There’s nothing wrong with a relaxing Spa weekend, or dancing the night away in a fun nightclub, or fancy dress L plates. In fact, I’d love to be doing all of those things this weekend. Except maybe the L plates… been there, done that and got a very embarrassing t-shirt to prove it, but when it comes to hen parties, there’s no reason why you should stick to tradition or do something completely different to every other bride-to-be. More often than not, hen parties are made up of ladies of different ages, some that drink, some that don’t, some that can manage to get away for a whole weekend and some that need to get back to their own kids, so the key thing is to plan something to suit everyone and if at all possible, plan a couple of activities so people can pick and choose in what they take part in. Not least of all, for financial reasons.
Hen parties or “Bridal Showers” are now pretty much standard when it comes to getting married. All of your girlfriends will want to have a fun day/evening out and your maid of honour (if she’s any good at her job) will want to plan something exciting. So LISTEN UP maids of honour, chief bridesmaids and best friends, here our favourite suggestions for something a little alternative.
Cocktail Masterclass
Every girl likes a cocktail whether it’s a Cosmopolitan or a Mocktail. Tall glass, short glass, Bloody Mary or Virgin Mary, there really is something for everyone. Umbrellas or not, this is something fun that everyone will enjoy and some pretty important life skills will be learnt. It’s always good to know how to make a Bellini next time your friends come round for dinner! This type of event is perfect to combine with a day time activity or an evening soiree. Just make sure everyone is over 18 for any alcohol laden cocktails and you’re good to go. Cheers!
Record your own song
If like me you’re tone deaf, it really doesn’t matter. We all love hogging the microphone at Karaoke and now you can all gather in your own sound studio and record a song with your nearest and dearest ladies. It’s such a fun thing to do for girls of all ages, so you could even take your younger bridesmaids along. You can sing your heart out to your favourite songs of all time. Your recording then gets put on a CD for you all to take home. A song for your first dance perhaps? Maybe not, but it would be fun for it to get played at the wedding party!
Fascinator Making
Why not get your creative juices flowing and do something crafty. Again, perfect for all ages and something that can easily be incorporated with a delicious afternoon tea or an evening of wine tasting. A perfect bonding activity where you can make beautiful headpieces in many different styles and colours to take home. How exciting to have your own unique design that can then be worn to the wedding, as a guest of course… if you’re the bride, best to save it for a day at the races.
Burlesque
Something for the slightly more risqué bride-to-be and her friends, this type of hen party is fun, sexy and a real ice breaker for groups of girls that don’t really know each other. For the slightly more modest of friends, these classes can be as sexy or tame as you like. It’s just a bit of fun and the teacher will take lead from your group as to how raunchy you want to take things. There is no clothes removal, it’s all done fully clothed and as a group! Best to leave the little flower girls at home for this one.
Vintage Afternoon Tea
I love afternoon tea and all things vintage so why not combine the two! Everyone loves afternoon tea, but I’ve seen one too many dull cucumber sandwiches in my time! Take it up a notch and step back in time and enjoy delicious sandwiches and cakes in the most amazing setting. With vintage crockery and a vibe to transport you back in time to the 1940s. Why not dress up for the occasion? This is the one time when fancy dress is OK and not an L plate in sight!
Let us know what you’re planning. Or if you’ve already had a spectacular hen party and want to share your story, we want to know all about it. Well… almost everything! @Zankyou_IE
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