With so many destinations to choose from, it can be hard to know where to head for your stag or hen do. Here is a list of hot ideas for 2010 to get you thinking...

Spain

For girls looking for a little luxury the gorgeous resort of Marbella is the perfect location for topping-up those tans for the big day and enjoying sophisticated evenings sipping cocktails and dancing. For boys who want to see something a little different and enjoy plenty of partying too head to Barcelona where you can explore the stunning Gaudi architecture by day and enjoy action and entertainment along the infamous Las Ramblas by night. For a 24 hour party resort, the beautiful white isle of Ibiza is the perfect destination. With its euphoric club nights, top DJ’s and celebrity hangouts, there is plenty of fun to be had for any stag or hen group.

Brighton

Brighton is the epitomising British seaside resort, brimming with nostalgia juxtaposed with a vibrant nightclub scene. The Laines, beach, Brighton Pier, the Royal Pavilion and many of the vintage shops and bric-a-brac markets provide a wealth of interest for any group. Close by; the South Downs offer the chance to enjoy quad biking, paintballing and mud karts as well as many other exciting outside sports activities.

Newcastle

From the glamorous Quayside to the trendy streets on Jesmond Newcastle has something to offer all tastes. Also very popular with stag and hen groups are the fantastic sports and games facilities in the surrounding area including the Go Karting centre, and the Super Prix labeled 'the ultimate racing adventure'. For the girls there is the Adonis Cabaret; with its comedy and strip shows adding that extra bit of spice to any bachelorette party.

Take a Tour!

If you’re feeling adventurous why not join Britain’s craziest banger rally tour Wacky Rally! The four day tours take teams across country sampling some of the greatest cities in Europe. Complete with competitions, prizes and glorious views this challenge of a lifetime will provide a wealth of memories to take home with you.

 

If you’re struggling for ideas for your stag or hen do, why not take a few tips from the stars and party in true celebrity style. Here’s a sneaky peek at what our favourite gossip mag heroes have been up to...

London was the perfect destination for Girls Aloud member and X-Factor judge Cheryl Cole. Combining fantastic shopping, innumerable tourist attractions, theatres and museums, plus some of the most stylish clubs in Europe there is plenty to see and do to keep you and your chums happy.

If you’re looking to get away from the hustle and bustle of city life why not try a quiet get-away in the countryside not unlike another reality show judge Amanda Holden. After a boozy party in Mayfair, Holden and her fellow hens headed to the gorgeous Norfolk village of Burnham Market for a relaxed break. The weekend’s plans included hire of local spa retreat and relaxing in the village pub.

If you prefer a more exotic escape take a tip from superstar English footballer Wayne Rooney and head to the white isle of Ibiza. The infamous little island is a hedonistic paradise, combining sun, sea, music and fantastic clubs. In June 2008 just weeks before he married gorgeous Geordie lass Colene, Rooney treated his friends and family to an all inclusive weekend costing a reported £250,000 in total. Not happy with just one party, wife-to-be Colene celebrated her impending wedding vows three times! Spending £20,000 on a weekend of relaxation and joviality in Manchester with the in-laws she also headed out to Miami Beach in Florida with friends. Finally she took three of her closest friends to her auntie’s apartment in ‘The Heights’, a development near the resort of Los Cristianos in Tenerife for one final vacation before the big day.

If you fancy doing things a little differently, why not follow in the footsteps of Black Eyed Peas front girl and her lovely fiancé Josh Duhamel and host a joint hen/stag party. This couple chose the oh-so swish Dakota Lounge in Santa Monica for their paired celebrations however your hometown hotspot could work too! Enjoy delicious champagne cocktails with all your friends and revel in the savings you have made by combining your parties.

Weddings abroad have become more popular than ever due to flights and wedding costs making the event far cheaper than in Britain.The credit crunch has seen a massive surge in weddings abroad and this year Britain has seen 1 in 6 couples choosing to to marry in another country. 

Edinburgh has always been one of the more popular UK destinations for stag and hen parties, but due to the rise of the Euro and the worry of the credit crunch, Edinburgh has been a hot spot for spending your last days of freedom in 2008.

Glasgow and Aberdeen have also had dramatic increases in stag and hen weekend enquiries, which have seen Scotland become the current, financially safe, stag and hen destination through these turbulent economic times.

After a fantastic stag weekend, Justin didn't mind that his flight was delayed. When he eventually boarded Justin suddenly realised he was sat next to the new reformed Irish boy band, Boyzone. Justin who isn't a fan of the popular Irish group didn't think much of it. Unfortunately for him his girlfriend is a fan and Justin was given a verbal beating for not getting the groups autographs. 

Studies have found that the majority of married couples are happier than cohabitants and singles. After extensive research the married life seems to encompass rewards and bonuses that all add to a happier, and often healthier, lifestyle.The shared income relieves financial stress and if one person loses their job, becomes ill, or needs support the other is there to help out. Married men are also more likely to be given promotions and pay rises. Women also reap the benefits of being married as they earn more than their single peers.

Marriage seems to improve your health, as well as your bank account, with married men and women living an average of ten years longer than their single counterparts.

A unique banger rally has been devised for banger rally veterans, novices and anyone else who wants an adventure across beautiful countries. The banger rally crowd is focusing firmly on this years wacky rally, which includes an incredible rally route to Barcelona. 'Barmy to Barcelona' starts in September, and roles through Swiss, French and Italian mountain passes. If you're an interested participant, charity or organisation wishing to get involved get onto wackyrally.co.uk for details. 

 

With the ever increasing success of Eclipse Leisure's stag and hen weekends and corporate events, we have had to move to larger offices. We are expanding quickly to give you an even better and more comprehensive service. We are adding some new weekends and corporate events as well, so watch this space.

A ceremony held in Eastern India saw two monkeys tie the knot in front of a large local audience, who celebrated the primates’ special day with sacred hymns and traditional dancing.

Monkeys are revered in India and were prepared for the ceremony with traditional Indian wedding attire.

The monkeys were presented with gifts, which included a gold necklace for the bride. The “bride” and “groom” were taken to the ceremony by procession, where hundreds of spectators played loud music and let off fireworks.

After the wedding the two monkeys were freed from their chains and were last seen at the temple where their marriage was held.

With the increasing threat of global warming, lowering your carbon footprint has never been so important, and that is why bride and grooms all over the globe are becoming more environmentally responsible when planning their big day.

A wedding, on average, generates 14.5 tonnes of green house gas emissions and couples are increasingly trying to find ways of reducing there carbon footprint. There are hundreds of ways of lowering the amount of carbon emissions at a wedding, including recyclable invitations, washable plates and cutlery and eco-friendly bags for simple guests’ gifts. Brides can even arrange to wear dresses made out of hemp, while grooms can hire suits from a wedding attire shop.

Cutting down electricity and lowering travel emissions will not only help the environment but will help your budget too.

Decreasing carbon emissions and general waste could seem daunting but with a little consideration, and planning, your wedding can quite easily become an environmentally friendly event.  

The Polish weather rarely reaches temperatures suitable for shedding our clothes; however, Krakow is cracking down on the increasing number of stag and hen groups stripping off in the popular Polish city.

Stag and hens visiting Krakow have been causing a stir amongst bar and café owners by stripping off during their weekend breaks, which is once again, putting the British tourist under the limelight. Krakow has become a popular British stag and hen destination over the past few years because of its cheap flights and vibrant nightlife, but this new revelation is worrying the local bars and cafés.

The owners are at risk of losing their licenses if they serve under-dressed stag and hen groups, and this has seen nude revellers turned away, instead of being, reluctantly, let inside. The reputation of the British tourist is yet again under attack.  However, it is not for our once prude demeanour, but for showing the world our naked behinds in a cloud of drunken uninhibition.

Stag do's, hen parties and wedding traditions have morphed to suit the bride and groom’s personal tastes, stag weekends are including pampering sessions and hen groups are enjoying a violent game of paintball. A new break in tradition has been the rise of the female best men. Many grooms are deciding to recruit a woman to arrange the stag party and accept the position of best man, which has been seen as controversial among wedding traditionalists. But many have agreed with the notion that you should have your closest friend beside you at the wedding and organising your stag do, if that person happens to be a female, then so be it. Wedding traditions have always been at the forefront of wedding etiquette but as times are changing and the modernization of weddings have slowly pushed out the traditionalists, couples are able to create the dream wedding.      

Ireland has become one of the go-to places for stag weekends and hen parties wanting to enjoy a weekend away without the stresses of long travels across Europe. Smaller towns such as Galway, Cork and Limerick have seen a surge in popularity with stag groups preferring the more interesting surroundings of these unique towns. Although Dublin and Belfast are still fantastic places to spend a stag or hen weekend, these quaint towns have built up some vibrant, lively nights out that many have said equal the bigger cities famous evenings out.   

An eclipse leisure customer has just won a £60,000 dream wedding through Nottinghamshire's TrentFM. Matt Hackland and Darren Sharpe were competing against each other to get as far away from Nottingham as possible in just 24 hours. The prize includes, wedding rings, professional photography, car, champagne and chocolate fountain, wedding flowers, cake and a beautiful venue. After catching buses, taxis, trains and ferries Matt was crowned the winner after reaching Lille in France. His competitor managed to get to Seaford, but fell short of the winning prize.

The rise of burlesque performer, Dita Von Teese, has made the art of seduction a hen party favourite. Women all over the country are signing up for lessons in pole dancing and strip routines…. and who can blame them.Over the last five years, seduction techniques such as pole dancing and the strip tease have become extremely popular activities with rambunctious hen parties. Brides-to-be are enjoying a fantastic day out learning the moves of the wonderfully entertaining burlesque queens. The revival of the burlesque performance has one lady to thank for its new found popularity, Dita Von Teese, who was recently named the ‘Queen of Burlesque’.

Zorbing is a new extreme sport, where the rider enters a large inflatable plastic ball and rolls down a steep hill (simple). The ball is inflated, forming a cushion between the inside layer and the outside layer, creating a comfortable protection for the rider. Zorbing is a popular stag activity in Bournemouth that is proving to be a great new way to enjoy a weekend.