Getting married? There are three things you need to get sorted: the suit, the speech and the stag. To help with the last one, we’ve asked stag organiser Chillisauce to share its top picks for stag dos this winter.

Whether you want to embrace winter to the fullest or escape the cold for a sunnier destination, there’s a stag do designed for every group. As temperatures drop across the UK and Europe, prices drop too, with flights and accommodation much cheaper in the colder months. With everything from thrilling snow sports and activities like airsoft and escape rooms, to tasting quality beer and local cuisine, there’s a destination for everyone. Here are seven of our favourites.

RIGA

When it comes to winter, Riga is our number one destination. Where else can you can have a thrilling, high-speed bobsledding race down an actual Olympic track or ride a snowmobile through a forest? Beer is pretty cheap in Riga, so be sure to sample plenty of Latvia’s quality brews. Once you’ve worked up an appetite, Riga’s traditional Latvian cuisine features plenty of meat and fish in hearty dishes that’ll warm you up on the coldest day. Try it at Lasite, a medieval-inspired restaurant.

PRAGUE

If ever there was a chance to experience Prague – one of the top stag destinations – it’s winter when prices are cheap and the crowds are smaller. Not only is the city beautiful in winter, but the cold weather is perfect for filling up on traditional Czech cuisine like hearty soups and warm goulash with dumplings. Unique to this beer-loving city is the beer spas where you can fulfil that dream of bathing in beer. Expect incredible nightlife, exciting activities and tons of beer.

BUDAPEST

Hungary’s capital is a stag do favourite all year round with legendary nightlife and an infamous party atmosphere, but it’s at its cheapest in winter. Escape the icy temperatures by taking a dip in the warm waters of Budapest’s famous thermal spas (pictured in somewhat sunnier months above). Spend your nights exploring the city’s unique ruin bars or, since bar crawls are popular there, why not try that too? Hungarian alcohol is pretty potent, particularly the pálinka, so it’ll put some hair on your chest and warm you up – win-win.

KRAKOW

Embrace the cold and jet through the snow on a fast-paced snowmobile ride in the fascinating city of Krakow. It’s home to a huge concentration of pubs, clubs and bars, which means you won’t have to walk too far in the icy temperatures on a bar crawl. And with firewater shots, potent Polish vodka and hot beer, you’ll forget you were ever cold. Before all that though, make lining your stomach a cultural activity by sampling the local delicacy of pierogi dumplings.

BENIDORM

If you’re looking for somewhere warmer with cheap flights, head to Benidorm with its warm microclimate all year round. It’s a British favourite, but there’s more to this seaside resort than just summer beach parties. Experience a fully immersive escape room with different scenarios including a haunted orphanage, a bomb in a CIA agent’s office and an abandoned military base where you’ll have to survive the zombie apocalypse.

BRISTOL

Bristol is a fiercely independent, beer-loving city in the West Country, making it a top destination for outdoor activities and quality beer tasting. Wrap up warm and jump in a rebel buggy for a wet and muddy experience made even more fun by the challenging conditions. While you’re there, why not spend a day learning to brew your own beer with an expert? You’ll have plenty of beer to taste throughout the day and will leave with a newfound appreciation for the drink.

NEWCASTLE

Newcastle is easily one of the UK’s best party destinations, and that’s partly down to the famous trebles bars where a triple shot is often cheaper than everything else. One of the top activities that stags love is airsoft, where you recreate the intensity of real combat situations – an activity that’s sure to get your blood pumping. If you think you’re brave enough to walk around the North in winter without a jacket, you’ll fit right in.

Chillisauce is the biggest stag do company in the world, organising weekends for over 160,000 people every year. With 1,000’s of stag activities, nightlife ideas and places to stay all over Europe, and a 9/10 Trustpilot rating across more than 2,500 reviews, Chillisauce should be at the top of your to-do list for organising an unforgettable stag. Find them on Facebook and Instagram.

When you don’t have to worry about finding one suit that covers everything from your next interview to your cousin’s wedding, you have the flexibility to choose a suit that’s exactly right for each occasion. For parties, that’s a real bonus. By hiring rather than buying, you can experiment with different outfits and go for something bold without worrying about getting enough wear out of it. It’s also often cheaper if you don’t wear a suit very often.

And it might surprise you to learn there’s more to our hire collection than wedding suits (though we do those pretty well too). Here’s some inspiration of what to hire and how to style it for any kind of party you’ve got coming up.

Just because you don’t have to wear a suit to work, it doesn’t mean you can’t once in a while. If you’ve got a work do to go to, hiring one for the evening is bound to make a good impression on your boss. Or maybe you do wear a suit to work, but instead of falling back on your usual weekday suit why not use the opportunity to upgrade to something a little more luxurious?

British brand Ted Baker is known for its great detailing, and our collection of Ted Baker hire suits is no different. Ted’s faded blue lounge suit is cut from smooth pure-wool cloth in a smart tailored fit and is fully lined with a cheeky peacock print that’ll stand apart from everyone else’s business suits. For a comfortable but suitably polished look, wear yours with a colourful knit and a bright silk pocket square.

Going out? When everyone else is in black or dark colours, a lighter shade will make a fresh contrast in dimly lit bars. But a corporate grey suit doesn’t really say ‘party’ does it? Ted Baker’s grey lounge suit is much more festive, comes in a clean-cut slim fit and is finished with a pindot weave.

And don’t feel you have to hire your full outfit – sort the suit with us and mix in some of your own wardrobe or buy a shirt you know you’ll get more wear out of. A boldly printed shirt with a casual revere collar keeps the look firmly in the ‘good time’ category and can easily be styled down for a more relaxed look with tailored trousers and trainers too.

There’s nothing like a tux for larger-than-life parties when everyone’s going all out. But unless you’ve got a whole series of black-tie bashes to go to, it’s probably not worth the investment of buying one. Hiring one keeps the costs down and also means you’re not stuck with exactly the same look every year. It’s true that all tuxedos stick to similar foundations – satin lapels for example – but you can achieve quite different looks by your choice of fit or finishings.

Take this one by Moss. This unexpected colour will stand out in a sea of black and white tuxedos. Keep things modern by swapping a bibbed or pleated dress shirt for a more minimalistic button-down version and add a casually ruffled pocket square in black.

Like it or not, it’s almost that time of year again when the party season will soon be in full swing. If you’re feeling especially bah-humbug about the whole thing, some of these shindigs you’ll be able to swerve, others maybe not. But what there’s no escaping, if your chosen knees-up demands it, is that you’re going to be the most dressed-up you’ve probably been all year. All of which means you’ll have to find something to wear that has a little more bite than your usual day-to-day suit.

SO WHAT SHOULD BE MY PARTY FABRIC OF CHOICE?

One particular fabric that will tick all of your party season boxes and was once traditionally the reserve of royalty, is velvet. Thankfully, in these slightly more egalitarian times, velvet no longer holds such lofty connotations. And perhaps most surprising of all for such a luxe fabric, it can be worn in any number of ways, proving its versatility to boot.

CAN I WEAR VELVET TO A BLACK TIE EVENT?

You most definitely can, and indeed should. For any formal events, break the mould and switch your tried-and-tested black tuxedo for one in claret or chocolate velvet. Not only will you be adding all of the extra bells and whistles needed at this time of year, but you’ll also be dialling up that old-school glamour too. All that’s required of you is a guarantee that your velvet tux is cut on the slim side and that you’re primed and ready to step in and play at being James Bond should the occasion require it. Vodka Martinis are entirely optional.

BUT WILL WEARING VELVET MAKE ME THE CENTRE OF ATTENTION?

Almost certainly. And if you’re something of a shrinking violet, one major downside to wearing velvet is that many of your fellow party guests will, without doubt, want to stroke you as the night wears on. The solution? Never forget that the devil is always in the details and the addition of a simple velvet bow tie worn with a more traditional tux will still more than pass muster.

WHAT IF MY PARTY ISN’T BLACK TIE?

If your soirée doesn’t require the above amount of swish, then you could always wear your velvet jacket as a separate instead. Break up your look with a lambswool roll-neck sweater. Or go one step further and wear it over a jazzy printed shirt. Finish your outfit off with your finest pair of black denim jeans and shoes, safe in the knowledge that your velvet jacket will make whatever else you’re wearing swankier by association.

All of which goes to show, that whatever velvet combo you decide upon, it’s the golden ticket when dressing for any parties you have pencilled into your diary. Just remember two things: arrive fashionably late and don’t hog the karaoke machine.