Hen or stag weekend checklist
Written for whoever's actually organising it. The job is logistics and a budget everyone agreed to, not a surprise nobody can afford.
17 items
Makes your own editable copy. No account needed.
The items
- Guest of honour asked what they'd actually wantA surprise planned for the group rather than for them is the most common way a weekend goes wrong.
- Budget agreed and checked privately with anyone who might be worried about cost
- Dates set around the people who genuinely can't miss it
- Group chat or list created for everyone attending
- Accommodation booked, with the cancellation terms actually read
- Travel booked or coordinated, including anyone flying in separately
- Activities booked in advanceThe good ones sell out weeks ahead, especially for a Saturday.
- Money collected into one shared pot, with costs listed as they're booked
- Dietary needs and allergies collected before any meal is booked
- Restaurant or evening meal booked ahead for the group size
- A rough itinerary shared, so nobody's guessing what time to be ready
- Outfit or theme communicated early, if there is one, with enough notice to actually buy anything
- Games, props or anything planned for the evening organised in advance
- A contingency for anyone who can't drink or would rather have a quieter night
- Transport for the group sorted for anything after last trains
- Emergency contact and a plan agreed for splitting up if the group doesn't stay together
- Photos organised, since the guest of honour is usually the one who forgets to take any
Makes your own editable copy. No account needed.
Questions people ask
- How do we agree a budget without anyone feeling awkward?
- Set a rough figure early and ask directly if it works for everyone, in private if needed. Somebody quietly priced out of a weekend is worse for the group than a slightly smaller plan that includes them.
- What's the fairest way to collect money?
- One person holding a shared pot, with costs listed as they're booked, rather than chasing individual payments for every single thing separately.
- How much should we plan around the guest of honour's actual wishes?
- Entirely. Ask what they'd actually enjoy before booking anything — a weekend planned as a surprise for the group instead of for them is the most common way it goes wrong.