How To Throw A Hens’ Party She Won’t Forget

Make it a night to remember.

As anyone who has ever had the delight of being invited to a hen’s will know, there are good hen’s parties and there are not-so-good hen’s. I, like most of your, have been to more than my fair share of hen’s and have experienced a little from column A and a whole heap from column B. So, here’s a PSA for all the Maids of Honour out there who have the organisation of one in their not-so-distant future.

Get your excel at the ready.

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@jessie_khoo and @johombsch for @tigerlily

Make it her day
Sure, you might have always wanted to ride the roller coaster at Dreamworld, but that doesn’t mean she does. Know what she loves and invite everyone to join in on the action. A life drawing class. An extra long brunch. A cooking class. A day at the tennis. Or maybe even a day on the court. Whatever it is that will float her boat.

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via Instagram @tamara__cartwright

Teach them a lesson
It could be Beyoncé’s Crazy in Love dance (a valuable life skill) or how to poach a piece of fish perfectly (same same). The plus side of learning a new skill together is that you have a focus as a group, it’s a coming together and a shared experience. That, and for the duration of the task you don’t have to deal with small talk (especially with that Beyoncé dance – it’s quite the workout).

Make it an experience like no other
For my sister’s hen’s, I approached a local chef (who is now a crazy big deal) and he put on a private dinner for us, and got her up for a cooking lesson. She can now add ‘perfectly poached fish’ to her repertoire (alongside ‘badly burnt toast’ and ‘bolognese that isn’t as good as Dad’s’).

Keep the costs down
You want the hen’s to be accessible to everyone, not just the one-percenters. Tips to keep it on the cheap? If your event involves alcohol (and you’d hope it would) and it flies with the venue’s licence, order your booze from somewhere that will take back anything you don’t use.

Get the bride a little something
No it doesn’t need to be a you-know-what dance (Beyoncé, obviously is the exception here). Think instead of a small gift from everyone to remember the day. Keeping in mind the point above, it’s a good idea to cap this out at, say, no more than $20. It could be a book you all write in, or better still, something she will use and remember the day, like a nice pair of nice knickers.

@montarnapitt via @voguebridesaustralia

Do a dress code
Be, clear, though, in exactly what this dress code entails. Recently I fronted up to a 90s themed hen’s and realised my version of the 90s had about eight years on anyone else’s. They were all Sporty Spice and early Queen Bey and looking babin’ while I was relieving my teen angst in butterfly clips, purple velour and hipster jeans.

Include everyone. Even the mother-in-law-to-be
Make sure the activities are all inclusive. You want people to forge new bonds. Name tags are always a winner. And, if you’re going down the Crazy In Love path, be sure there’s some moves for Nanna to groove too.

If she wants the straws, get the straws
You know what shaped straws we’re talking about here. Know, though, that plastic is a tricky business so if you’re going to do it, why not go all the way and opt for something a little more permanent that can be used time and time again.