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Expert Guide On Organizing A Hen Party
Along with arranging the marriage ceremony and picking out the wedding guests, there are the traditional hen and stag parties to arrange. These are usually organized by the best man for the groom and the chief bridesmaid for the bride.
While some people might go for a more traditional event such as a pamper party or perhaps a pub crawl and nightclub visit, there are many other ways to celebrate. If you are the maid of honor for your bride’s wedding, then here is an expert guide to organizing a hen party. (for great hen party ideas check this post!):
Who do you invite?
Many hen parties have been ruined by the wrong people being invited. If you are going to leave the invites to the chief bridesmaid, remember to give them some pointers, so that they know who needs to be avoided and who should definitely be included.
One issue may be relatives, especially mothers or mothers-in-law, as they may want to come and celebrate with the bride. To avoid a problem, you can always create two parts to the day – something relaxed and gentle for the mothers, and a more ‘high-octane’ night out with friends at a club or an event. For example, Supa Dupa Fly offers brunches for hen groups that are likely to give off the perfect vibe.
If you are unsure who will want to go to which event, talk to the bride as they will likely know what each person will prefer.
Who do you invite? Photo by Andrea Piacquadio on Pexels.com
Set a date
Setting a date for the hen party can often be a tricky process. There will be people that the bride will definitely want to come, but they might not be free at the times needed. It is always good to have a date that as many people as possible can attend so that you have as many of your friends and family there as possible.
When it comes to the date itself, you are advised to choose a time at least a week before the wedding, preferably earlier if you can. This will help ensure that everyone will be ready for the big day when it arrives. You should avoid the day before the wedding at all costs, as this may lead to sore heads and maybe even guests having to miss the big day.
Once the hen party has been arranged, try to periodically remind everyone of the date leading up to it. Some may forget to add it to their calendar, or they might have a clash of events that they didn’t realize at the time.
Hiring a venue
If you want to keep the party in one place, why not consider hiring a venue for the day or the evening? Many hotels and other venues will be able to arrange this as long as it is booked well in advance.
Think about how many people will be coming, and arrange a venue that can easily accommodate the given number. Venues will have a maximum capacity that they can cater to, so you should try to pick somewhere that has plenty of additional space. This will avoid the venue being too crowded.
Why not organize some entertainment such as a band or DJ as well? This will get people in the party mood. You can also arrange food and hire a chef for a hen party dinner.
The venue should be as close as possible to the people who will be attending. This isn’t always possible, but having the event far away from everyone can cause additional issues such as transport headaches, and problems trying to get time off work if people have to stay overnight.
Money arrangements
Talking about money is never an easy subject. You don’t want to ask for too much, as this will cause some people to drop out. Set a reasonable amount that most people in your group can afford and always give plenty of notice.
The budget might mean some people are not viable options for the hen party, so you should consider this when writing the guest list. It is also advisable to get the money for the party upfront, instead of chasing people for it afterward. This can lead to resentment and being out of pocket.
Getting the money is the responsibility of the chief bridesmaid, so you should try not to get the bride involved, as this will add to their stress.
Tell your guests what’s happening
You don’t necessarily have to tell the bride what is going to happen at the hen party, but it is advisable to tell the guests. This will ensure that anyone who isn’t fond of a particular activity has the option to cancel or come along at a different time.
It is also a good idea to tell them of any travel arrangements ahead of time. Some might not be able to make the trip, or they might need the extra notice to arrange things. The only person that you will need to arrange transport for is the bride if you are not going to tell them.
It is also advisable to tell the guests if the bride will be kept in the dark. This will avoid any unwanted slip-ups before the day.
Communicate with your guests
With social media and messaging apps on most people’s mobile devices, there is no excuse for not keeping your guests in the loop. Arrange for a special hen party chat group to be set up, and invite all of the guests to it. If the bride isn’t to be told, then don’t invite them into the group, obviously.
This way, you can easily share information with everyone without lots of emails or phone calls back and forth. Older members of the family might not have a mobile phone, so they will need to be informed separately.
Post updates regularly and encourage guests to message if there is a problem or anything they don’t understand. You will want to avoid any mishaps later due to miscommunication or error.
For more useful tips on organizing an effortless party – check out this article on Porch.com, where we also had a few words to say 🙂
Conclusion
Organizing a hen party can be a stressful time; however, with these tips, you can set up everything with the least amount of hassle and concentrate on having a great day together.
Before you go – here’s a great video that shows how to throw an awesome hen party:
