Whether it’s your first time taking on hen party duties or you’ve been around the block once or twice before, planning a hen party takes some serious preparation. As one of the most anticipated events (second only to the big wedding day!), you don’t want to miss the mark when it comes to the festivities.
This guide has all the top tops and best-kept planning secrets you need to arrange a hen do that gives the bride-to-be the proper send-off into married life. With these in place, you can keep the arrangements as smooth and stress-free as possible.
The Maid of Honor
According to UK wedding traditions, it’s the responsibility of the maid of honour to take on all the hen party planning. From booking the venue to handling invites and activities, it’s all on the chief bridesmaid. This is mainly to take the pressure off the bride in the lead-up to her big day and ensure that she enjoys her final blow-out as an unwedded lady.
While the matron of honour makes most of the decisions regarding the hen-do, it’s important to get feedback from the bride. This is to ensure that you include anything she’d like for her hen party and that everyone she wants to be there is invited. Get her to provide you with a list of guests and their contact details, alongside anything specific she’d like to do.
Getting the Hens Together
Once the invitations are sent out and you have a vague idea about numbers, you can start planning a budget and what activities you’re all going to be doing. This needs to be affordable for all your invitees and realistic. After all, there is no point going to Vegas if half the group can’t afford it.
A night out is a standard hen-do plan, but you could save money by booking a daytime experience. This will make your plans more attractive to attendees with work or childcare commitments. Brunches, craft classes, spa days and theatre shows are all great options that make fun daytime bachelorette activities.
The Theme
You don’t necessarily need one, but all the best hen parties have a theme. Of course, it has to be focused on what the bride likes. Do they enjoy playing classic games like bingo online or in person? Or do they prefer dancing and being in nightclubs? Based on her answers, you can then settle on a theme for the day that she’ll adore.
Be sure to send a packing list to the rest of the hens to ensure they have everything they need for the festivities. This could include a costume for a fancy dress theme, footwear requirements or any special props.
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