We use cookies to provide a better website experience. More details in our privacy policy.
Your cart is empty
From โฌ0
Per Person
Please select all times before proceeding
Wondering how to plan a hen do? This guide runs you through the main steps to complete your hen party planning without a hitch!
If youโre travelling north or south within the UK or Ireland to your chosen hen party destination, then itโs worth considering:
Hen party planning can be super stressful if you go in unprepared. Itโs the most important event in the lead up to the bride-to-beโs big day and we know you want to make it special and personal to her. We also know you want everything to go to plan and to leave no hen do ideas left unturned.
The good news is, you definitely donโt need to panic โ here at The Foxy Hen, we have your back! Weโve been planning heavenly hen parties for years and itโs our passion to help you create an unforgettable and personalised celebration for the bride-to-be.
We have built a comprehensive 8 step โHow To Plan A Hen Partyโ guide to ensure everything goes as smoothly and as stress free as possible! Think of it as an essential checklist to refer back to during the key stages of planning a once-in-her-lifetime hen do.
The ideal first ingredient for your hen party planning recipe: time. Count out the time between now and the wedding and map out your initial hen do planning timeline. Picking a definite hen party date will come but, for now, just check to see if youโll be calmly meandering your way to the hen night or if itโs going to be a mad dash.
Then itโs time to start brainstorming the next planning steps with your bride squad. To help make this super easy, weโve created one for you! Here is our (well-practised) hen party planning checklist to help you ensure all your hen dreams go off without a hitch.
Honourable mention: You should probably also check out our smart top tips for organising a hen do and the most common hen party planning mistakes, just so you can avoid stress right from the beginning.
Youโre planning this incredible hen party for the bride and you know her so well! But that doesnโt necessarily mean you know all of the most important women (or sten men) in her life. Imagine if you miss out on her best friend from primary school or a cousin who lives overseas but would totally come (i.e. major hen party planning fail)!
Creating your hen do invitation list may take a bit of research but it will be worth it to make sure the bride sees all of the smiling face she expects at the hen do.
Follow these steps to get the list just right:
Our favourite ideas for inviting the hen to her hen party are:
Choosing a date for the hen party can be a bit of a headache. We recommend trying to keep it simple with these 4 easy steps:
And, voila! Hen do date chosen.
A hen party game is the perfect way to add some class, some cheek and some outright LOLs to your hen weekend with the girls.
If youโve booked your own hen party house, you could take over the lounge for a round of your favourite hen do game. Or you could sort out a room in your hotel or local bar/pub so you can enjoy some bubbly and giggles during the game, no matter where you are.
Some of our most popular games are:
Check out our full list of games, get inspiration and free downloadable game packs on our Hen Party Games page.
For detailed guides on all of the most popular options, check out our Hen Party Themes page.
Nailing down a trip budget can be a daunting task and is one of the most notorious hen party planning headaches. Will it be a 5 star hotel or a simple hostel? 5 hen party activities in 1 day or a simple night out on the town with the girls?
Itโs natural that peopleโs tastes and income will influence what they think is an appropriate amount to pay for a hen night or hen weekend away. We can help you work out your groupโs budget with these stress-saving tips:
Picking your destination is the fun part about hen party planning! You might be dreaming of a girly beach getaway, a city hen fling or a quiet country house with hen do games and good food. There are so many ways your group can go!
There are 4 different categories we place hen do destinations into:
You might be planning to stay at home in the UK or Ireland. Or can your group afford to jet off abroad to hen do destinations in Europe and go wild in Amsterdam, Prague or Marbella?
Check out our full list of hen party destinations for inspiration.
Ultimately, it comes down to:
Itโs important to be realistic, so that as many of the brideโs favourite ladies can join in the hen party trip as possible.
If youโre hosting your hen party in your actual home, then you can gloat, chuckle and skip this section, caus you ainโt going nowhere โ nice!
If youโre travelling north or south within the UK or Ireland to your chosen hen party destination, then itโs worth considering:
Booking a whole hen party in for flights to your chosen hen destination abroad can be a bit tricky (another major hen party planning headache you donโt need).
To try and keep things as simple as possible, we recommend:
There are three ways you can book your hen party:
The following items are usually included in hen party packages. However, you can book anything you need โ a whole package, just one activity, or just accommodation!
Choosing the right hen party accommodation for your group depends on:
Since you should have your destination and budget roughly worked out by this stage in your hen party planning, your accommodation really comes down to the style and events youโve planned for this hen weekend away.
For example, private games and home-cooked meals mean self-catering hen party houses are your best bet. A focus on nightlife and minimal transport means a central hotel is best.
Choosing your hen party activities is definitely one of the most fun items on your hen party planning checklist. Itโs like window shopping your bucket list!
Remember to factor in the budget, personalities, age groups and physical needs of your hen party group before choosing.
Party brides might like a draw a nude class or a cocktail-making class in town.
Creative brides would love a lip sync battle, treasure hunt, murder mystery experience, CSI save the groom or maybe a dance class.
Outdoorsy brides might prefer surfing, paintballing, kayaking or hiking.
A girlโs gotta eat and your hen party needs the energy to party hard for the night ahead or the whole weekend!
The best way to keep your girls fueled and to share some quality time together is by booking some delicious hen party food and drink experiences in your chosen destination.
You could book:
The hen night out is your groupโs chance to really let loose and go have fun out on the town.
The point is to plan your hen party night out with activities that suit your bride-to-be and give all the ladies something theyโll remember for a long time to come. For example:
Once you have your hen party package finalised, itโs time to invite the girls!
Weโve seen some really creative hen party invitation ideas that you can send out to make the event feel extra special.
If you booked your hen do through us, all you need to do is log in to your booking, copy the invite link and share it with the girls. They can then create an account, log in and view the booking for themselves.
Getting the girls to pay for their spot on the hen can be a little bit tricky but, with some careful planning and good communication, we can help it to go more smoothly.
Once you get to this stag of your hen do planning, you should have much more free time to plan those special touches and hen party surprises that will make it an unforgettable event for everyone.
If you have booked everything in yourself, then weโre sorry to say that youโll probably have to collect money from the girls yourself and py the suppliers directly.
However, if youโve booked through us here at The Foxy Hen, there are 3 ways your hen group can make payments to join the trip:
Weโve already spoken about hen party games and themes but there are plenty of ways you can add special touches to the whole hen do to make the bride and the whole group feel special and excited.
Weโll give a quick recap here:
Weโd love to hear your ideas!
Ok, so this isnโt really a step in your hen party planning checklist but itโs certainly the last stop on your hen organising journey.
We hope this guide has helped to de-mystify and de-stress the steps to planning the perfect hen do. Weโre sure yours is going to be beautiful and remembered by the bride and all the girls for a long time.
If you have any questions, please get in touch!
Now, go have fun! xx
The best hen party company and expert hen do planners in Ireland, the UK & Europe.
ยฉ2024 All Rights Reserved The Foxy Hen
Choose your preferred destination, what type of booking & your (rough) dates.
Search your (rough) dates, add one or more items to your basket and submit a booking request for free!
If youโre in research mode and donโt know your trip dates yet, you can browse the top activities, accommodation, meals & nightlife.
We use cookies to provide a better website experience. More details in our privacy policy.
Or submit a quick enquiry if you want to discuss options.