Introduction
We love a bit of inclusivity and the thought of bringing all our favourite women together for a jolly good pre-wedding celebration. It doesn’t matter what age ranges you’re catering for; there are so many things you can do to ensure everyone feels part of the celebrations, no matter their age. Besides, we think anything can be fun if approached with a fun-loving attitude.
These are our creative and memorable hen party ideas for mixed ages.
Our top list of hen party ideas for mixed ages
1. Spa day
We’ve yet to meet a woman who doesn’t love a good ol’ pamper session. Whether you’re travelling into the city, or have a gorgeous country house in mind, you’re never too far away from a venue that will set up a thoroughly relaxing day of lying around, being massaged, and, if you’re doing it right, lazing around by a pool or sitting in a jacuzzi.
A spa day is a fabulous hen party idea for mixed ages because it can be tailored to meet everyone’s tastes and the variety of treatments is usually wide enough for all your ladies to find something they’ll really enjoy. Add to this the fact that many places also offer the opportunity to have some fizz while you’re relaxing, and we’d say that’s pretty much the perfect day.
2. Cocktail making class
This is a great way to brush up on your cocktail making skills and an even better way to find out about mixed drinks you should have been making but didn’t know how. As a hen party idea for mixed ages, it’s also a great way to bond with new family members and have fun while doing it.
Even if your Mum is a dedicated G&T woman who never deviates, this is the way to gently introduce her to some new tastes that she’ll soon be mixing up like Tom Cruise from that movie we can’t recall the name of.
3. Crafting or painting session
It’s likely that you’ll have some very arty types in your squad and others who are, well…not so creative. However, introducing people to the joy that is painting or making stuff is a great bonding experience and, usually, a bit of a riotous laugh. Not everyone is a natural Van Gogh, or as crafty queen like Sara Davies, but it’s always fun to get throw caution to the wind and just go for it.
Many cities across the UK and Ireland have a range of amazing classes you can get your teeth into and the option to hire someone and choose your own venue. Just think of the things you can make for your fridge.
Crafty hen party activities have increased in popularity in the last few years and you’ll find many listed in our destinations in the UK and Ireland.
4. A day at the races
You don’t necessarily have to love horses or racing to enjoy a day out at the races with your squad. Race days are a fantastic day out, with a little bit of champagne mixed with a wee flutter or two. Many larger racecourses have bars and restaurants where you can lounge away the day, eating, drinking and being merry, so it’s a great hen party ideas for mixed ages.
If you can sneakily arrange your shindig around an actual Ladies’ Day at the racecourse, there’s even more reason to get your best fascinator out of storage and get glammed up to the max.
Some of the most popular race experiences are at Cheltenham, Galway and Epsom, Royal Ascot or the Irish Derby at The Curragh.
5. Afternoon tea
As hen party ideas for mixed ages go, this is an absolute classic. There are few things better than booking a beautiful venue and gathering your favourite girls around the table for a day of chatting, sorting out wedding details, and drinking prosecco. Afternoon teas can be as traditional or as modern as you like, and you can usually choose from a few menus.
We’re a huge fan of afternoon teas because, well…there’s usually lots of cake. Plus, the cakes are usually pretty small, so we can pretend they have fewer calories. It’s a win-win situation if we’re honest.
6. Bottomless brunch
Many city centre hostelries offer a bottomless brunch menu, so you can pretty much google your chosen location and find out what type of food is on offer. Las Iguanas is a well-known restaurant offering the service and the food options are plentiful. For a reasonable price, you can indulge in an endless array of food and cocktails. The fixed price allows everyone in the party to know exactly what their bill will be and that’s always a good way to keep things as stress-free as possible on the day.
Hen party ideas for mixed ages are made for the joy of bottomless brunching. And if you’re not ready to head home after brunch, you can head out on the town for an extended day of fun and laughter.
7. A night in
Depending on the size of your party, why not get the girls around for a pyjama party? It’s likely one of the ladies will have a home that can accommodate everyone and there’s no end of the things you can get up to behind closed doors! Why not choose a theme for the night, such as classic movies, or board games and arrange your night around it?
This is one of our fave hen party ideas for mixed ages and smaller budgets as it allows everyone to bring along a bottle of their favourite tipple, a board game or movie of their choosing, and some food or snacks.
8. Escape rooms
Escape rooms are the ideal hen do idea for mixed groups who like using their grey matter and figuring out complex puzzles. Contrary to popular belief, they’re not all running around like idiots, pretending you’re on an episode of Crystal Maze.
There’s a whole lot of thinking involved and some really intricate problems to be unpicked. Many rooms have particular themes and it’s common for one venue to have multiple options under its roof. This allows you to split into smaller groups (hopefully to encourage mingling among women who don’t know each other too well).
You can find escape rooms to book in many of our destinations throughout Ireland, the UK and some in Europe.
Types of mixed aged groups
- Some older ladies: We find there are usually some older ladies in a hen do group when the bride is really keen to invite her aunts, her grandma and maybe her mother-in-law-to-be.
- Some underage ladies: This is most common when the bride has younger sisters, cousins or friends that she wants to include in her hen weekend.
We’ve tried to include a variety of hen party ideas for mixed ages above. No matter the age range, there truly is something for everyone.
The challenges of mixed ages groups at a hen do
- Underage members not being able to take part: If there are girls in your group that are under the age of 18 (or even 21), then it’s worth considering that they may not be able to take part in all activities. For example, a cocktail making class would obviously not be the right choice and some nightclubs require groups to be 21 years or older to enter. You’ll need to decide on appropriate activities (see some ideas above!) or the younger group members could just participate in the daytime events and your nightlife options are just for the older girls. This can be awkward, so just make sure you’re upfront with everyone about the plan.
- Finding suitable activities for older ladies to participate in: If the bride has invited her aunts, older friends or even her granny to the hen do, then you’ll need to consider this when choosing your itinerary. Either the items you choose suit everyone (e.g. a painting/craft class) or you could do some appropriate activities together during the day and then the young ones can splinter off for a wild night out. It really depends on the group, the bride’s wishes and the type of event you’re imagining.
- A comfortable and friendly group dynamic: If your hen do group has mixed ages, then people might struggle a bit to relate to each other and find common things to talk about. To get around this, we recommend playing some icebreaker hen party games! They might seem silly and a bit forced sometimes but they really do work – people loosen up, laugh a bit and feel more ready to enjoy the day ahead together.
Conclusion
There are endless hen party ideas for mixed ages and all you need to establish is what your ladies fancy doing. It’s a good idea to ask for suggestions, or even make a list of options and take votes. Regardless of the activity, all ages can take part in the suggestions on our list and we’re sure you’ll have a ball wherever, and doing whatever, your heart desires.
