Hen do and stag party tips 2024

Anita Naik, Savings Expert at VoucherCodes.co.uk provides her top tips on reducing the cost of a hen or stag do: "Many bridal and groom parties begin planning their respective hen and stag dos throughout the months of January and February. Taking the time to plan carefully is crucial, especially if you are planning on jetting off somewhere.

"But, with rising living costs and foreign destinations being more expensive than ever, I've put together my top tips to help you have some pre-wedding fun without breaking the bank - either domestically, or abroad.

Tip 1 – Plan in advance to help ease the cost. Budgeting well in advance and keeping the entire bridal or groom party involved in the process can help ease the financial burden. Avoiding the last-minute rush means you can secure a better deal on prospective venues, flights, or accessories. Crucially, you'd be giving everyone a chance to save ahead and factor this into their daily, weekly, or monthly budgets, leaving them less cash strapped when the big occasion arrives.

Tip 2 – Buy wholesale materials. No hen or stag do would be complete without a decent spread of food and drink. However, the cost of eating out is getting more expensive over time. To counteract these rising costs, why not consider buying in your breakfast and cooking it either from home or in a kitchen (if your accommodation has one) or cooking a nice big meal for everyone. Simply reducing the number of times you eat out over the stag or hen do could save each person attending hundreds of pounds. If there's a large group of you, consider grabbing your ingredients in bulk from a wholesaler such as Costco if you have a membership. In many cases the cost-per-unit is significantly cheaper, compared to shopping at a supermarket. Or, if you're ordering your groceries in advance check out these exclusive Morrisons offers to help your money go further.

Tip 3 – Enquire about group discounts. As with any group booking, you might be able to secure a better deal depending upon your party size. Always query if there are any group offers that are available when you're booking a venue, event, or even a travel package. You might find that the retailer, hotelier, or travel agent could secure you a little discount. For example, it may be possible to secure 5 hotel rooms for the price of 3 - every pound helps! Some restaurants will also provide a list of pre-paid food and drinks packages.

Tip 4 – Book a cheaper destination. There are plenty of tried and tested destinations for the perfect hen and stag dos. Although if you're looking to bring the cost down then try switching it up somewhere a bit more unconventional. Choosing a lesser-known place but with all the same qualities could really lower the price. For instance, rather than flying to Budapest in Hungary, why not try the Latvian capital, Riga? There's just as many incredible sights to see and things to do whilst you are there. Make sure to use budget airlines too, they're a strong way of saving everyone a lot, by using less commonly used airports, or those that are slightly further away from your target destination. They're just as reliable and give you plenty of funds to spend elsewhere. If you're looking to secure a package deal, why not take a look at this Tui.co.uk offer? There's plenty to choose from, helping you get the best value for your money.

Tip 5 – Host one big night. Many stag and hen dos tend to take place over a long weekend which can dramatically heighten the cost of being involved. Why not save plenty of money by enjoying one big evening out? You could still plan multiple activities such as pub crawls, a night dinner and even traditional hen and stag games but over a shorter span of time. Minimizing the number of days will reduce the overall volume of activities and make it more accommodating on everyone's wallets and purses.

Tip 6 – BYOB. One of the most expensive parts of any meal is the drinks. A fancy cocktail or beer have both increased in cost greatly over the last few years. However, some restaurants and venues will offer you the chance to bring your own drinks thanks to the local licensing laws. If that's the case be sure to jump at the opportunity as you'll avoid paying serious markups and get to drink your favourite wine – a win, win...

Tip 7 – For all your Hen and Stag-Do needs, visit VoucherCodes. Before you book anything, or head off to your chosen destination, try visiting VoucherCodes.co.uk where we have over 5,000 merchants offering you the best possible deals. There's a code for everything, whether it's a discount on your outfit from New Look, or stocking up on your Hobbycraft decorations."