the pub with his best mates to a more formal affair with men from his family and his bride-to-be’s. Creating the guest list for this occasion should not be stressful. The stag do organizers should collaborate with the groom to design a guest list that is inclusive and appropriate for the event.
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While there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to stag do guests, you can follow some helpful guidelines when inviting people to the event.
Focus on Wedding Guests
Everyone who gets an invitation to the stag do should also be invited to the wedding. Inviting non-wedding guests to the stag do is rude, simply put. Such an invitation implies that the guest’s presence is important for less significant wedding events but not necessary for the formal wedding. Moreover, you should not expect non-wedding guests to chip in money for the stag do if they won’t be at the wedding. Consult the groom, and make sure everyone on the stag do guest list is also on the wedding guest list.
Choose the Right Guests for the Party
Consider the stag do itinerary of events when developing the guest list. Will the bride’s grandfather really be up for a pub crawl? Does the groom really want his work mates to participate in this event? You do not have to invite every male wedding guest to the stag do. Be selective in the guests you invite–choose the ones who the groom truly wants there, the ones who will thoroughly enjoy the stag do festivities.
Avoid Awkward Moments
Let the groom enjoy his stag do without awkward conversations with future in-laws or distant family members. Avoid any tension at the stag do by limiting the guest list to those gents the groom is comfortable with. The groom shouldn’t feel compelled to make trivial chit-chat with people he barely knows at his own stag do.
Keep It Intimate
On a similar note, keep the guest list intimate to make the stag do a festive affair. The groom should be able to celebrate without judgment, even if that means consuming one too many pints at the local pub. The smaller the guest list, the more intimate the stag do will feel, giving the groom the opportunity to have some fun with his mates without having to navigate through throngs of guests he doesn’t know well–he can save that for the wedding.
Consider Different Guests for Different Events
If you’re struggling to find the balance between creating an inclusive guest list and finding an activity suitable for the range of ages, personalities, and tastes, consider different events at the stag do. Organize a cocktail party or sit-down dinner that includes all of the guests. Then, the groom and his closest mates can go out on an adventure after the larger, more formal affair. This strategy creates an inclusive stag do that gets wedding guests, friends, and family members of all ages involved.
Conclusion
Create a stag do guest list that works for the guest of honour. Make the event as inclusive as possible without making the groom uncomfortable with a guest list full of distant family members or long-lost friends. The key to a successful stag do is the right mix of guests who want to celebrate with the groom, in whatever style pleases him. Find those people, and your celebration will be a success.
[box]Post contributed by Andrea Jones, for Chillisauce. Andrea is a freelance writer. She has worked as an events co-ordinator and has extensive experience organising stag and hen do weekends.[/box]
