Home » Stag & Hen Parties » Stag & Hen History

Stag & Hen History

Origins of Stag Parties

Where does the term come from?

Whether it’s called a stag party in Canada and the UK, a bachelor party in the U.S., or a buck’s party in Australia, the general idea behind celebrations for pre-grooms remains the same. A bachelor party marks the rite of passage a man takes from adolescence to becoming a family man. The idea is that it is a final chance to go out "on the town" with one's favourite friends of the same gender before taking the wedding vows and settling down to a sedate family life. The custom is thought to have originated centuries ago however the exact origin is uncertain. It’s thought to have originated in Sparta during the 5th century BC, when soldiers would get together the night before a fellow fighter’s wedding and toast him at a dinner. It didn’t involve strippers or a weekend trip to Las Vegas—at least, not that we know of. The dinner was simply a way to bond with friends and release some anxiety and nervousness before the wedding.

People aren’t exactly sure when the bachelor party transitioned, but according to an Oakland Tribune article, it may have happened during the late 1800s. Gentlemen of the Victorian period wanted a night to say goodbye to friends who might be too embarrassing to bring over to the house once the wives moved in. That’s not too different from what goes on today, except now the parties are more about having a final send-off for scandalous behaviour rather than scandalous friends.

Today, people in Britain are spending about £430m a year for stag & hen parties, according to research.