Want to throw your bestie a memorable hen party to let her leave singledom behind with a bang? We've got some ideas that will be remembered for the right reasons.
Planning a hen party can be a little overwhelming. There’s a great deal of pressure on you to find the perfect send-off for the bride, while ensuring the enjoyment of all the hens, and without costing everyone too much money. And most importantly, you want it to be different from all the other hen parties going on around you because, after all, the bride really is unlike anyone else. It would be easy to put together a cookie-cutter hen party, with a night out, phallic decorations and all the usual Mr and Mrs quizzes. But you need something special; the perfect weekend to mark the send-off from single life into marriage!
Bride-Tribe at a festival
What are the perfect ingredients for an amazing hen do? A festival ticks off pretty much everything you could ask for, from dancing in the sunshine with a cheeky G&T, to lying under the stars exchanging secrets about the groom. It also takes the work out of organising as all the entertainment is there waiting for you. You just have to buy tickets and get there. Whether you are ready for the full music festival experience, or a more low-key local festival there are so many to choose from; just pick a date and find one that fits. For any hens who aren’t used to the complete festival camping experience, upgrade your stay to glamping, with real beds, duvets and magical lighting (and sometimes even showers).
Hens and stags all together
Nowadays people rarely only have friends who are the same sex as them. Most people have a mix, so segregating the women and men from each other can mean missing out on time spent with some of your favourite people. For couples who share a friend group, having a joint party might be the ideal solution, allowing you to celebrate all together. Just think of it as a warm-up for the wedding.
Kidnapping the bride
Not for the faint-hearted, the kidnapping tactic isn’t a new idea, but it is guaranteed to have an impact. You can be as extreme as you (and the bride) like. Either give her a little warning of when she will be going somewhere and what to pack, or treat it as a complete surprise and whisk her away somewhere. All you need is a blindfold and a group of friends to greet her when you get there.
Keep it simple and crafty
Many people are embracing going back to basics and enjoying the simple things in life, like handmade crafts, baking and making flower crowns, for example. It can be refreshing to avoid all the pressure from social media and magazines to create something phenomenal and instead just keep it simple by focusing on things the bride truly loves. Hire out a cottage or invite everyone to your house and plan out a relaxing day or weekend of crafting. You can even use the opportunity to make things for the wedding, like plate-decorating, bunting and floral decorations.
The Whodunit Murder Mystery
If your bride is a keen fan of Agatha Christie and likes a little theatre with her dinner, a murder mystery hen party might be just the ticket. With a little careful planning you can create your own (think of it as a game of Cluedo without the board!) or you can book a murder mystery dinner experience, with fancy dress and props and a little murder in between courses.
Relax at a spa weekend
If there is one thing every bride needs before the wedding it is time to relax, so why not incorporate this into the hen party. Depending on the budget, you can either find a spa day experience to share with all the hens, or upgrade it to a full weekend full of treatments, massages and time to relax by the pool. Try to keep everyone together for most of the day as it really makes a difference to the overall atmosphere of the weekend. More often than not you start the weekend not really knowing everyone and you leave as firm friends.
Sing loud and proud with karaoke
When you get a group of people together and play those classic tracks it’s rare for everyone not to break out into song. So why not make a night of it and hire a karaoke booth so you can enjoy the music together – without damaging the hearing of everyone nearby! Add a fancy dress code and a bar tab and you’ll really have a night to remember.
Adrenaline-filled adventure
If a boozy city-break isn’t your thing, an adventure experience might be. From horse-back riding to clay-pigeon shooting, cave diving to white water rafting, there are hundreds of adventure weekends to choose from, regardless of activity-level or experience. If you combine the excitement of the activities with a little spa treatment afterwards, you’ll all go home feeling exhausted yet refreshed.
Step back in time
For the bride who loves all things vintage, create a retro-inspired experience that makes her feel like she’s stepped back in time. Depending on the decade you choose, there are various different activities that would fit. For example, a day spent shopping in the vintage shopping areas of Birmingham or Liverpool, followed by a trip to a 1950s hair salon, and a retro photo shoot to capture the complete look and finally, finish the day with a rock & roll dance class. For lovers of the 20s, you could dress up in your finest flapper costumes and try a 20s escape room before going to a themed speakeasy to dance the Charleston to a live jazz band.