Let’s guess… Your sister or your bestie is getting married, right? And now you’ve been given the incredible title of Maid of Honour. Congratulations! There’s going to be so many things to get excited over in the coming months. Not least of all, the bachelorette party. You’re in charge of hosting the last night of your best friend’s freedom. No pressure then. There are so many things to think about when it comes to planning a hen do. From who to invite right through what you’re actually going to do. We’ve come up with a solution. This is the guide to planning the perfect bachelorette event.

Step 1: Talk to the bride

Okay, so everyone knows the bride is not supposed to have any say in her hen party. But, we think this is a little extreme. For all you know, she could be totally against any ideas you may have had. She may also give you a couple of ideas you might not have thought of. You’re going to need to ask her a couple of questions about it all anyway. Especially when it comes to timings and guest list. You might as well ask her if there’s anything she does or doesn’t want. It will save any awkward moments on the day.

Step 2: The guest list

Next up, work out exactly who will be coming to the hen party. This is where you may want to ask the bride for advice, in case you forget anyone. She may have another group of friends that she wants to be invited, which you don’t know of. Don’t forget to include any family members, including the Mother in Law. Unless your friend has specifically asked that she doesn’t come. Well, we’ve heard these things happen. Write up a guest list and get in contact with everyone, to let them know you’re in charge of hosting the party.

Step 3: The budget

Now that you’re in contact with everyone, it will be a lot easier to complete this step. How much does everyone want to fork out for this big event? It’s traditional to split the cost of the bachelorette party between everyone invited. By finding out what the budget is, you’ll know what kind of thing is going to be affordable. If people don’t have a lot of money then a weekend abroad isn’t going to be an excellent choice. Once you know what everyone can afford to pay, you can then start looking for ideas.

Step 4: Timings

One of the final things you need to double check with everyone is timings. When is everyone free? Are there any dates that people can’t do? How long do people have free? You may be thinking of doing a week long event, such as a holiday. However, not everyone will be able to get the time off work or other commitments. Make sure you know exactly when everyone is free and for how long.

Step 5: Ideas

You can now work on the exciting bit. Coming up with ideas! There are so many fun things you can do to surprise your best friend. Think about what they would like. What kind of stuff they enjoy doing. This isn’t your day; it’s theirs. Here are some top bachelorette party ideas to help you get started:

• Afternoon Tea – This is a great idea if there are going to be little ones or Mother in Laws involved. In fact, some women have a couple of hen dos so that they can include everyone. Something like this would make a gorgeous mini-hen.
• Night on the Town – The most popular bachelorette party idea is a simple night on the town. Dressing up, good friends, and lots of wine. You can spruce this up a million times over, though. You’ll see what we mean in the ‘special touches’ step.
• Spa Day – Or a spa weekend, if you’re feeling flush! The bride is probably feeling a little flustered with all this wedding planning. Let them relax and be pampered, before their big day.
• Classes – Ever wanted to learn how to make cocktails? Perhaps you’d prefer learning how to cook? A class is an excellent way to get all the girls together and learn something new. Plus, the husband-to-be may thank you if she learns how to cook.

Step 6: Sending out invites

Don’t forget to invite everyone to the party! It can be too easy to get caught up in the moment and forget to send out invites. If you’re going to be keeping it a secret from the bride then make sure everyone knows this. You don’t want it let slip by accident. If you’re creating a Facebook event to invite everyone then ensure it’s private. Otherwise, she’ll be able to see! Send out paper invites a few weeks before the bachelorette party.

Step 7: Special Touches

This is supposed to be an extremely special day for the bride-to-be. Make sure she knows it by adding some thoughtful little touches. You could have her picked up from her home, by a company like Get Chauffeured, so she feels like a celebrity. You could print off pictures of her and all her friends, to embarrass her with later on. You can even host a quiz, to see who knows her best. She should be made to feel like a princess on her last night of freedom.

Step 8: Enjoy it!

You’ve probably spent ages planning this big event for your friend, and it can feel a little stressful at times. The only thing you’re going to want to do now is enjoy it. If you’re stressed out or panicking on the day, then it’s only going to make your friend feel bad. Let things flow and run its course. You’ll be surprised at how well things will work out naturally. It also means that you can spend more time with your bestie, the bride-to-be.

Just eight steps to a perfect bachelorette party?! It sounds so simple now, doesn’t it? There’s going to be tears, tantrums and tiaras, but it will all be worth it in the end.

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