If you’re the Maid of Honour or the Best Man, one of your duties is to make sure the Hen or Stag night is a memorable one – in a good way! No doubt you know your good friend (the Bride or Groom) well and you’re aware of your task. You probably have a list of ideas already bubbling away and you may even have some possibilities of a venue. However, if you aren’t sure what to do or you want to add something different into the mix, we may be able to help take some of the strain away as we’ve researched suggestions for Hen & Stag Night themes with some entertainment ideas of our own thrown in for good measure.
Before you start you might want to consider the following factors:
Numbers – Before you book anything, firstly, you need a good idea of guest numbers. Ask the Bride or Groom who they want to be invited and show them the list of names before you fire off an email so you are sure everyone who needs to be is included.
Theme – When deciding on the theme, while you may think it’s a great idea to surprise the Bride or Groom (and of course, there should be an element of surprise) make sure that what you choose is something he or she will enjoy. Ask the Hen or Stag the type of things she or he is thinking of and see if you can incorporate these into your chosen theme. As an example, your shy, retiring Bride might not want a stripper or to carry an inflatable man around all night! Similarly a Groom with a love of armchair football may not want to spend the weekend on an assault course.
Budget – Budget is very important. Canvas the guest list and find out what everyone wants to spend. Don’t start sharing amounts with all the guests as some can afford more than others. Take an average and suggest that be the limit. It’s normal for everyone to contribute (if they can) but the Bride or Groom should not have to pay. At the same time as organising the budget, suggest suitable dates in advance. Once you have decided the guest list, date and budget you are ready to decide what to do! Tip – don’t make the hen or stag night too close to the wedding; leave at least a week for recovery time!
There will always be different budgets but by no means does this mean that the more expensive the party, the better it is. Here are some ideas for Hen Nights and Stag Nights for all different budgets:
The Spa Experience for Hens (although not exclusively to Hens!)
If there is plenty of budget for an overnight spa stay then research some local hotels offering spa packages. Alternatively, there are plenty of spa day experiences available with lunch and tea included at a lesser price but equally as luxurious. We came across this website www.spabreaks.com, which has lots of different breaks and packages throughout the UK and they’re all in one place so it saves time searching through the internet.
If the Bride loves being pampered and enjoys all things beauty related then the spa experience is an obvious choice but you don’t have to stop there. By including some extra entertainment you can have a real point of difference… How about some gorgeous Singing Fireman who will check the venue is fire safe before creating a fuss with the manager and bursting into song!
If you are on a tight budget, you can re-create the entire spa experience at home, either hiring the expertise of a beautician for the day or night, with some fluffy bathrobes and slippers or if a beautician is out of price range, give each other spa treatments. You can even hire a hot-tub for the night or weekend! There would be no expense on the venue, food can be take away pizza or sushi with copious amounts of Ben & Jerry’s and a few bottles of wine –and there may even be some budget left over for an entertainer!
Cocktail Nights and Pub Crawls
Make it a night to remember with a Cocktail Night, or Pub Crawl perfect for Hens or Stags! You can either decide to head into town or visit the best cocktail bars or pubs in the area. As an example, enjoy a plush venue and spend the evening with a few cocktail games. Blow all the budget on champagne or even consider a cocktail making masterclass where you will be taught by a mixologist how to concoct great tasting, potent cocktails before drinking them! Don’t just turn up at a series of bars or pubs, do the research first so you have an itinerary to avoid not knowing where to go next.
As far as entertainment goes, you could hire a caricaturist to draw a group caricature of all the hens which can be then be framed as a lasting memento. Or the Stags might enjoy a cool, contemporary mind-reading magician to keep them entertained and completely blow their minds! Or think about have a famous person join you, especially if you know the Bride has a thing for Johnny Depp, James Bond or David Beckham! Perhaps the Groom likes Marilyn Monroe or Madonna? All can be organised to make the Hen or Stag one he or she will talk about for years to come!
If you do decide to travel into town and visit some extravagant bars why not hire a limo and be treated like a star all night too! You could include some true star quality and hire your own Paparazzi Photographers to follow you wherever you go – you’ll be guaranteed to attract plenty of attention and have some fabulous shots of your night to treasure forever!
Outdoor Activities
If your Bride or Groom is the outdoors type then consider a sailing day, paintballing or even a theme park. There are companies such as www.offlimits.co.uk that organise It’s a Knockout tournaments, based on the popular TV show (way back in the 80’s with a revival a few years back – you may remember). There are various venues for this activity around the UK, and it’s a popular way of celebrating a Hen or a Stag and you will often find other parties going on at the same time.
Treasure Hunts
Why not plan a treasure hunt? You can do this yourself and organise a treasure hunt basing clues on the Bride or Groom’s life taking the group all around various locations near where he or she grew up and stopping at various cafés, pubs, restaurants and a later on a club.
Join the Circus
Consider Circus training! From just £435 (dependent on numbers) your Hen or Stag party can learn a range of amazing circus tricks taught by professionals and come away from the party with a skill to enjoy and show-off for life. These workshops are so much fun and guaranteed to thrill the Bride or Groom and the rest of the Hen or Stag guests.
Be a Murder Suspect…
How about a Murder Mystery Night? Mingle your Hen or Stag guests with brilliant characters and watch a murder unfold before your eyes leaving the guests as detectives trying to found out “who dunnit”! It’s a superbly thrilling evening where you learn who to trust and who not to trust while you work out who committed the terrible crime but beware of twists in the tale….!
Alternatively, with the Bride and the Groom’s consent – you could always combine the two and have one big, fat, Hen/Stag night together (otherwise known as a STEN or HAG). This saves on budget as by combining the two, you can afford more. The huge positive is getting two crowds of friends together before the wedding, giving everyone a chance to get to know each other. You could say it’s a good way of keeping an eye on each other! Many celebrities are choosing to do this event jointly and you can easily theme it, such as a dress-up Prohibition Party set in the 1920’s (don’t forget to include some suitable Vintage entertainment such as Great Gatsby inspired Charleston dancers). Or record a pop song together recreating an iconic music video (you could play it at the wedding!), or outdoors types, good old fashioned whitewater rafting or a sailing day are options, but if you prefer a party then why not hire a party double decker bus?
We hope we’ve given you some food for thought. If you need some help with organising your Hen, Stag or HAG/STEN entertainment, just give us a shout on 0845 643 9384 or visit the website.
Published by Warble Entertainment
Special thanks to https://www.grimprov.com for Murder Mystery Image
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