There is an unwritten rule about Hen Parties: It should be wild, yet not totally out of hand.
You have to remember that, depending on the time frame of the Hen Party celebrations versus the actual wedding ceremony, you still have to attend the wedding ceremony. Or at least, the Bride does! Therefore, when you are in the first phase of the organisation of the great Hen Party, there are a few fundamental Do’s and Don’ts that you have to bear in mind.
DON’T choose a date that is too close to the wedding ceremony. While it may seem like a good idea, you (and a few other honoured Hens) may regret attending the morning Garden Wedding at 11:00 am with an imaginary chisel whacking away at the base of your neck.
DO make a decision about how the total cost of the Hen Party is going to be covered.
Either you or someone else who (may) act responsibly should take control of all the funds. If you plan to travel to a different location via air, book flights as a group; you are sure to receive great discounts.
You can also book and pay for a few activities in advance, which make the total kitty that you will have to look after substantially smaller. It may even save you a few headaches.
DON’T plan on more than two or three destinations where all activities can take place, but DO ensure that the overall party you got planned is a winner.
DO plan some extremely fun private group activities. It is a sure fact that not all of the bride’s friends will know each other.
Group activities are the best way to get the Hens to know each other. Attempt to incorporate activities such as a sexy dance class, wine tastings in France or a group trip to a health spa. While it may be true that even with these activities not all Hens will end up liking each other equally, at least you gave it a good go.
As long as the bride-to-be had a lovely time.
DO include some fun quizzes and light games with the bride and groom as the main subjects (of course).
This will create an opportunity for all the Hens to get to know the bride and groom at a more personal level. Also, as it involves maximum group participation, the Bride-to-Be will be able to keep her rightful place on the throne, while all the other Hens will also feel important. However, DON’T let any potential games, quizzes and/or pranks portray the Bride-to-Be in a bad light. Or worst of all, make her feel (very much) embarrassed.
The bride-to-be would want to remember her Hen Party for the special event it was in her honour.
DO keep some of your activities planned for the evening or weekend a secret.
If you really want to surprise the Bride, you will do exactly that. You never know who you might trust with a potential “secret” activity, only to let the secret leak out from some “unknown source”.
Even if it is only an activity as harmless as a personal pamper morning for the bride. Nobody needs to know that except for you.
DON’T let the bride-to-be get too carried away. Yes, we know it is an evening or weekend in her honour, but you would really like to keep an eye that things do not get too out of hand.
If someone is feeding her Jaeger bombs on the sly, set the limit at a strict 3. Yes, three. It is almost guaranteed that Jaeger bombs are not the only alcohol she will be consuming. If she loses all inhibitions, she could be walking off into the moonlight with another fella!
So, when all else fails, DON’T let the bride-to-be leave your sight, especially not with another man. Not during or at the end of the evening. DO remember that your ultimate goal is to have a great night out or weekend away and more importantly, to get the bride-to-be safely back home!
DO ensure that you have a few essential supplies at hand and ready for the morning after the Big Night Out. Loads of bottled water, Neurofen Express headache tablets… If all goes according to your planning, it is guaranteed that the bride is not the only one who will need it!
