6 Things to do to make sure your hen party is a success
If you are the Maid of Honour and have been tasked with planning the bride’s hen night, you are essentially taking on the role of event planner for a really memorable night for all concerned. It is therefore vital that you are super-organised, and do everything you can in order to ensure that the day, night or weekend goes off without a hitch. Here we help you out by providing a hen party checklist- 6 things to do to make sure your hen party is a success;
1 – Check the date
Of course the date has to be ok’ed by the bride, with enough time to recover for the wedding day itself, but you should also run the date by the others in attendance too. There will be special friends and close family who simply have to be there, so make sure everyone has plenty of notice to save the date.
2 – Choose the right activities
In the initial stages of hen party planning, make sure that the location you choose, the venue and activity, is something that will appeal to not just the bride, but those in attendance too. If there are some guests who are elderly or pregnant, or are parents of young children and would rather not have a late night, then you could plan a dinner for everyone, and then something else for those who wish to go on somewhere late into the night. Be sure to give this aspect some thought.
3 – Set a budget
Plan a budget before planning the hen party, and decide whether you are covering all costs, you will have a kitty, or a pay your own way policy. If you are collecting money from guests, then be sure to collect from everyone well in advance. It is a good idea to add in a bit of excess for extra drinks just in case. Be open with the guests as to what they are getting for their money, letting them know what the price will include.
4 – Book Transport
Be sure to organise the hen party transport, making the bookings in advance, and then checking with the company again nearer the time. Are you booking a coach, taxi’s, or hiring a limo? Whatever your plan, be sure that it is booked for all the right times and locations, and that there is space for all.
5 – Keep the guests informed
Be sure to inform the guests of all the details; such as the time and the place, and ensure they know what is required of them. Letting them know in advance of the dress code is also important – inform them if swimwear is needed, comfortable shoes or party dresses. While it is nice to keep certain surprises, people do like to be prepared, so be sure to provide a broad outline.
6 – Set an itinerary
This will be a massive help to you as the hen party organiser to stay on track. Make a checklist of the hen party itinerary from start to finish, and then check that against all bookings, including transport. Have this written out and check it often throughout the hen party itself to ensure you are on track time wise for whatever you have planned.