Organising a hen party but don’t know where to begin? Here are some tips to help make your party a success.
Our list of Hen Party Tips on planning the perfect party, whether it is a wild hen night or a sedate get together; our checklist of essentials will help you plan the party to remember.
Getting it right
- Check with the bride about who she really wants to be there ‐‐ should it be just close friends and family, or work colleagues too?
- Make sure you get all the necessary contact details.
- Hen nights are often organised as a surprise for the bride, but make sure you get an idea of what she’d like to do ‐‐ there’s no point having a wild night in a club when she’d rather a quiet day in a spa.
- Sound out her friends to see if they’ve got ideas, too.
- Get in touch with all the hens as soon as possible ‐‐ if you have a large group to organise, finding a date and a location to suit everyone may take time.
Perfect planning
- Don’t under any circumstances hold the hen night on the night before the wedding!
- Choose a weekend a week or two before the wedding, and try to combine it with the stag do.
- Think about where you want to hold the party ‐‐ do most of her friends live in one area or is there a central location which would make a good meeting‐point for everyone?
- If you’re inviting older friends or mums, choose a venue that everyone feels comfortable in ‐‐ if in doubt, split the do into various stages, such as a meal for everyone, and wild clubbing later for the young ones.
- Plan a few thoughtful treats. This could be anything from a guest book signed by all the hens to a photo album containing photographs of her life.
- Take along some finishing touches such as personalised shot glasses and hen party t‐shirts.
- Be very organised. If you’re going abroad, for example, check that everyone has their passports and tickets before you discover missing items at the airport.
Paying up
- Discuss budgets as soon as possible to find something that suits everyone’s tastes and pocket.
- When it comes to paying, the costs should be divided amongst the group ‐‐ the bride shouldn’t have to pay for anything.
- If you have to book an activity or transport, send an email requesting payment from each guest, but be sure to outline exactly what everyone’s paying for, and set a limit on the total amount payable.
On the day
- It’s easiest to sort out money at the start of the evening, so set up a kitty to avoid the hassle of sorting out bills at the end of the night.
- If there are lots of you going out, see if you can arrange a group discount in advance.
- Make sure the events are paced ‐‐ you don’t want everyone to get drunk too soon, so make sure a meal is included in the celebrations.
