Woop! The Great British Bake Off is back on our TV’s, and although it’s now just about as controversial as a binned baked Alaska (miss you Mel, Sue and Mary), we still can’t help but rejoice a little bit. If you love Bake off (new and/or old) you may decide that a Great British Bake Off Hen Party is for you, something a little more… sophisticated. Everyone loves Afternoon Tea and now you have every excuse to put a GBBO spin on it - so here are our tips for throwing a Great British Bake Off themed hen party!
Time to Decorate
Everyone loves that look of the Bake Off tent, all those pastel colours, all that bunting - just wonderful. This is easy enough to copy. Think vintage, think British, think what would make Mary Berry happy. Go all out with tea pots and cake stands to really look the part. You can still make this a hen-centric party, and the usual hen party balloons, etc are still completely acceptable.
What to Drink
Tea is a quintessential part of British nature and so, naturally, you will have tea! We all love tea, we have Earl Gray running through our veins. It's particularly satisfying when served in cute tea cups so make sure you have all the right stuff!
We also love a bit of booze at any party, a favourite for this theme would, of course, be Pimms, both British and sophisticated!
Get the Baked Goods!
The baked goods at the Great British Bake Off Hen Party are everyone's favourite part! It's completely up to you if you decide to have baking going on at your party. Baking as a group can be a hilarious, if not messy, activity. Of course, most of you will only have one oven free at a time, so bringing pre made treats is a great shout too! You can ask each of your hens to bake something to bring something random, or you could have a theme and make it a little competition! Whatever you decide to do, you can't go wrong with baked goods.
Party Activities
As well as eating/baking cakes, if it's sunny, it's the perfect time to have a garden party. Why not play a round of croquet? Or rounders? Being outside puts everyone in a great mood, just try not to over do it if you and the other hens are full of booze and cake... If the British weather is disappointing (as it often it) this is still just as fun inside - just be careful not to break anything!
If you need any accessories for your hen, whether you want something naughty or nice, we've got a fantastic collection on offer. Have a look at our Hen Party Essentials and really make your party pop.
As it's the Queen's birthday this week, we thought it would be a great idea to share some royalty themed hen party ideas with you. If you're looking to make your hen a classy affair with a touch of indulgence, then this is definitely the theme for you, with the opportunity to adapt it to suit your specific tastes and budget. Whether you want to go down the novelty route, or simply incorporate some royalty-favoured activities into your sophisticated hen do, there are a multitude of ways that you can use this theme to make your hen party a royal success!
Where To Drink
If you're looking to sample a touch of the royal VIP experience, then there's nowhere better to visit than Mayfair's famous Mahiki club. Known for hosting a myriad of young royals and celebrities over the years, including Prince Harry, this club is most certainly the place to go if you're looking to push the boat out for your hen. While it's known for it's exclusivity and famous clientele, Mahiki does offer a more relaxed approach in comparison to other high-end clubs, with its laid-back decoration scheme and not-too-strict door policy. While it may not be as difficult to gain entry as it would be in similar venues, it's worth keeping in mind that you shouldn't simply expect to walk in at any time without booking. You'll still need to abide by the smart dress code, and ensure that you visit either at an easily accessible time, or after having pre-booked a table to secure your place. Full details of policies, prices and how to book can be found here.
What to do
A royalty themed hen party gives you lots of scope for daytime activities, here are a few of our favourites:
Afternoon Tea
When you think of British royalty, few images appear in the mind quite as strongly as the idea of a silver service tea. Luckily, afternoon tea packages, including those created specifically for hens, have become increasingly popular in the market over the past few years. As a result, there are a multitude of options available for this quintessentially British experience throughout the UK, so you can be sure that you will be able to add this to your plans wherever you decide to stay. It's even possible to achieve this element of the theme at home, either by creating your own selection of food and decorations, or by hiring a travelling tea party provider. For the most authentic experience, we suggest you head to London, which has a range of up-market venues to choose from, and an added sense of Britishness. Our personal favourite is the delightfully girly yet elegant Sketch Gallery, known for it's iconic pink decoration scheme.
A Day at the Races
It's no secret that the royal family love their horses, with it being a well-known fact that the Queen herself likes a flutter. For that reason, a trip to the races is a great idea for a hen party day out, with the opportunity to have a nice win to put towards the rest of your celebrations. It's also a great excuse for you and the rest of the ladies to give yourself a bit of a pamper and to get dressed up, allowing you to be night-out ready in time for the evening's festivities. Luckily, there are an abundance of hen party packages for groups who would like to attend a race day, including this weekend in Chester, with provided accommodation and club entry.
DIY Inspiration
If you're planning on hosting your hen on a budget, or if you're going to be organizing some of it from home, there are an abundance of simple DIY ideas that you can use to make it a success. To help you think of some, we've put together this handy Pinterest board, which has a selection of images to inspire your royal hen. For your colour scheme, gold elements are definitely a must, so be sure to incorporate this into your plans when organizing your party's decoration scheme. In terms of food, as previously mentioned you could use elements of the classic afternoon tea, while also adding in a few royalty-themed extras to add some character to your plates. For us, anything shimmery is a must, which is why we love these delectable Pink Champagne cake pops with edible gold leaf, and these pretty embellished macarons.
Accessories
While we've placed a great deal of emphasis on making your royal hen a classy affair, there's no reason why you shouldn't be able to indulge in a touch of hen party tackiness as well. After all, a hen weekend should never be taken too seriously, so it's important to keep those elements of fun and silliness about it, even if you're going for a more sophisticated, penis-free vibe. Luckily, we have the perfect set of accessories to compliment your royal hen party, allowing you to indulge in a spot of traditional hen party humour, without completely abandoning your theme.
This set of pink tiaras is ideal for getting all your hens involved in the theme, adding a sense of uniformity without being too loud or over the top. They would also be great for handing out in party packs or goody bags, which could also follow the theme of your trip/night. For the bride herself, we have our luxury bride to be tiara, and our signature tiara veil, which will allow her to stand out from the rest of the group without making her feel too silly.
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Check out our other Hen Party accessories!
We are not short of classy hen party accessories here at Henstuff! We know how much you girls like adding that bit of class to your evenings and we have the kind of accessories to make that possible. This is not just your average night out, this is a once in a lifetime chance to have a last hoorah with your nearest and dearest. This means buying a few little special extras to really make the evening memorable - and don't think you need to break the bank in the process.
The great thing about Henstuff is that we offer a broad range in pretty much all of our products. This not only means you have a greater choice to select from but it means you can choose where you want to spend your money. If L-Plates for example are a small consequence but you still want to include them then opt for the cheapest ones. If a tiara is a priority, and you want one a little more special than your average (and that the bride-to-be can cherish) then go for our boxed diamante one. We make sure we cover as many bases as possible so if you are looking for classy hen party accessories you have come to the right place.
Our classy hen party accessories range covers everything from silky sashes and ravishing rosettes to tremendous top hats and fanciful flutes! You don't need to spend a fortune to class up your evenings, just a bit of time on Henstuff. If you want to separate your hen party from every other night out then our classy hen party accessories will help you on your way.
Sophisticated hen party accessories don't come much better than this: our boxed bride-to-be tiara! We advise you to take a few minutes to look at the pictures of this thing and bask in its beauty and elegance. Henstuff condones some pretty high levels of naughtiness when it comes to hen parties, but there is nothing wrong with bringing a bit of class to proceedings. There is no law that states you cannot have some sophisticated hen party accessories in amongst the willies.
This beautiful piece has bride-to-be written on it in diamantes and the effect is truly dazzling. Like all things this special, it comes boxed. Hen nights are all about the bride herself, so it makes perfect sense for her to wear an eye-catching masterpiece like this. We are really proud of this tiara and it is definitely one our most sophisticated hen party accessories.
There are occasions in life when spending a little bit extra on something is not only justified but actually encouraged. After all the balloons have burst, the glasses and alcohol stains have been cleaned up, and the make-up you wore has been washed off, what do you have to remember your hen night? You will have plenty of things to remember your wedding by, but hazy drunken memories of the hen party are not quite tangible enough. Trust us here at Henstuff, you get what you pay for with our sophisticated hen party accesories but this tiara could be so much more than that. This tiara could be that one item that evokes all the memories of the last night of freedom, and we can't think of a more beautiful memento.
There is a recent tradition in hen parties for things to get a little risqué. Perhaps risqué is an understatement compared to some of hen nights you've been on, but even on the more sensible nights some naughtiness is expected. Henstuff is a firm believer in this, and encourages it greatly, but that doesn't mean there is no room for a bit of class and a bit of glamour. We think that a blend of these two hen night principles makes one hell of a party, and that's why we stock some awesome classy hen do accessories.
Our first offering of classy hen do accessories is these black champagne flutes. They have lashings of pink gems that spell out 'Hens On Tour' for ample sparkle and giggles. They also have diamantes on the base which, along with the black and purple colours, really make these glasses striking and stylish. The best thing about these flutes, though, is that they give you an excuse to get the Champagne flowing! It doesn't even have to be Champagne; get some nice bottles of Prosecco or Cava if you like. As long as it has bubbles, your flute will be happy.
Another of our classy hen do accessories is this black bride-to-be rosette! We especially like the way the diamantes spell out 'bride-to-be' and how well they stand out against the black. We sell all sorts of accessories that let people know whose party it is, but there is just something undeniably stylish and suave about a rosette; perhaps it's because of the badge's equestrian origins. Whatever it is, this badge will ensure that the bride-to-be goes out in class and style!
We know that hats are a popular choice for hen parties, but don't think that you have to wear a pink cowboy hat. Henstuff has a huge variety of hats and headwear that you could just as easily select to wear on your hen parties, including this fever mini top hap with sequins. It is very in-keeping with the black and sparkle of the other two products, and as a result it's just as sassy. Why not wear this cute little hat for a classy addition to your hen night wardrobes?
We don't care what kind of party you wish to have, we just like to offer you a wide enough selection so you can make the choice that most appeals to you. Don't take away the fun, or the naughtiness; just add a bit of sophistication with our classy hen do accessories and make your hen night a cut above the rest.
