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Hen Party Ideas


John Maddaford
John Maddaford Updated:
25th of July 2022

A dozen or more girls dressed up as policewomen/angels/nurses tottering around from one bar to the next is a common sight in most city centres on a Saturday night. Any casual observer would immediately think “hen night"! Embracing a theme for your hen night seems to be an integral part of the planning and the trends are ever evolving, from head boppers and angel wings to incorporating the theme throughout the course of the weekend. Yes, Bond Girls for the duration. Adopting a theme gives the group an immediate bond and identity. It’s often the case that not all the party girls know each other very well and so it plays a vital role as ice-breaker – lets face it, how funny to compare outfits and accessories to gets everyone talking, laughing, joking and in the party spirit. You’ll be instantly recognisable and will find each other in a busy bar or club with no problem. It need not prove expensive either. Not everyone has to go to the extent of using a costly fancy dress hire shop, sometimes the best ideas are the simplest. The most important thing is to book early. It avoids disappointment and means you will have a great night. Sophie enjoyed a hen night in London and wanted some sort of theme to give her group of 20 their own identity, she said “I was conscious already that my friends were forking out for the weekend away, so didn’t want to add to the cost by imposing an expensive fancy dress rule, so I went to a hen night supplier for a few inexpensive hen party accessories and we looked brilliant”. Some themes maintain their spot at the top of the popularity tree:

  • Innocent Angels
  • Dominant Policewomen
  • Cutesy Cheerleaders
  • Sexy Sailors
  • Horny Devils
  • Naughty Nuns
  • Movie Magic
  • And of course Nurses, Cowgirls and St Trinian’s School Girls, but this is one area that you can let your imagination run wild.

How about Bling and Boobs – push up bras with plunging necklines and accessorised with oodles of bling will certainly attract attention. Or maybe Hair and Heels could work well for you ladies, big hair and fantastic high heels is easy and fun. Fur and Feathers should add some glamour to the proceedings. Ladies all adore their bags, so work it with Bags and Belts, the more outrageous combinations the better. With the huge success of Mamma Mia we can certainly picture some Anna and Freida Dancing Queens out there. Of course the theme doesn’t just have to relate to your attire. Cocktails (so many puns there for the taking) always go down well. In every bar ask for the cocktail menu and vote for your favourite and set the theme by dressing as your favourites from Strictly Come Dancing, the more sequins the better on your Cocktail dress! If you are a girl who loves pink, then maybe that’s your theme; an item of pink clothing, pink lips and pink drinks (oh yummy, that means Pink Champagne). Anything goes and surely that’s the allure; this is your one chance to go for it! In our busy stressful lives, we get too few opportunities to let our hair down and go a little will. Making sure that every aspect of your hen or stag weekend goes perfectly means getting the planning right from day one. To help you plot the best course for you and your guests, why not learn from the mistakes of others and open a simple Hen or Stag Weekend bank account, into which everyone pays a communally-agreed regular amount by standing order This money then being used to pay off each person's outstanding weekend balance by the given deadline (usually one month prior). There are more than enough stresses around the wedding plans to let any easily-avoidable impracticalities disrupt the enjoyment of your weekend; and, by taking such a step, you will receive nothing but the thanks of every guest at the onset of your special weekend, each one glad to have paid for their attendance gradually and painlessly, as opposed to an enforced last-minute dip into their individual spending money. Our thanks to www.freedomltd.com for providing these Hen Night Ideas. Please call Freedom on 0845 888 8008 remembering to mention that you have seen their article in Guides for Brides.

Hen and Stag Do suppliers are right this way...
John Maddaford

About the author


John Maddaford

John has been a pivotal member of the Guides for Brides team for 15 years. Over the years he has built relationships with a number of Hen and Stag Do suppliers across the country. He is the best person to request a recommendation from.

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