Has your bestie turned into bridezilla since the day she got engaged? That can be concerning if you, as maid of honour, are in charge of organising the hen party.

It is a very special day or maybe even a weekend – the bride-to-be (hopefully) will only have one hen party, after all! So you want it to be one that she remembers, for all the right reasons. But, this can be easier said than done.

So, here are my top tips for planning any successful hen party:

Tip 1: Keep her in mind when planning

This might seem obvious but it is quite easy to forget, especially once you get stuck into the process of planning it, considering who to invite, looking at where to hold it and deciding what to do, where to stay, what to eat and so on. This will only become even more complicated when the rest of the hen party start making their own suggestions, or if logistics mean you have to move further and further away from the original idea. You could find, eventually, it becomes the very opposite of what the bride-to-be would want.

Before you do anything, think very carefully about what she would enjoy – perhaps she would want to enjoy a delicious dinner followed by cocktails or maybe she would prefer a relaxing weekend away with all of her closest friends. From there make sure you keep her in mind during each decision – if you don’t think she would like it, don’t do it. Everyone else can fall in line.

Tip 2: Ask for advice

Don’t try to do it all on your own. While you don’t want to be overwhelmed with ideas from every angle, it is good to get some insight – particularly from those closest to the bride. Speak to family members and perhaps even ask the bride herself. While you might want some of the weekend to be a surprise, there is no harm asking for her input, particularly when it comes to who you invite – forget someone very important and this could ruin the event for her altogether.

Tip 3: Make sure it is affordable

It is important to make sure that the day/weekend is affordable. If guests can’t make it due to the cost, or you fly somewhere exotic but can’t afford to do anything once you get there due to the cost of the flights, this will cause issues for the whole party and the bride won’t be happy. You also don’t want people to be watching their pennies all weekend, worrying about whether they are able to afford everything or not. Work out how much it will all cost first and make sure everyone is happy with this.

Tip 4: Carefully plan to avoid any boredom

The last thing you want is to be twiddling your thumbs because your daytime activity finishes at 3pm and your table for dinner isn’t booked until 7pm. Make sure you carefully plan out the day and have a backup plan of activities, just in case you find yourself at a loose end for any reason. That being said, allow for some downtime – you don’t want to be constantly rushing between activities either.

 

All images by Lifa Wall Photography via Bright & Modern Pantone Inspired Bridal Shower

Tip 5: Organise a range of activities throughout the day

Make sure you have a variety of activities to keep everyone engaged and entertained throughout the day and evening. Prepare some hen party games that you can play back at the accommodation or even in a bar – this is also a great way to break the ice for those that don’t know each other. The last thing you want is for everyone to stick with the people they know and not mix. This could prove stressful for the bride if she feels she has to keep everyone happy.

Ms Zigzag says: I think people get very (over)excited when planning events and we all want to throw in our two cents’ worth of advice. Chelsea is right on the money when she reminds us to always think of what the bride would like- that’s what is most important. 

About Chelsea Ellsworth – This article was produced by Chelsea Ellsworth, an experienced and enthusiastic freelance writer who has written for a variety of online publications and magazines.