More couples are choosing to have joint hen and stag do’s rather than splash out on separate parties.
A new poll by men’s fashion brand Jacamo reveals that the popularity of a combined “Sten” or “Hag” bash, attended by friends of the bride and groom party, has doubled in the past two years.
Almost two thirds of women, 64%, thought it a good idea and half, 48%, said it would be their preferred option if given a choice. Men were a little more reluctant with a 44% saying it was a good idea while a quarter, 26%, would be up for a joint pre-wedding bash.
Saving money was given as the biggest reason for organising a “sten” style bash with eight in ten of men and women saying they would spend less attending a joint party than they would a separate hen or stag do.
The average cost of a fun packed blast has soared in recent years and is often more than the spend on attending a wedding, with those travelling abroad racking up a bill of £680 and those revelling in the UK ending up £240 poorer when accommodation, travel, meals and drinks are added up.
Couples marrying later in life has meant a decline in the desire for a drunken fling to celebrate the last days of freedom. Often having lived together before the big day many share the same circle of friends so it made sense for everyone to party together before the wedding rather than separately.
Six in ten men, 61%, and 55% of women thought a sten or hag party would lead to “less bad behaviour”.
Some 23% of women regarded a joint do as “less boring” than an all-girl hen party while two thirds of men (65%), said they thought they would drink less, though surprisingly under half of women, 45%, agreed.
With an increase in stag and hen groups going abroad for a weekend or longer more felt happier about forking out because their partner would be going with them.
The popularity of the sten and hag dos has been reflected among celebrity couples. Westlife’s Brain McFadden rented a huge Dublin hotel for family and friends before his marriage to Irish model Vague Williams, though they have since split.
Virgin heiress Holly Branson celebrated with fiancé Freddie Andrews and friends with a ski weekend in Verbier.
Singer and actress Jessica Simpson had a pre-wedding party with her American footballer husband to be and Tom Cruise and Katie Homes famously had a joint stag and hen party in Rome with 60 friends before they married.
Olympic diver Tom Daley and screen writer Dustin Lance Black revealed that they sent out invitations for a “sten”. Author Sir Salmon Rushdie choose a different route for his stag do for his fourth wedding – he had a women only guest list with Kathy Lette, Nigella Lawson and Dannii Minogue in attendance.
Jenni Bamford of Jacamo said: “In recent years both hen and stag parties have tended to become more adventurous and even more expensive. More people are going abroad and, often, buying new clothes for the trip. Even if it is just a one night event many people will want to buy a new outfit for the evening. A sten makes financial sense, especially if you can spend it with your partner as well as the happy couple.
“Spa breaks are very popular with women on a hen do and paint-balling is one of the top activities for men on a stag do so a sten gives a great chance for everyone to try both, who knows it could lead to more men having regular soothing spa treatments and more women relieving tension by paint-balling.”
