Unique Hen Party Ideas: Avoiding The Typical Party

Hen parties can be among the craziest, funniest, most unforgettable events of a woman’s life… if they’re done right. The usual hen-party fall-backs can become repetitive and simply boring at times. There are only so many willy straws and cocktail classes one woman can take! With that in mind, it’s definitely worth reading our list of unique hen party ideas before you dive into planning the bride’s last hurrah. Have a look below and start thinking outside the box – by the end, you’ll be well on your way to throwing a hen party that’s far from typical!

1. Keep the bride away from the planning
Usually, nobody knows the bride better than her maid of honour, not even the bride herself, so it’s a good job she’s in charge of the hen party! The idea of a hen party is to give the bride a little break from planning the biggest day of her life, as well as it being her last night of freedom. Don’t let her take on the stress of planning a hen party on top of everything else. Let her put her feet up while you, her best friends, plan it all for her. Give her a night she’ll never forget by organising something outside-the-box, and keep it a surprise until the day, instead of following the tradition.

2. Avoid common activities
One of the best unique hen party ideas is to book some activities that are away from the norm. We all know the usual ones; cocktail making classes, dance classes and male strippers are considered the status quo for hen parties. Try to cater to the personality of the bride – if she’s sporty, book in for some water-sports or a game of bubble soccer. If she’s artistic, why not opt for a naked man life-drawing class? Picking a memorable activity will mix it up and ensure that nobody forgets the weekend in a hurry! Have a look at our list of activities for some inspiration.

3. Try to include party games
Everybody loves a girl’s night out, but for the sake of the bride-to-be, you shouldn’t let her hen party turn into “just another night out”. Plan some unforgettable party games to keep everyone entertained and avoid the blandness of just sitting in the pub. To get you started, you should have a look through our list of hen party games for some inspiration, or get creative with it and make up your own games; games are a great way to fit in some unique hen party ideas.

4. Elect a Chief Party Planner
This will probably be the chief bridesmaid, but whomever it is, place them in charge and then leave it alone. Too many cooks spoil the broth. When many different people are involved in planning an event, conflicting personalities can clash and cause issues. This often leads to no real plans being made, and instead the typical hen party ideas are settled for. If the chief planner needs help or an opinion, then she will ask for it, ladies! Nobody likes a Nit-Picky Nora or a Domineering Debbie, so just trust in the party planner that she’ll do a good job and you’ve already done your bit to ensure that the hen party will be fabulous.

5. Themes 
One of the easiest ways to fit in some unique hen party ideas is to pick a theme. Throwing a themed hen party takes some forethought and planning, so it’s best to choose one at the beginning of planning and stick with it. Again, this is something that should be centred around the bride’s likes and dislikes. If she’s a girly-girl, maybe a Disney Princess themed party is just what she’s looking for. If she has a sense of humour, why not pick a theme you can have fun with like Pimps and Prostitutes? A list of Henit-recommended themes is available here to give you some ideas.

6. Make Sure The Party Suits Everyone’s Budget
We all love the idea of a bit of luxury or extravagance when it comes to planning an event, and that’s okay! What’s not okay is planning an entire hen party that ends up being wildly out of budget for some of the guests. You’ll end up having to downscale to the usual hen party activities because you’ve left it too late to organise anything else. Before you decide on anything, get a general idea of everybody’s budget and work from there; with plenty of planning time, you can look into unique hen party ideas that are in the budget for everyone involved, and still have a fantastic time.

7. Plan a Smaller Second Hen
Planning a second hen party is one of the more unusual ways to throw a unique hen party, but depending on how well it’s organised, it can work out perfectly. The idea of this is to plan “The Big One” – the weekend away, the crazy activities, the wild partying, all of the good stuff – and then have a smaller, more intimate hen night at home. This way, the bride is getting the best of both worlds. She gets to say goodbye to the single life in style, before having an intimate, chilled-out night in her hometown with her closest friends and family. This is also perfect for anybody who doesn’t want to drag elderly relatives across the country to take part in an action-packed weekend.

8. DIY Decorations
If you have a flair for creativity (or even if you’re as crafty as a snake with a pair of safety scissors), DIY decorations are an excellent way to deliver a different hen party. There are ideas for DIY hen party decorations all over the internet, with step-by-step instructions that even the least artistic person will be able to follow. You can snip and stencil to your heart’s desire, creating cost-effective, quirky décor that’s specific to the hen and her party. Have a search on Pinterest to get you started, as there’s no shortage of unique hen party ideas for decorations on there.

credit: colincowieweddings.com

9. Timing is Everything
No unique hen party is going to work out without proper planning and timekeeping. Don’t leave it too late to book the party, in terms of accommodation, activities and everything else. If you leave any of the essentials like accommodation until the last minute, you’re going to be rushing to find somewhere for the group to stay and you won’t have the time or the budget to focus on avoiding a typical hen party. Your hen deserves better than that, surely! Don’t try to cram too many activities into one day, either – leave some downtime between excursions to ensure everybody is relaxed and having fun, instead of rushing from place to place in a blur.

So now that you’re clued on on all the best ways to throw a unique hen party, it’s time to go ahead and get planning. Book with Henit today and our event coordinators will help you make the most of your unique hen party, whatever you choose to do!