Stag Kidnap Stag Do

A fake kidnapping stag do is the prank that keeps on giving. Actors playing police officers, gangsters or some other suitably alarming crew turn up, grab the stag and bundle him away while the rest of you try very hard not to laugh. A stag kidnap is pure theatre, and he’s the only one in the room who doesn’t know the script.

Some packages kidnap the whole group, which is handy if you fancy a taste of the panic yourself. You might be marched off to a mock prison, interrogated by someone with a very serious moustache, or made to complete daft challenges before you’re released. It ends with a big reveal, a lot of relief and the stag vowing revenge on his best man.

The look on his face. That’s the whole reason. It’s the moment everyone will talk about at the wedding, and the actors do all the hard work on the day, so you just have to keep a straight face and point your phone in the right direction.

Why should the stag have it easy, anyway? He gets the attention all weekend. At least this way the rest of you know what’s going on and he doesn’t. Some packages also bundle in a night out afterwards, which should help him forgive you a bit quicker.

It works best early in the weekend. Once he’s been snatched once, he’ll spend the rest of the trip looking over his shoulder, and that’s half the fun.

• Make sure he’s OK with surprises. You know the stag. If he hates being caught off guard, or he’s had a rough time lately, pick a different prank. The aim is a laugh, not a meltdown.
• Health comes first. Don’t book it if the stag, or anyone else being snatched, has a heart condition, anxiety or any health issue that a proper fright could set off. If you’re not sure, have a quiet word with his family.
• Ask how they stop. Check with the provider how they handle someone who gets genuinely upset, and how quickly the act ends if things go wrong.
• Read the details. Find out where it happens, how long it lasts and what’s included, so nobody (including the hotel) gets the wrong idea.
• Let one sensible lad in on it. Someone calm who can play along and keep an eye on the stag is worth their weight in gold.

Follow the kidnap with riot training for more role-play chaos, or paintball so the stag can take his revenge with a paint gun. Fair’s fair.

For more ways to wind him up, see our stag do pranks and jokes and grab some stag do dares for the evening. If you’d rather hand the whole thing over to someone else, our concierge service can help plan it.