While we don’t proclaim to be the foremost experts on UK stag weekends (we defer to our brethren Staggered from across the pond for that)… we do recognize cool shit when we see it. Release Travel definitely falls under that category.

Release  Travel has been setting up the biggest and best stag weekends in the UK since their formation in 1999. We first heard about Release from a groom that wrote us after hiring Release for their Stag Weekends London service. One line in that groom’s message still stands out to this day:

I’ve no doubt I’ll be using Release Travel to book the stag weekend the next time I get hitched.

Over 33,000 customers booked their stag and hen weekends through Release Travel. Powered by tremendous growth, quality reputation and a brand new website they’re making 2010 even better. There is no better destination in the UK for stag weekends Brighton, stag weekends Newcastle and stag weekends Bristol than Release.

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release travel is a sponsor of the man registry’s groomsadvice blog

Who doesn’t love a good cultural exchange? Andrew Shanahan, editor of iamstaggered.com, has provided this detailed account on what it’s like to attend a wedding in the UK. In turn, The Man Registry supplied a guide to attending an American wedding for our friends in Britain.

It was George Bernard Shaw who said that Britain and America are two countries separated by a common language. Despite that, it’s true to say that other differences, like dentistry, have also developed. Take our weddings traditions for example, I’ve heard you Yanks don’t even set fire to the grandparents’ shoes anymore! Fortunately, Staggered, the UK’s leading online wedding magazine , have offered to give you some pointers on what it’s like to attend a wedding in Great Britain. As you’d expect it’s pretty great, and very British.

What to expect when attending a wedding in the UK

1) Don’t Be Surprised If You Get Exceptionally Drunk.
For one thing, you’re an American and therefore you have the drinking skills of a five-year-old British girl. For another thing British weddings are on a par with Russian funerals for their booze quotient. As a guest you should expect to have a drink the night before (to settle the nerves), on the morning (to wake up), before the service (who cares why), during the photos (helps you smile), all through the reception (that’s why we’re there). The tradition is that anyone whose liver hasn’t fallen out by midnight is required to buy a round.

2) Do Dress Smartly (Just Not In A Tux)
If you wear a tux then people will assume you’re a butler, a waiter, or an American. Wear a smart suit, shirt and tie you’re comfortable in and if you’re feeling organised see if you can get a flower or your tie in the bride or groom’s colours, depending on whose party you’re in (i.e. who you know). Ask the best man if you don’t want to bother the bride or groom.

3) Don’t Expect Much Of The Food
Despite Jamie Oliver (or perhaps because of him) our standard of food is still pretty low. You should expect to eat some charred meat (possibly beef), some veg that has been boiled out of existence and a pudding that’s so heavy you might well die eating it. The vol-au-vents and hors d’oeuvres offered on arrival are a long-standing joke about the French, the meaning of which is lost in time.

4) Do Prepare For The Speeches
There are three speeches from the father of the bride, the groom and then the best man. These can be pretty funny (they can also be outlandishly dull) but two things to remember: 1) they can last a while, so head to the Gents before they start 2) Make sure you’ve got a drink or you might sober up and sobriety is the very rudest thing possible.

5) Don’t Leave It Too Late To Buy A Gift
Most couples register a gift list at a department store which you can find over the web (details will be on the invite) and all the cheap stuff goes first. Leave it a few weeks and you’ll be wondering if you really have to buy them a £700 telly.

6) Do Make The Most Of Being American
People are going to be pretty impressed that you came all the way from America for the wedding. For maximum effect play it down (“Oh well, I have such high regard for X and Y (or X and X – we’re a progressive nation you know) that I had to be here. Distance was no issue.”) This will make women cry and men buy you beer.

7) Don’t Get Confused If You Pull
Even if you have a face like a smashed crab, being the crusading out-of-town American you should have enough glamour to pull any of the single ladies in attendance (tell them you work in Hollywood, they’ll believe it). If you get lucky here are a few terms you’ll need to know, “snog” means to kiss, “fag” is a cigarette, and “fanny” means vagina.

8 ) Do Forgive Us For All The Stupid Assumptions We Will Make About You
Despite the impression you will have got from watching Monty Python and the BBC, most Brits are actually pretty stupid and you’ll probably spend much of your day explaining several things. These will include: Sesame Street was not a real place. Americans hated Bush as well. You call American Football football, football is called soccer.

9) Don’t Get Confused By The Evening Disco
By the time the evening do rolls around you will be very drunk. That’s fine because if you’re going to participate in the evening disco then abandoning all pretence of motor skills is the ideal starting point. I wish I was kidding but the songs you’re most likely to need to brush up your moves on are the following:
The Birdie Song, Agadoo &  Oops Upside Your Head.

10) Do Practice Your Small Talk
The British love awkwardness and revel in the painful silences as people grasp for something to say. As a foreigner you may want to interject with small talk. One tip – if you want to say something that will heal every social situation it’s this: “Can I get everyone a drink?”

If you want more information on any aspect of weddings in the UK then feel free to stop by the UK’s free online wedding magazine (www.iamstaggered.com). Bring beer.