Hens with Pens Guide to Stress-Free Hen and Stag Party Planning

Aha! So you’ve been commissioned with that all-important duty of maid of honour! You’re excited and buzzing with ideas but the pressure is on!  Your bestie is expecting the hen party of the century and you are not one to disappoint. You’re lying awake at night – just how do you pull off the party to last in memory for a lifetime of giggles? You’ve loads of ideas but getting everyone organised is proving a real labour of love. Why can’t Sandra just agree to disagree – the bikini-clad alpaca was a GREAT idea!  Or perhaps you’re the best man and your wingman is not feeling the boozer in Ibiza?  Let me tell you a secret! There is a sure-fire way to create an event your right-hand guy or gal is never going to forget!  And, no, it does not involve streaking across the town centre or starting a fight with the local bar staff. This time.   ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- When we think of creating a big event we automatically want to make it as memorable as possible, for most people that seems to involve grand gestures and complicated and extravagant plans which inevitably cause a whole lot of bother and very little enjoyment.  Think back to the memories that make you most happy, or make you laugh, were they complicated events? My Guess? Probably not. They were probably moments like playing football in the park, your kids running around with bare bums in the back garden in the paddling pool or perhaps a chilled pizza and pinot night with your girlfriends.  Keep It Simple & Relax.  You don’t need to have a week-long minute- by- minute itinerary. Keep it relaxed, we want happy memories not memories of us wishing it was over already so we can breathe.  Part of keeping it simple? Not inviting everyone and their aunt to come along. A hen or stag is a celebration between friends and as much as we like John down at the One-Stop we buy our chocolate stash from every day – he probably isn’t the right companion for this shindig! Keep It Small.  A party doesn’t need to have 100 guests to be a great party. Invite those closest to your bride or groom to the ‘do’. This will make it more intimate, less awkward, more fun and (potentially!) cheaper for everyone.  Do Something Different.  A cheeky night living it up in town is a stereotypical hen and stag night – perhaps not far different from your usual Friday night pub crawl or your uni days Saturdays.  Make the event exciting and memorable by doing something new or different. Create an experience, not just a party. Why not do a high ropes course? Try that new restaurant? Or try a life drawing class with a twist?  Stick To The ‘No, No’ List.  We’re aiming for good memories to laugh about 10 years from now – not a nightmare our bestie would rather forget. Rather than getting our Sherlock hats on and stalking everything our friend has ever posted on social media to work out what they’ll hate I suggest you ask them to write you a ‘No, No’ list of everything they would absolutely HATE to happen at their hen or stag.  This will give you clear boundaries to plan your event in and will stop your right-hand guy or gal agonising over what you might be up to. For example, if they say they really don’t want a big deal – don’t ambush them with everyone they’ve ever spoken to. Trust me, they’ll thank you for it.  Plan In Advance This might sound obvious but we all have that friend who does everything at the last second. Make sure you give all your attendees (including the guest of honour) good notice of your shindig! It doesn’t need to be as early as the ‘save the dates’ but if you don’t give everyone enough time there’s always one who’ll be otherwise engaged.  It’s also going to save you a whole lot of hassle and worry by getting everything organised ahead of the game.  So avoid those mad prop dashes for flashing bridal tiaras for the clubs and grab them well before.  Afterall, we need your dancing A-game on for the Macarena later!  Make It Personal.  Why not show your friend how much you value them, create a personal touch dedicated just to them whether this be branded stag do shirts or a tear-jerking epic montage of all your drunk bathroom selfies together – they’re sure to appreciate the loving touch you add to it and this will provide a keepsake to remind them and for them to look back fondly.  Above all, Have Fun!  This party could be a martini-filled island of fun in a sea of wedding planning chaos, so make sure whatever you decide to do – have fun!  Even without the Susan veto’d bikini clad alpaca!