Being handed the stag do is a compliment and a curse in equal measure. Everyone expects a legendary weekend, nobody remembers the six weeks of admin that made it happen, and the groom just wants to turn up and enjoy himself. The good news is that planning a stag do isn't hard, it's just a sequence. Do things in the right order, at the right time, and the whole thing runs itself. Here's the 2026 organiser's checklist we'd hand to any best man who wants a brilliant weekend without losing his mind.
Start with the groom, not the itinerary
Before you book a single thing, have a quiet word with the man himself. Some grooms want a wild city blowout, others want a relaxed weekend of golf, good food and a few pints. Getting this wrong is the single biggest way a stag do goes flat, so ask early. You don't need to reveal the plan, but you do need to know the vibe, the no-go activities and any names that absolutely have to be on the guest list.
While you're at it, agree a rough budget per head in your own mind. Stag dos fall apart when the cost creeps up and half the group quietly drops out. Knowing your ceiling keeps the plan realistic and the numbers steady.
Eight weeks out: lock the date and destination
Get a date in the diary as early as you can and clear it with the groom's other half, because a stag do the week before the wedding rarely ends well. Float two or three weekend options in the group chat, take the one that clears the most diaries, and commit. Once the date is fixed, pick your destination and get accommodation booked while there's still choice and decent pricing.
This is also the moment to start a group chat that actually works: one for the whole squad, and ideally a second without the groom for the surprises and the honest budget chat.
Six weeks out: confirm the numbers
Your headcount is the number everything else depends on, so pin it down. Chase the maybes, set a deadline for confirmation, and take deposits. Nothing sharpens a wavering mate's commitment like putting money in the kitty. Once you've got firm numbers, you can finalise beds, book activities with confidence, and know exactly how many stag do t-shirts you'll need.
Set up a simple kitty now too. Whether it's a shared pot app or cash on the day, a kitty saves the entire weekend from the misery of splitting bills and chasing rounds.
Four weeks out: book the activities and sort the shirts
Now the fun part. Book the bar tables, the karting, the golf, the boat trip or whatever suits the groom's vibe, and confirm every booking in writing. Build a loose itinerary with room to breathe, because a stag do timed to the minute is a stag do nobody enjoys.
This is also the ideal time to set up your matching tees. With Squad Society you create one design, share a link, and every member of the group adds their own name and picks their own size from their phone. It comes back as one order and one delivery, names are printed free, and there's no minimum. If you're pulling in a big crowd, it's worth reading how group orders work so you know exactly what to expect. Matching shirts do more than look good, they make the groom easy to spot, the group easy to count, and every photo instantly better.
Three weeks out: collect names and sizes
Give the group a firm nudge to fill in their shirt details, and keep an eye on who's dragging their feet. Because each person enters their own name and size, you're not guessing whether anyone wants a large or a 3XL, and you're not the one retyping twelve nicknames. Chase the stragglers, because there's always one.
Sort the groom's shirt separately so he stands out, and decide on your roles: best man, ushers, and the rest of the crew. Our Stag Do HQ has a full run of slogan and role ideas if you want inspiration.
Two weeks out: close the list and place the order
Set a hard deadline, close the shirt list, and do a proper read-through of every name for spelling and in-jokes before you check out. Place the order in one go and the group discount applies automatically, so the bigger the squad, the more you save. Ordering now leaves comfortable time for your UK-printed shirts to arrive.
Confirm travel and transfers this week too, and send the itinerary round so everyone knows roughly where they're meant to be and when.
One week out: final checks
Your tees should land this week, so lay them out, check every name and take a cheeky preview photo. Reconfirm the big bookings, share the hotel address and an emergency contact with more than one person, and make sure the groom's shirt is set aside for the reveal.
Then, genuinely, relax. If you've followed the sequence, the hard part is done. All that's left is to hand out the shirts, get the group photo, and enjoy the weekend you built. Ready to kit out the squad? Browse the stag do t-shirts collection and get your design set up in minutes.
The quick-glance checklist
- Talk to the groom about the vibe and no-go list
- Agree a budget per head
- Lock the date, clear it, book accommodation
- Confirm numbers and take deposits
- Book activities and set up matching tees
- Collect names and sizes, sort roles
- Close the list, place the order, apply the group discount
- Book travel and share the itinerary
- Final checks, hand out shirts, take the photo
Nail those in order and you won't just survive the stag do, you'll be the best man everyone remembers for all the right reasons.
