HOW TO PLAN A HENS NIGHT

Written by Sophie

So, your besties big day is soon approaching, and you’ve been granted the honour of planning the hen’s night! But unless you’re a serial bridesmaid like Jane in 27 Dresses, chances are this is the first bachelorette party you’re planning…

But this isn’t your day yet…back to the task at hand!

Planning your friend’s hens party can be a huge task; you want to make sure both the bride-to-be, and all of her chosen guests, have an amazing and unforgettable day and night. Plus, you want it to be an event you and all of your friends are still talking about for years to come!

We’ve put together this simple hen’s night planning checklist to ensure the event runs smoothly, and is one you can enjoy too!

STEP 1: SPEAK TO THE BRIDE

You’ll most likely want to keep the details of the event a surprise, but it’s important to first ask her a few questions such as:

Where do you want the event to be?

Some may want to keep it local, whereas others may be dreaming of a getaway!

How long does she want the event to be?

She may be happy with an afternoon and night event, or perhaps she’s always wanted a full weekend long hens!

Does she have an idea about the budget?

This is something you will need to finalise with the other bridesmaids, however, it always helps to get a rough idea of what the bride-to-be has in mind, and also as she will know what is suitable for her guests. The first two questions will also be important in working out the budget.

When does she want the event to be?

There’s always a lot going on in the lead up to a wedding, so ideally speak to her about which dates work best for her within the whole wedding schedule.

Are there any definite nos?

Ultimately the planning is up to you, but you want to make sure it’s something she’s going to remember for the right reasons!

STEP 2: GUEST LIST

Once you’ve got an idea of what the bride-to-be wants, the next step is to get a list about who she wants to invite. This will also give you an initial idea of who is coming and how to plan accordingly.

For example, if there’s a lot of family coming you may want to consider splitting the event up into day and night activities; Grandma might not be the biggest fan of our men (though again, she might be!)

Next, you’ll want to plan with the bride when she wants to host the event, and if she has any general preferences and after this step – it’s up to you!

Now that you’ve got a guest list and date worked out you can start sending out save the date info. Make sure you also get emails and contact phone numbers, otherwise we also recommend setting up a group chat so you can easily keep everyone updated with budgets and planning.

STEP 3: WORKING OUT A BUDGET

People can be unclear on who pays for a bachelorette party, but this is usually one part of the wedding events which is paid for by the guests.

Generally, all of the guests pay a set amount per head, and the bridesmaids may opt to pay more too.

For the budget, remember to factor in costs such as:

  • Activities for the day
  • Drinks and food
  • Location, venue high or club entry
  • Transportation costs
  • Decorations and any extras such as items needed such as game prizes, sashes, party bags (we may be technically adults, but who doesn’t love a party bag?!) and balloons
  • Last, but definitely not least, strippers or topless waiters

You may also wish to have different cost options for those who may only be attending for the day (if you are splitting the event) or also for those who don’t drink.

STEP 4: CHOOSE A LOCATION AND ACTIVITY

This is where your expertise and knowledge of your bestie is really called upon! Time to work out some epic hens night ideas!

As you’ve already spoken to her about her general thoughts you should have a good idea of what to plan, but also ask yourself: What does she like? What sort of night would she honestly want? Is she more of the classy hens kind of bride to be, does she want a simple good old fashioned night out or is she more of the staying in kind?

Often, hens nights have more than one location, so consider where everyone will be meeting first – do you have someone’s home you can use, or would it be easier to book a hotel room? If you’re planning a night out, we also recommend booking a hotel room which both the hen and bridesmaid can all stay in together when the night is finally over!

Once you’ve got an idea, make sure you book in your locations and events asap so you can ensure they are locked in!

STEP 5: CHOOSING A THEME AND GAMES

Not every hen’s party needs a theme, but we think it definitely helps to make the night more unique and memorable! Once you’ve worked out the main location and activities, you can easily choose a theme which matches both the event and the bride to be.

Check out our list of Top 5 Hens Party games here.

STEP 6: FACTOR IN FOOD

If you’re going to be drinking, which let’s face it – you are, then you definitely need to factor in some food! You want the night to be memorable for sure, but not because one of the guests (and definitely not the guest of honour) threw up on herself and then passed out by 5pm.

If you’ve picked a theme for the event then plan out some ideas which also tie into the theme (Pinterest is your best friend here!)

STEP 7: THE ENTERTAINMENT

We’d like to think that this is the most important step in the hens party planning process, and we doubt many ladies would argue with us! And yes, by entertainment, we’re talking about our men!

Choosing a male stripper is most likely the first thing which came to your mind when you were asked to plan the hens night (we know it is…don’t lie), and even if she included strippers in her list of “no’s” we’ve also got great topless waiter options which we’re sure she’ll love!

STEP 8: SENDING OUT FORMAL INVITES

Once you’ve got all of the basics decided upon, booked in, locked and loaded, you can send out the formal invite to the guest list. If you’re the creative type (or even if you’re not) we love Canva for creating awesome invites.

Don’t forget to include details such as:

  • Date & time (as well as duration)
  • Location of where to meet
  • Activity details (but remember to tell them to keep it a secret)
  • Cost (and when and how they need to pay)
  • Anything they need to bring to the event (such as a change of clothes for the evening)

STEP 9: FINALISING THE EVENT

Now that the event is planned, the invites are sent and you’ve got the funds ready to go, the last step is bringing it all together.

Make a checklist of everything you need to buy (decorations, food, drinks, anything you need for the games etc) and make sure you’ve got everything organised and bought prior to the day. Leading up to the event check in with your bookings to make sure everything is finalised and then it’s time to relax and make some memories!

If you want help in planning a Hen’s Night in Melbourne we’re more than happy to help – after all, it is our speciality! Feel free to call us or contact us with any questions or queries you may have. Otherwise, we hope to see you soon!

Author: Sophie

Sophie is a Melbourne based beauty and lifestyle blogger who LOVES to plan a party!