The Maid of Honour’s Handbook: Planning the Perfect Hen Do
Easy with our guide
The pressure is on! You’ve been chosen as the head of the "Bride Tribe," and your bestie has given you the responsibility of organizing the perfect hen do. If you get it right, you’ll be a legend in the eyes of the group, remembered and revered for years to come. However, if you get it wrong, it can be a rough ride.
This guide is the definitive manual for the modern MOH. We have dug deep and sifted through our years of collective experience to put this guide together for you. Just have a read through this, take note, and you’ll be ensuring that you, the girls and the bride all have the time of your lives.
Phase 1: The Initial Groundwork
Step 1: The "Bride Brief" & Research
Firstly, don’t panic. The key thing to remember is that this party is for your
friend, and you know her best. But it’s important not to make assumptions and check
what sort of activities she actually wants. Invite her for dinner or drinks to
discuss her "No-Go" zones. Does she want a thrilling weekend, a spa
retreat, or an exotic trip abroad? It’s not just the activities you need to
establish – it’s the whole vibe of the event. Does she want a small intimate
group? A big crowd? Does she want to relax? Party? Once you’ve got the vibe
sussed out, you can start doing the other work.
Step 2: The Guest List & Timing
Once you know whether you are looking at a large, medium or small group, you’re
your next immediate job is to liaise with the bride to get a definitive list of
names. The sooner you have this, the better, as early booking secures the best
deals on accommodation and activity timeslots. We recommend booking at least 6
months to a year in advance to stay ahead of the game.
Step 3: Getting Connected
Communication is vital. Set up a WhatsApp or Facebook group to relay
information and make group decisions. There will be lots of chat during the preparation,
so you’ll all need to be able to deliberate back and forth throughout the
planning. Pro Tip: If the bride wants to be surprised, get her
to start the group, add you as an Administrator, and then remove herself so the
planning remains a secret.
Phase 2: Money, Budgets & Honesty
The "Budget Talk":
Setting a budget and keeping to it is essential to prevent drop-outs. Use your
group chat to find out what everyone considers affordable before you book
anything, and make sure you keep everyone informed of any changes. After all,
you don’t want to get people to agree and then suddenly surprise them with a
price increase! Once a plan is set, a small £40 deposit usually secures the
package, with individual deposits due shortly after to lock in everyone's
place.
The Golden Rule of Payments:
Never EVER pay for the whole thing yourself and "hope" that people
pay you back. Using a professional organizing service like ourselves allows
guests to pay their individual balances directly. This ensures the full balance
is paid 8 weeks before travel without you having to act as a debt collector –
you don’t want to make yourself the bad guy!
Phase 3: Destinations, Accommodation & Activities
Choosing Your Style:
Part of the vibe discussion that you had at the start of your plans should have
helped you get an idea of what kind of accommodation the hen is after. For
some, it’s the central buzz of a hotel, for others it’s the communal experience
of a gorgeous hen house, or it may be a serviced apartment or two is the best
option for you and the girls. Obviously each option has its own benefits and
advantages – hotels are often central and easy to amend if your numbers go up
or down, serviced apartments give you some communal areas while also giving you
all a bit of privacy, while hen houses give you more scope for "night
in" activities like Cheeky Butlers or Private
Chefs. It’s also always important to remember that both time and location
affects price: Brighton in summer or Marbella in July will always be at a
premium compared to other times or locations.
Activity Selection:
Match the energy to the bride's personality. If the bride is high octane and active, then why not look at options like Quad Biking and Go Karting or active favourites like Inflatable Games or Old School Sports Days? There are plenty of other options of course as well – Cocktail Making and Pamper Days are both extremely popular hen weekend activities, as well as daytime options like Pottery Painting, Dance classes or Chocolate Making.
Phase 4: The Personal Touch & Ice-Breakers
Phase 4: The Personal Touch & Ice-Breakers
Breaking the Ice with Games:
Party games bring the group together, especially if participants don't all know
each other. A couple of game options you can consider are:
- "Whose is This?": Ask everyone to bring an item that relates to them and the bride (e.g., a school tie or gig ticket). The bride draws them from a bag and guesses who they belong to—a great way to reminisce.
- “Who Knows Best?” is a great companion piece to “Whose is this?” as it turns the tables on the guests. The bride (with the MOH’s help if needed) prepares a list of questions about her (things like “Where did she meet her partner?”, “What’s her favourite takeaway?”, “How old was she when she had her first kiss?” and see who can get the most answers right!
- “Photo Scavenger Hunt” - This is more of a whole weekend game, as you issue all the girls with a list of photos they have to take (i.e. “Take a photo of someone with the same name as the hen”, “Take a photo with a bearded man”) and watch as everyone tries to complete the list first.
Pro Tip - Tailor the Tone depending on who is with you. If you think about playing ‘Never Have I Ever’, for example, it’s probably not the best idea to do it if the Mother-in-law is present!.
Bespoke Details:
Small touches make the weekend memorable. If she's a Harry Potter fan, hand out
House-themed badges for the girls. If she loves music, make a playlist for the
journey or pre-drinks. Consider making up "Hen Survival Bags" with
her favourite sweets, miniature cocktail bottles, matching eye masks, and
painkillers for the morning after!
Phase 5: Final MOH Pointers for Success
1. Give Yourself Time: Last-minute planning is deceptively difficult. Start the prep right away, even if the event is months away.
2. Delegate! Don’t do it all yourself. Ask the group for help with lifts, bringing paper cups, organizing snacks or anything else that can be easily delegated.
3. Stay Organised: Keep all confirmation emails and contact numbers for venues and vendors in one safe place.
4. It's About the Hen: Other people will have great ideas, but don't let one person dictate the event if it doesn't align with what the bride wants.
Ready to Start Planning?
Organising a hen do is a marathon of logistics, but if you follow these steps, you’ll be relaxed and ready to have a great time before you know it.