Sunnier climes
Gone are the days when you simply went out for a night drinking with your friends before your wedding. These days stag and hen parties can be whole weekends, and even weeks, away. Europe is proving a popular destination for both hen and stag groups, largely because of the good weather and beneficial exchange rate. People treat it as an opportunity to have a last all girl or all-boy break. Destinations include Barcelona, Benidorm, Prague and Amsterdam.

‘We didn’t stop laughing the whole time we were away and the policewoman outfits went down a storm with people wanting to be arrested.’ Janita, Manchester.

Themed weekends
If you want to get away, and do something a bit different, activity and pampering weekends are also popular. Men can choose from activities like off-road driving, paintballing, off-shore fishing, kayaking and shooting and for the ladies a weekend of massages, scrubs and detoxification goes down a treat. It’s easy to shop around for deals on the internet, which means that these sorts of weekends are competitively priced.  

Outrageous outfits
Dublin has traditionally been one of the most popular destinations, but now cities like Edinburgh are attracting hen and stag parties and you often see partygoers dressed in various, eye-catching outfits going from pub to pub. Recent trends have seen the bride dressed up by her friends in veils and ‘L plates’ but now it’s common to see the whole group in fancy dress. School girls, devils and angels are popular for girls and you can always find a group of lads dressed in women’s clothes.

‘As a kid I was an amateur ice-skater so my friends paraded me around Dublin in one of my old costumes. I wouldn’t mind, but it was February!’ Claire, Sheffield.  

‘I was at a hen party in Edinburgh. We didn’t dress up but the highlight of the night was definitely the groups of lads dressed in girls’ pyjamas…hideous!’ Clare, Manchester.

Game for a laugh
The list of games, including drinking games, is endless. Dare games are popular, as well as ‘truth or dare’ and treasure hunts. Whether you have to kiss someone old, someone new, someone borrowed, and someone blue (like a policeman), confess your darkest secret or gargle the wedding march its all intended to be good fun.  

Lucy
July 2007

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