Stag do
Stag do ideas by budget (UK)
The single most useful question to ask the group up front is "what's the realistic budget?". Here's what £100, £300 and £600 a head actually gets you in the UK in 2026 — all-in, no surprise extras.
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~£100 a head — the one-nighter
A single night in a city near most of the group. Train in, two-bed hostel or shared Airbnb, one paid activity (axe-throwing, crazy golf, a brewery tour), then a curry and a pub crawl. Works brilliantly if half the group has kids and can't get away for a weekend. Manchester, Sheffield, Bristol and Leeds all do this well.
~£300 a head — the proper weekend
Two nights, a private apartment for the lot of you, two activities (one daytime, one evening), a booked restaurant and a club entry. Edinburgh, Liverpool, Newcastle and Brighton all work — the trick is booking accommodation early and food up front so the weekend has a spine.
~£600 a head — abroad
Friday-to-Sunday in mainland Europe. Flights, decent shared apartments, two activities, two booked dinners and a night out. Realistic destinations under this budget in 2026: Krakow, Prague, Budapest, Riga, Porto, Valencia. Book flights 10–12 weeks out and accommodation first — once you've got beds and flights, everything else slots in.
The rules, regardless of budget
- Collect money up front. Splitwise after the fact never works.
- Tell people the total cost early. Surprise costs ruin friendships.
- Check with the groom on the no-go list (themes, photos, specific people).
- One person makes decisions on the day. Democracy ends at boarding.
While you're here
Be My Best Man builds the digital reveal — a private link with a countdown, your photos and the ask. Five minutes to make, less than a round at the pub.