Bride to Be Tips | The Bride’s Guide to a Hen Night

What shall I wear on my hen night?

The hen night is your night, so the choice is yours!

You obviously want to look great in all the pictures while feeling fabulous on the night as well. The perfect outfit should hit both of those targets, ideally without breaking the bank either (you have a wedding to pay for after all!). Think about what you would like to wear – what’s your favorite color? Do you prefer flats or heels? What’s your personal style? By using these answers you can formulate the perfect hen night outfit.

Of course, this all depends on whether or not your bestie has planned a hen night fancy dress theme…

Top tip - keeping a pair of foldable flats in your purse will help you stay comfortable into the wee hours of the night!

Who should organise a Hen Night?

Traditionally the job of organizing a hen night falls to the Maid of Honour (MOH). You can always opt to arrange it yourself if you have something specific in mind or prefer to retain control of events leading up to the wedding, but this can add extra stress to your already long to-do list! A great MOH will often consort with bridesmaids and people close to you to make sure all of your wishes for the big night are met.

For a smaller or less rowdy hen dos, such as a ladies lunch, the Mother of the Bride may organize something. Ultimately the decision of who organizes a hen night lies with one person: you!

Should I send out Hen Night invitations to a Hen Night?

Whether or not you send out traditional invitations to a hen night is also entirely up to you. Firstly, it can depend on the number of invitees – for big groups, invitations and an RSVP deadline can be useful for planning purposes. Some prefer the process of creating handmade invites or personalising them and sending them via mail, while others are happy with creating a Facebook group or e-vite.

For small or informal dos, sometimes a quick phone call or text is enough to get the job done. If you’re planning on booking flights, hotel rooms or a spa day, you’ll need to know numbers in advance so RSVPs are essential! Your MOH should sort all this nitty gritty out for you.

Shall I have a Hen Night and Bridal shower or is that unreasonable?

A hen night and bridal shower are two quite different events. A hen night is more about the party and spending time with the girls, often indulging in slightly more risqué-than-average activities like pole dancing classes and paying a visit to the Chippendales to celebrate one naughty, wild “last night of freedom”.

A bridal shower is a more formal event, often including elderly members of the family at which the bride is “showered” with gifts. Unlike a hen night, the shower is usually held on a weekend afternoon and light nibbles and drinks are served. Although both have in common that they are pre-wedding events celebrating the bride, they are different in tone and nature. Therefore, whether you choose to have both, one or the other, or create your own unique event that combines the best elements of both is up to you.

Does the bride have to pay for her Hen Night?

Like a birthday, the Bride shouldn’t really pay for anything. The expectation is that the other attendees will chip in and cover costs of food, entry to venues and drinks. That said, the recession has seen many brides also chipping in to help with what can be expensive evenings. The organiser may set a budget to work within to plan everything, which may or may not include the bride when splitting up the costs depending on what you’ve discussed.

Can you have a joint stag and Hen Night?

This trend has risen in recent years. Ultimately it comes down to the preference of yourself and the Groom. It is widely estimated that close to three quarters of men will lie to their future wives about the goings on at a stag do. Meanwhile, closer to 40 per cent of women are thought to lie about their hen night activities. Depending on whether you want a night of just your friends or want to include everyone in the festivities, you can decide whether to celebrate your impending nuptials together or separately.

Should I be nervous about what is planned for my Hen Night?

While most hen nights can involve naughty gimmicks or embarrassing games and clothing, this isn’t always the case. If you’re truly nervous about what’s in store, you can talk to your event organizer whether it’s your Maid of Honor or another bridesmaid and clearly state some ground rules about what you do and don’t feel comfortable with. There’s nothing Bridezilla-esque about wanting to enjoy your night without embarrassment!

I don’t have many friends; will I look like billy no mates on my Hen Night?

Even Hen nights aren’t a popularity contest! It’s an opportunity for you to spend time with your nearest and dearest as your singledom officially draws to a close.

Having more guests does not necessarily make for a better hen night, especially if they’re more acquaintances than friends. Opting for an intimate night with your girlfriends at a swanky restaurant or cocktail bar can be just as fun as piling into the back of a limo with Pam from Accounts. If you prefer the idea of a larger night, you may want to extend the invitations to other women attending the wedding, such as the women on your Groom’s side of the family. This way you get to know them a little better, plus you can create a larger party for your night.

Do all the women who are attending my wedding get invited to the Hen Night?

This really depends on the size of the wedding. If your guest list is on the larger side, you may end up with a mammoth hen night that can become quite a costly, raucous affair! For some brides, this is ideal. Others would prefer to spend the night with their closest friends, and so only extend invitations to the bridal party. The choice is yours.

I’m worried about my Hen Night Accommodation

Pleasing every member of the hen night party might be tough, but your vote is the one that matters the most. If you are happy to stay somewhere cheap and cheerful, voice that opinion. If you would rather splash out for this once-in-a-lifetime night to stay somewhere more extravagant, then feel free to communicate that as well. As long as you give other members of the party enough time to budget and organise everything, expressing your opinion about hen night accommodation is a great way to alleviate any stress and ensure you end up staying somewhere that makes

Can I have more than one Hen Night?

This depends on your schedule and whom you plan to invite to each night. It’s not uncommon for a bride to have a quieter party that includes family and then another more boisterous evening with her friends, or having two separate events for work friends and personal friends. That said, you should be mindful of inviting the same guests to both as their costs can begin to rack up, especially if they have to buy you a wedding present too!

Can I suggest things to the organisersof my Hen Night?

Of course! Most organisers will welcome suggestions or guidelines when it comes to arranging the big night. After all, this night is about celebrating you and they’ll want to get it right! You can drop hints or explicitly give directions and suggestions, just as long as it’s done in a way that isn’t demeaning or hurtful to the organiser. The hen night is often one of the most looked-forward to events in the wedding calendar, so helpful suggestions are welcome to make sure it’s a smashing success.