Your friend is getting married and you can’t wait to put on your pretty dress and have a dance at the wedding. But before you get that far, there’s yet MORE fun to be had. There’s the Hen Party - and you’ve been asked to organise it!
After you’ve got over the initial excitement, you’ll need to take a minute to sit back and think about it. This is a BIG DEAL - the bride will likely remember this for the rest of her life.
A little more intimidating now, right? Unless your bride is the most low-maintenance girl in the world and is happy to sit at home drinking tea and watching films, you’ve got a lot on your plate. You’re also not just organising her and yourself, you’re organising a whole brood of other hens.
Wow, we’re not really selling this, are we? Truth be told, organising a Hen Party is really satisfying and rewarding... as long as you’re organised and get things sorted in time.
Here are our top tips for organising a Hen Party.
Find out what your bride is expecting as soon as possible
Before you begin, have a quick discussion with your bride. Don’t let her get away with “surprise me”. She might say she doesn’t mind, but if she ends up paint-balling when she was secretly dreaming of a spa day, you’ll be in trouble. Even if it’s the vaguest of ideas, it will set you in the right direction.
Who is coming?
This is another one to discuss with the bride. Is she only expecting her closest friends, or is she happy to invite the groom’s second cousin? Additionally, there’s no point jumping into planning activities and trying to book things if some people are unsure if they are able to come at all. Give everyone enough time to figure out their situations, but by the end you’ll have a strong group of girls who are definitely coming – then you’re free to plan. It may take a little nagging to finalise, but you’ll get there in the end.
Know your audience
Focus on some good activities that everyone can enjoy, rather than trying to cater to everyone’s personalities. An early-morning hike might not suit her 70-year-old grandmother! Planning from the start will give you a great idea of what sorts of activities might be best - and there’s so many options out there offering ideas for great Hen Parties to help you.
Money talk
Once you’ve got your girls sorted, discuss money. A trip to Monte Carlo might be on the cards but it’s not great if only three out of ten of you can afford it! Bandy around ball-park figures (don’t forget the bride too!) to set expectations. There are so many options for so many budgets now, you’re bound to find something excellent - and a great Hen Party doesn’t mean leaving the country.
Communication and organisation
Once you’re in the planning and finalisation stages, do your best to communicate with everyone. Remind people about money and document deadlines consistently. You may feel a little annoying. However, once everything is done you can breathe a sigh of relief and there doesn’t need to be ANY last minute panic. Start WhatsApp and Facebook groups and a Google document - it will really help you keep track.
Ask for help
You might be taking the bulk of the planning but you can’t do everything. Ask another of the hens to research some activities for you to help you out!
