Stag weekends tend to have quite a bad reputation but not a completely undeserved one. The truth is that a lot of guys just enjoy the stereotypical stag party experience, and lot of stag party companies pander to this.

You can find a whole host of stag party weekend packages in Europe and the UK, and their most popular activities tend to involve a combination of beer, girls and more beer. For most of us, this is just harmless fun, and these types of weekends are hugely popular for a reason.

Unfortunately, sometimes stag parties go too far with bad behavior. Here’s what not to do if you want your weekend away to go off without a hitch before you get hitched.

Don’t be disrespectful to local communities

Stag party weekends in Europe are all the rage, with 32% of people having their stag or hen nights in another country. Although a weekend away in one of Europe’s cities can provide the perfect combination of sun, cheap beer and culture, stags should take time to research the country and make sure they respect local customs and beliefs.

Sadly this isn’t always the case. Last year, a British stag party was criticised after taking a blow-up sex doll to the site of Ground Zero in New York. Occurrences like these, although rare, cause
irreparable damage to the reputation of British stag parties.

Stag parties are even thought to be responsible for Amsterdam plans to increase its tourist tax in an effort to reduce the number of budget travelers coming to the city. Although the move has been criticised and can’t be blamed solely on stag parties, it is a sorry state of affairs.

When travelling abroad, whether to one of Europe’s many interesting and vibrant stag party cities or somewhere further afield, make sure you respect the local people, laws and values.

Don’t get drunk on the plane

Some problems occur before the stag party even step on the plane. Stag weekends in Europe are exciting, and most issues occur when a group have drank slightly too much before boarding the flight. Drinking too much is easily done, however it is not an excuse that is tolerated in many European countries. Last year, six British members of a stag party found this out the hard way when they were arrested after drunken behaviour on a Ryanair flight.

Unfortunately, they are not alone. Last October, Stag party ‘drunks’ were arrested after their drunken antics caused chaos on the flight and even hit a child with a wine bottle. Although this behavior is indefensible, the worse aspect is that these men are probably upstanding members of their community and wouldn’t dream of behaving like this at any other time.

So what is the cause of this unruly behaviour? According to the Civil Aviation Authority, low air pressure when flying thins the blood, which means that alcohol will have greater effect. However, some experts disagree. They think you may feel drunk because flying conditions mean less oxygen gets into your brain. Regardless of the science, it is best to exercise restraint.

All stags should consider forgoing pre-drinks before the flight, as many have had their weekend, and in some cases their wedding, ruined because of stupid on-flight behaviour. This doesn’t mean you can’t behave on the flight and let loose the second you hit the tarmac, as this group of stags on a trip to Ibiza prove brilliantly.

Don’t break your vows before you make them

Men are two times more likely than women to cheat while on their stag party according to a 2016 study.

According to the survey, 24.9% of men questioned admitted that someone in their stag party had cheated on their other half while celebrating. Meanwhile, 11.5% of women questioned revealed that someone in their hen party had cheated. A shocking but sadly not surprising statistic. This can be the difference between having a weekend to remember and one you’ll want desperately to forget.

Fortunately, British stag parties are getting better behaved, due largely to ageing grooms, a decline in British drinking culture and changing demands; more stag parties are completely sober or involve alternative activities such as bubble football or murder mystery nights.

The cause of this good behavior, surprisingly, could actually lie within the rise of stag party weekend packages, mainly because they involve professionals that have close ties with local communities. Many of these packages involve sport and adventure activities such as quad biking and paintballing before a night out, meaning there’s significantly less daytime drinking going on.

If you’re in the process of planning your friend’s stag party, you could of course ditch the booze altogether as many stags do, as only 30% of stag parties now involve alcohol or strip clubs. That’s not to say you can’t spend your stag night partying, but you should make an effort to avoid causing any international incidents if you do.