The Rise of the ‘Sten Party’
Image by Becky Garland
Sten parties merge the very best of hen parties and stag parties and combine them into one huge celebration for the nearly-weds. There are multiple appealing factors, from inclusivity to budget restrictions, to the recognition of modern relationships. Sten parties break away from that old-fashioned notion of segregated pre-wedding festivities and embrace a more contemporary approach. Not only this, but they’re also a great idea for couples who may be choosing to have separate hen and stag parties, but then joining together before the wedding.
Not only are sten parties a union of a couple’s friends, but the term ‘sten party’ can also relate to singular parties with mixed-gendered friendship groups, or those who don’t want to place any emphasis on gender at all: the perfect way to embrace gender-neutral language and ensure all of your party attendees feel valued.
But while the concept may be pretty straightforward, planning one may not be! It requires careful consideration of what both parties in the couple may want to get out of their celebrations. So we’ve put together a list of ideas to help you figure out those finer details and make sure that you plan the perfect sten to remember. From location to games and activities, we’ve got you covered:
Location
Firstly, find out how your couple would like to spend their celebrations - a long weekend in the city? One epic night on the town? Jet off somewhere tropical on a plane? Or perhaps there’s something more specific you’d all like to go to together, such as a festival or camping trip. There’s a multitude of options to consider, but when you’ve fine-tuned the location, you’ll need to consider some activities to keep the nearly-weds occupied...
Activities
Having a solid itinerary and list of things to do is a great way of ensuring the sten party stick together. Some activity ideas include a pub crawl, games night, karaoke bar or comedy club. Plan dinner and drinks, or even start the night at your accommodation with a cocktail making masterclass.
Games
Don’t forget about the games! Particularly if your group is large or contains lots of people that may not know each other - games are always a really great ice breaker. Naturally, a ‘how well do you know each other’ style quiz is a popular option - why not take it one step further and give the couple a set of tasks to accomplish either together, or to battle it out against each other?
Regardless of how you plan to celebrate, a sten party is the perfect opportunity to bring together the nearly-weds for the ultimate celebration of friendship and love - with all of their closest friends under one roof. Would you ever consider a sten party? Have you planned one already?! Let us know on our socials by tagging us in your sten party photos!
