Classy hen day - ideas of how to make it special?

PicklePickle

Hi all,

It's my friend's hen day a week on saturday (I'm one of the bridesmaids) and I'm trying to think of ideas to make the day feel a bit more special. She really doesn't want a traditional rowdy hen day, doesn't want much of a fuss at all really!

The plan so far is for the bride, 2 bridesmaids and the mum to go for a couple of hours at a spa and then to be joined in the evening by a couple more family members for a meal.

I think the spa should feel special enough but we're struggling with how to make the meal feel a bit more 'henny' and special without going OTT! Don't want it to feel like just a normal meal out.

We're going to buy a little something from us bridesmaids, something like a really nice compact mirror for her to keep and remember the day and are going to ask the groom a few questions and do a little quiz which will be a bit of fun. Anyone have any more ideas?

Thanks in advance for any responses!

Dizzie77

Do the spa know that it's a hen party? I'm sure they will make some extra fuss - maybe some bubbly or bucks fizz on arrival?

The gift from you is a nice idea - and maybe give her a card too?

Maybe the gift from you could incorporate her "emergency bag" for the wedding?

Some flowers? maybe some balloons? You can get helium balloons that you can
write on - so maybe a special message for her?
How is she getting to the spa? are you all going together?

PicklePickle

Hi, yes spa know it's a hen day, they're roping of the lounge area for us and providing a cream tea after we've finished our treatments! Not sure how we're gettin gthere yet, I imagine we'd take a couple of cars.

Like the idea of an emergancy bag for the wedding, what sort of bits would you put in it?

brightonman123

stretch limo there and back?

private box at the theatre?

rent a pap- get some photographers to 'stalk' you around town, may get some freebies from bars, clubs etc, thinking you are 'famous'.. lol

falady

I am briedsmaid for my best friend in a week and half, and like your friend, she wanted a 'classy' hen do. I used the Kodak gallery website to make her a photobook. I got lots of photos of her from her family and friends, scanned them into my PC and made a photobook online. It then took a few days to arrive. the photos covered her life 'from birth to Brian' (her OH) and finished with a picture taken on the night he proposed. Her mum sent me lots of pictures from when she was a baby and of her growing up, and she loved it. These are the kind of photoes that we don't really see very often, as they are hidden away in mum's photo album and rarely brought out. Now she has her own record.

She loved it and cried a lot and thought it was very thoughtful. It was quite time consuming becuase i had to contact people regarding photos, get them posted to me, and scan them in, but if you live close to her friends / family or have a lot of photos available as digital copies, then it would take much less time. The cost was about £20, but there are lots of websites with special offers on. eg photobox etc (just do a search on this site for offers). Of course, you could do the book on any theme eg 'fun nights out with the girls'.

I also made her a 'wedding day emergencies' bag which was a small cosmetic bag containing:

tissues
handwipes
mini deodorant
safety pins
plasters
mini handcream
paracetomol

ie all the things i would have been glad of on my wedding day!

Then, I did a 'honeymoon fun' bag which included:

body paint
durex lube variety box
candle
massage oil
mini bubble bath
glow in the dark naughty dice.

The lovehoney website was good for getting these bits.

If you do something similar, you could make it as naughty or tame as you liked. My friend is easily embarrased and her mum was attending the hen do, so I made it pretty tame. I put it in quite a big gift bag with lots of tissue, so she could look at the contents in the bag, and not have to get them out.

Hope these ideas help.

Ali x

Dizzie77

I was thinking of a fancy car to take you there and back - not necessarily a limo, they aren't everyone's cuppa tea!

the emergency bag has been taken care of by falady! I would also put some of those migraine ice patches in though -
they cool a person down instantly - and when your friend is all dressed up and made up, she might need a bit of
cooling down - especially if the weather is hot.
Maybe some foot crackle too? nothing worse than taking your heels off and your feet aching for the next hour - especially
on your wedding night!!!!

I would go with the balloons in the lounge bit when you're having cream tea- nice red helium hearts or similar?

Sounds lovely - have a great time x

PicklePickle

All great ideas thanks! Definitly going to go with the emergency bag idea, do like that! :T She is into her cars too but unfortunately I don't think budget is going to stretch to anything like that!x

Dizzie77

Don't write it off - maybe look at local taxi companies and see if they have any smart looking cars.
Also -think if any friends have got nice cars - would be nice to be chauffered there and back!!!

piglet6

Another cheap-ish idea for a gift is a "Wishes Hanger". I've made them for several friends and they have always gone down quite well...

Basically, it is a decorated coathanger for keeping her wedding dress on after the big day. I use a padded coat hanger - cream or white, depending on dress colour (I normally buy one of the "ruched" covered ones - they tend to come in packs of 3 or 4, and are not expensive). Then I "decorate" it (tastefully!), usually in the colour of the bridesmaid dresses or colour theme of the wedding - sewing on small beads and using ribbon bow(s) - it can be as understated or as elaborate as you feel the bride would like! Then to finish off, I make cardboard "luggage tags" using decent white/cream card, which can be attached to the hanger using thin satin ribbon in the chosen colour - enough for one for each hen - who then writes her "good wishes" for the bride and groom's future married life together. Obviously each tag is personal to the bride and each individual hen - some are funny, some are more emotional, they can give advice or tell a joke - it is up to each individual hen, but it is something very personal, whilst being cheap and easy to make. It is also a "useful" object, and ties the hen party to the wedding itself.

P x

PicklePickle

That's a lovely idea, not heard of a wishes hanger before. Unfortunately she's hiring her dress so wont be keeping it. Will definitely keep that idea in mind for other weddings though!

Kittendreich

I didn't want much fuss for my hen do and just went for a chinese and a quiet drink with a few family & friends (12 of us I think...). I strictly banned all 'hen' nonsense as I really didn't want a veil & 'L' plates etc.

One of my bridesmaids oragnised for everyone to bring me a small gift (just £2-3) that would remind me of time we spent together. It wasn't too difficult for her to organise I don't think (just a quick e-mail round) and was a good laugh opening wee pressies throughout the night and remembering lots of good times.

When I was her bridesmaid we arranged for everyone to send in photos along with stories and anecdotes and made it into a book for her - lots of laughs and a few tears! We got people who couldn't come to her hen do to also contribute so that it included all her friends (a few new babies, work commitments etc meant people who would have liked to come couldn't). This took quite a lot of work though so it would depend how much time you had.