The Complete Hen Party Games, Accessories & Survival Guide

The bags are packed, the playlist is ready, and the bride is buzzing. The hen do is about to be underway. But how do you ensure the weekend actually lives up to the hype?

We’re here to help! From picking the perfect fancy dress theme to surviving the "morning after" and navigating airport etiquette, we have compiled the definitive guide to your hen weekend survival in 2026.

Part 1: Top 10 Hen Do Fancy Dress Themes

Dressing up creates an instant party atmosphere, wherever you are and whatever you are doing. Here are ten themes to inspire your squad:

1. The Spice Girls: Embrace 90s girl power and be whoever you wannabe. Whether you are Scary, Sporty, Posh, Ginger, or Baby, these iconic outfits are guaranteed to spice up your night.

2. Cowgirls: A classic that is easy to pull off. All you need are blue jeans, a checked shirt, and a cowboy hat. Go big with boots and lassos if you're feeling brave – you could even go for a gun holster if you want – if nothing else, it’s a great place to keep your phone!

3. The Charity Shop Challenge: Set a small budget (e.g., £10) and everyone buys their own outfit from a charity shop. The twist? As well as buying their own outfit, everyone has to buy one item for the bride. Her outfit is then the combination of all the items bought for her – as you can imagine, this is always hilarious.

4. Superheroes: From Wonder Woman to Catwoman, there’s a superhero out there for all of you. Embrace your inner femme fatale with capes and tights.

5. 80s Icons: Think neon, mesh, animal prints, and Madonna-inspired lace. It’ll give the whole night out a high-energy vibe and always looks great in photos.

6. TV Characters: If the bride has a particular favourite show, then you can theme it around that – if not, just keep it vague so everyone can pick a character they love.

7. Grannies: Grey wigs, walking sticks, and housecoats combined to make you the most eye-catching of all hen dos out that night. You won’t look "sexy," but you will definitely be the most memorable group in the club.

8. Pirates: Stripy t-shirts, eyepatches, and plastic swords. Easy to put together and always fun, though don’t go waving the swords around too much after you’ve had a few drinks!

9. Pyjamas/Onesies: The most comfortable night out you’ll ever have. Just ensure that whatever you are wearing, they are well-fitting, warm enough and respectable enough for the venue(s) that you are planning to visit.

10. Naughty Nurses: A traditional favourite for a hen do, featuring white stockings and pocket watches for a coordinated squad look.

Part 2: Travel & Airport Etiquette

We all know that the party starts the moment you begin your journey, and if you are travelling in a car, that’s fine. However, if you are travelling via an airport, you ought to keep one eye out to avoid the airport eject button.

Respect the Rules: Unlike a private car, a plane is public transport. Many airlines have strict policies regarding offensive slogans. A group was famously ejected from a flight for wearing "Bitches on Tour" t-shirts. If you are told to cover up or change, do it immediately. Don't risk your entire weekend for the sake of a slogan – you’ll be able to display it again proudly once you get to where you are going!

Pace Yourself: It’s tempting to hit the airport bar at 6 AM, but if you are visibly intoxicated, staff can—and will—refuse to let you board. Save the heavy drinking for when you land, there’ll be plenty of time for it, don’t you worry.d.

Part 3: The Hen Do Packing List

1. The "Lifesaver" Shoes: Pack fold-up ballet pumps in your handbag. When your feet are killing you at 2am, you will be so thankful for them. It’s also a good idea to have a handbag big enough to carry the heels you were wearing in, for when you’ve swapped. Either that, or I have seen people just throw shoes in the bin when they got too painful, though that’s not recommended!

2. Hangover Kit: Painkillers (Paracetamol/Ibuprofen), Berocca, and rehydration salts are mandatory for everyone and need to be easy to find. When you’re struggling through a horrendous hangover in the morning, you aren’t going to be wanting to rummage through pocket after pocket of your bag to find them.

3. Handbag Essentials: Blotting papers for "shiny face syndrome," emergency makeup, and either a power bank or a portable phone charger (or both!). After all, your phone is going to help you do everything – photos, navigation, reminding yourself what the name of the hotel is when you try to book a taxi – so make sure you’ve got some spare power for it.

4. Emergency Snacks: It’s always a good idea to have some chocolate, Pringles, or anything else you love to snack on for the hotel room when everything else is closed. Otherwise you might find yourself paying vastly over the odds at a vending machine or some kind of twenty four hour garage.

Part 4: Accessories & Goodie Bags

Sashes & L-Plates: The hen party classic, these are essential for identifying the Bride and the squad in crowded bars – which everyone will be grateful for!

Goodie Bags: Absolutely non-essential, but always a thoughtful touch by the MOH, goodie bags can contain anything you want – just a few examples of good things to include are the hotel address, a local taxi number, glitter drops for drinks, and blister plasters.

Part 5: Hen Party Games & Challenges

Mr. & Mrs. Quiz: Test the bride’s knowledge of the groom. For every wrong answer, she takes a drink or a forfeit! This will require a small amount of prep, as someone will need to get the answers out of the groom the week before you go!

Never Have I Ever: A classic way to uncover the group's secrets (use with caution if either the brides or the grooms family is present!).

Toilet Paper Wedding Dress: Split into teams and design a couture gown for the bride using only loo roll. Prizes for the best looking, least practical and more…

The Scavenger Hunt: The girls split into pairs and compete to find pre-set items. Popular options include a stranger's business card, a coin with the bride’s year of birth on it or taking a selfie with a bouncer.

Part 6: Pre-Drink Cocktail Recipes

Pre-drinks are aways a vital part of any hen weekend, and you want the drinks to feel special, so cocktails are always essential. But you don’t want to be having to mix complicated cocktails – so here are a trio of absolute classics that can easily be made in a hotel room.

Elderflower Collins: Gin, lemon, sugar syrup, and elderflower topped with soda (or sparkling wine).

Tequila Sunrise: Tequila, orange juice, and a splash of grenadine.

The Gimlet: 50ml Gin and 25ml Lime Cordial. The easiest 2-ingredient fix.

There you have it. Now that you’ve made it through this article, you are ready to head out for the best weekend of your life!

Ready for the ultimate weekend? Let us plan the logistics while you handle the themes.