HOW TO ORGANISE A HEN NIGHT IN STYLE

Well you didn’t expect it; it came out of the blue really. She’d waited for this for years and now he’s finally done it. Your best friends boyfriend has bent down on one knee and asked her to marry him and she’s said yes.

Now she’s getting married, she wants you as a bridesmaid but she’s also asked if you can organise the hen night. You’re honoured and flattered all at the same time and you quickly say, yes but then it dawns on you that there’s a bit more to this than you thought. Organising an event for a dozen or so girls, many of whom will be used to nights on the town every week, is no easy thing. Some girls don’t drink; some love to drink. Most have busy lives, family commitments and some can be so inflexible – Argghhh what to do?

Organising a hen night these days requires some extra effort. A meal at the local pub followed by a glass of wine and then off home isn’t going to impress anyone. It needs to be different, it needs to be a bold statement… it needs to be exciting and fun. So the challenge is on, organise a great Hen Night that everyone will love and treasure.

Ok, how to pull this off. First get together with a few others who will going and grab a pen and paper. If the hen isn’t getting a say in the proceedings as it’s going to be a surprise, then note down all the things she loves and what interests her. If she’s a sophisticated type then she probably won’t appreciate a giant inflatable condom hanging off L-Plates around her body.

Whereas blokes seem to want to do the utmost to embarrass their friends, girls want to feel and look fantastic. So if you really want some outfits but want to avoid looking like an Ann Summers party on acid, then maybe try something simple but fun. Black T-shirts with diamante-encrusted names/words can go down really well.

It’s usually a good idea to set some practical and financial parameters on the event too. A week’s stay in a 5 star New York hotel may be lovely but costs a small fortune. You need to respect people’s work and family commitments and if your idea needs a dozen people to take a week off work, you’re asking for trouble. You want to be as inclusive as possible.

A great Hen event can be exactly that, a one or two-day event. This simply means breaking down what you do into daytime and nighttime activities. Another reason you may want to do this is to be inclusive. There will be people who can’t or don’t drink, others who will need to leave early due to family or personal commitments, so breaking down the event into sets of
Activities maximises the chances that everyone can join in at some point or other. Your hen gets to see all her best friends and you will have a happy hen on your hands.

Daytime activities

You can choose an activity for the day of your night time event, or pick one for the morning after. What you will want to choose for daytime activities will of course depend on the age and the type of party you have, but below are some great ideas:

• A theatre matinee performance is a good start to the proceedings. That way, everyone can get something out of it [even the ones who will want to avoid bars, clubs and dancing]. A trip to the theatre means everyone can come and everyone can say they’ve made the effort. Result.
• Everyone loves chocolate – so you could try a chocolate making experience. This is where you can spend a delightful morning or afternoon making delicious Belgian chocolates. After being served tea or coffee you learn how to create dreamy chocolates in a variety of ways. Yum.
• Ever dreamed about singing and recording a song with your friends in a professional studio? Well now’s your chance. For those who love a good sing song [and who doesn’t] then take a trip to a specialised Pop Studio where you can record a song sung exclusively by your hen party. Usually available for parties of up to 14 people, the experience typically includes refreshments, a goody bag and a CD of your for each person.
• Perhaps you want to get pampered, relax and unwind at one of the UK’s finest Health Spas? You can chose from a range of treatments including massage, aromatherapy, beauty treatments and many more. Health Spa facilities will often have steam and dry heat rooms, wet areas including Jacuzzis, spa baths, showers and therapeutic foot spas. The big decision is whether to do this on the day of your big night out, or maybe indulge in the perfect detox the morning after. You decide.

Evening Entertainment

With the daytime taken care of its time to raise the stakes for the evening entertainment. For a Hen Night, the night entertainment usually wants to be lively as it’s your group’s chance to let their hair down.

It can be a good idea to have the event away from your hometown. You may not want to bump into people you know and it could spoil dares and harmless flirtations with men you meet. So for a carefree vibe – go somewhere different.

It’s also worth thinking practically again for a moment too. High heels are going to be a must for most women and so walking around for ages is not ideal. If your shoes are made to go from ‘car to bar’ then that’s probably as far as you want to be walking! If venues can be close together it’s a bonus.

If budget allows, try and stay in an accommodating hotel together. Most people hate worrying about getting the last train home or stressing whether their friends got back safely – especially if they’ve had a few too many. Meeting at breakfast the next day to recount the night’s adventures can also be a lot of fun too.

Here are some ideas for great Hen Nights you will always remember:

• Have a giggle at a comedy club. Many of the top comedy clubs now offer great packages where you can get VIP entrance, a meal, 3 comedians and a club session afterwards. This means your party can have a drink, a great laugh, strut your stuff on the dance floor and do it all under one roof.
• If fine dining is your thing then there are some great restaurants offering themed nights where there is a good quality meal followed by VIP entrance to a top nightclub. Your party get to eat like stars and then get to jump the nightclub queue, so flirting with the bouncer is now optional!
• Get on the party bus. You can solve your entire venue jumping issues in one swoop by booking a party bus where there are chaperones to help make sure everything runs smoothly. First you have a quality meal and then the group will jump onboard the ‘party bus’ that will drop you off at a selection of venues [Usually for about 90 minutes before moving on]. A male erotic dancer is also provided as part of the entertainment – so there’s never a dull moment.
• Finally, if hunky men are an absolute must for your event then look no further than the famous ‘Adonis Cabaret’. This event is for ladies only and includes a cocktail reception, a comedian, party games and prizes all in conjunction with a tasteful male strip show. There is a photo session at the end of the show where you get to meet the performers, plus the party gets VIP entrance to a nightclub.

With all these ideas your Hen Night is bound to be a lot of fun for everyone involved and don’t be surprised if you have more friends coming up to you afterwards asking you to organise their events. You have been warned!