As a key part of the bride’s wedding party, it is up to you to give the soon-to-be-bride a perfect send off to her marital world. There is no better way than calling all her girlfriends and throwing her the ultimate hen party.
However, planning a hen party can be both stressful and threaten to put a strain on your wallet. Here are a few tips and ideas to help you plan a fantastic hen do without spending a fortune.
1. Make a Guest List
The first thing you must do is make a guest list. Get the bride to list out every person she wishes to be a part of her hen night. This way you will not have missed anyone out and will also have the exact tally of the people you would be expecting at the party.
2. Set a Budget
While some guests would love to chug an expensive bottle of champagne at the hippest bar in town, not everyone can afford to do that. Setting up a budget is important so the night does not call for any awkward or stressful financial situations. Remember it’s meant to be fun!
Consult your bridesmaids and the bride-to-be and then set a budget that seems comfortable to everyone. This would ensure everybody has fun at the party and is not sweating bullets over the expensive state of affairs.
3. Pick a Location
You must figure out whether it would be an indoor affair or an outdoor adventure well in time. Again, keep the bride-to-be in the loop. It is her special moment after all. The weekend or the night has to be all about her.
Ask for her suggestions and gauge what she is looking forward to. She may want a more mellow sleepover while you go all out and throw a wild hen party for her at a club. That would not only ruin her mood but also make you look inconsiderate. So let her make the call.
4. Set a theme
Once the budget has been set, you can start brainstorming on a theme. Themed hen parties can add a lot of flavor to the night.
You could pick up a ‘60s inspired retro theme or have a superhero edition. Dress up and party like you did at sleepovers when you were young, only this time trading hot chocolate for your choice of poison. It could be your way of paying homage to her journey from a young girl to a woman and could mean a lot to the bride.
5. Embark on an Outdoor Adventure
A budget hen party does not mean you have to stay indoors. Don your party hats and your finest attires and hit a nightclub. To be economical, you can slide expensive bottles of champagne for some good wine and dance the night away.
6. Think out of the Box
Not every hen party has to involve bar crawling and club hopping. Here are some ingenious and budget-friendly ways to throw a beautiful hen do for your best friend without settling on the fun quotient.
- Wine and Cheese Night: Dress up in your chic French-esque attires and enjoy a lovely and sophisticated wine and cheese night in a backyard. You could of course trade the wine for tequila shots later in the night and exchange the bride-to-be’s stories.
- Cocktail Making: Alcohol touched by fruity infusions, girlfriends and some junk food; isn’t that the dream? Plan a cocktail making session at the hen do. It requires the minimum effort and promises maximum fun time. Three to four bottles usually suffice for a large bridal party. You can stock low-cost cups, mixers, and straws and make a night to remember.
- Pamper the Bride and the Bridal Party: Planning a wedding is stressful. What better way to give the bride some peace than throw her a spa hen do! Many spa resorts offer packages to bridal parties. This makes for a good girl bonding time while also pampering yourself and the bride after all the planning.
While hen weekends are incredibly important to the bride, you don’t have to spend a fortune on them. This does not mean you have to compromise on opulence. There are ways and means to ensure you don’t go overboard on the budget. After all, what matters is that you have fun and give the bride-to-be a night to remember.