So, your loved one is getting married and you want to throw the perfect hen party for her. Planning a big event takes a lot of work but when it’s for someone you love, it’s worth it. To make sure it goes off without a hitch, it’s best to be organized.
Before you get started, you’ll need to know everything there is to know about throwing a hen party to remember. You’ve come to the right place. Take a look at these top tips.
Know Your Bride
If you’re organizing a hen party, it helps if you know the bride-to-be pretty well. What will she enjoy? What will she not enjoy? This can help when it comes to making decisions like whether you should travel for the party or have it close to home.
If you’re not sure about what the bride-to-be wants, it’s best to ask outright rather than spend your time trying to guess. Remember, it’s about what she wants, not what you think she might like so if it isn’t up your street, plan it anyway.
Get The Guest List Right
This is an intricate part of getting a hen party right. Only the bride-to-be will understand the relationships of everyone at the party. In many instances, it can be the first time two families meet or the first time several friendship groups come together.
Don’t start planning anything until you’ve spoken to the bride-to-be about the guest list. Generally, a party of 10 to 15 people is ideal but if your bride-to-be has a big family or lots of friends, you could find yourself planning for a bigger event. Additionally, if there’s any animosity between friendship groups, you may find yourself planning two separate events.
Set a Budget
Another tough part of planning a hen party is setting the budget. As the organizer, you may need to expect to take on some of the costs alone. For instance, if you want to use decorations for making a venue look special.
When you consider the budget, think about what each guest will need to pay. For instance, one meal out will cost much less than a weekend away somewhere. If you’re unsure on what people want to pay, talk to some of the guest list to get an idea of what they feel is acceptable.
Make It Personal
No matter what type of event you choose to plan for your bride-to-be, there are always easy ways to make it personal. The little touches are often what makes events like hen parties so memorable. For instance, T-shirt printing is ideal for cementing the occasion and it can cut the cost of outfits for the hens.
You could also use personalized banners for decorations and disposable cameras for everyone to take pictures for the bride-to-be to make a hen party album. The world is your oyster when it comes to personalization so don’t be afraid to get creative.
Do Your Research
If you’re planning anything bigger than a meal at your local restaurant, you may need to do some research. A weekend away will mean you need to create an itinerary that everyone can refer to when they need to. Everything from travel plans to arrival times, meal times, activities, and everything in between.
The more you know about where you’re going, the easier it will be to lead the group when you need to. It also helps those who are attending to feel at ease about the plans and know what to expect.
Don’t Negotiate
It can be difficult to manage a group of people who all have differing ideas and opinions. The event may not be to everyone’s taste but that shouldn’t matter. This event is about the bride-to-be and no-one else.
Make it clear what is happening from the start and that the celebration is about the bride-to-be only. If you start to allow guests to dictate how the event goes, you may end up with an event that is nothing like an event the bride-to-be will enjoy. Guests should accept that the party is for the bride-to-be and they should do their best to enjoy it.
Keep Track Of Money
As the host of the party, you may be responsible for collecting payment installments from the guests. This job can be overwhelming if you don’t keep track of the money. It can help to use a spreadsheet to track incoming and outgoing money for the event.
Payment installments can help the guests to pay for the event in manageable chunks over a period of time. It means no-one has to miss out and the bride’s costs are evenly distributed between you and the guests. If you lose track of the money at any point, it can be extremely difficult to get organized at a later date.
Take Help
The odds are, you’re not the only one who wants to make this event special for the bride-to-be. You may have already had offers from friends and family for help. Although it’s important for you to stay in control of the event, getting help is a good thing.
For instance, a family member may offer to make a buffet or pay for the food for the whole party. Perhaps close friends want to plan a special surprise to add to the festivities. It’s a great way to bring people together on behalf of someone that everyone loves. Allow people to get involved but make sure you always have the final say.
Don’t Worry If Guests Can’t Make It
It’s important to try and find a date that will suit everyone. However, don’t be surprised if some of the guest list can’t make it. They may have work commitments or other responsibilities at home that they just can’t get out of.
You may even find that some guests have to pull out at the last minute. Life can throw the unexpected at any time so don’t be too frustrated if planned guests aren’t able to show up. You’ll need to be willing to go with the flow and make it as enjoyable for the bride-to-be as possible.
Home or Abroad
This is often a question that leads debates when it comes to organizing a hen party. If the bride-to-be doesn’t have a preference, you’re left to decide for yourself. While most hens would never say no to escaping abroad for a few days, there are lots of things to consider.
For instance, all guests need to have a valid and in-date passport to travel which can add extra cost if they need to renew. Guests will also need to book time off work, arrange childcare, and think about luggage requirements. It may make the event more memorable but going abroad can take a lot more organization.
Appropriate Activities
You may not want to arrange a stripogram for the bride-to-be if her elderly grandmother is in attendance. The activities you plan need some thought and you need to take a number of things into consideration. Your bride-to-be may not enjoy being the center of attention so bare that in mind while planning.
Think about your bride-to-be, the guests in attendance, and the type of event you’re planning. This should help you to narrow down the type of activities you opt for.
Back Up Plans
There’s no such thing as the perfect event. Even though you may spend time planning everything to the last detail, there are always things that will go wrong. Although this can be enormously frustrating, you should be prepared for it.
Having a back up plan means you can be prepared for anything. If your flight abroad is canceled, what will you do? If the hens start quarreling, how will you diffuse it? Try and think of any possible eventuality and you’ll have everything you need to survive.
Say Something Nice
All too often, hen parties become more about the hens than the bride-to-be herself. Take some time out to tell the bride-to-be how loved she is. In the midst of planning a wedding, all she really needs is some love and support.
Ask each hen to prepare something nice to say about the bride-to-be. Take it in turns to say positive things about her or tell touching stories so she can walk away feeling great about herself. It’s all any bride can ask for before her wedding day.
Have The Best Time
A hen party is the celebration of the end of an era. Your bride-to-be has decided to commit her life to someone she loves and there’s nothing better to celebrate. This is the perfect opportunity to have fun and make wonderful memories.
You’ve done all the hard work and made your bride-to-be proud. Now is the perfect time to take off the organizer hat and let your hair down. Lead by example and show everyone how to relax and enjoy themselves.
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