If you have been asked to be a bridesmaid for your close friend’s wedding, then you know all too well that the pressure is on. As a bridesmaid, you will be tasked with plenty of responsibilities, but it is your foremost responsibility to make the bride happy. And how will you make her happy? By catering to all her dreams and wishes, of course! But it need not be such a difficult task, especially if you keep all her preferences in mind. But there’s another thing that you are probably tasked to take care of as well: the hen party. Hen parties can be a humongous responsibility, but if you know exactly how to plan it and what to do, it shouldn’t be too much of a problem. In fact, with the right planning, you’re guaranteed to enjoy the process – and have tonnes of fun at the hen party itself. Here, then, are your top tips to planning and organising the best ever hen party for the bride.

Know your dates

The first thing you have to decide on is the actual date for the hen party. Also, you have to determine whether it will be a one-night affair or a full-on hen party weekend. The ideal date for a hen party or hen weekend is around four to six weeks before the big day, as this will give the guests time to recover and, more importantly, give the bride time to get lots of beauty rest! As soon as you decide on the date(s), it’s important to notify everyone, so they have time to prepare for it as well. Give advanced notice and take note of any conflicts in schedule with the guests. The earlier you can plan the dates, the better.

Know what the bride – and everyone else – wants

Of course, it’s also essential that you know exactly what the bride wants. What would she like to do? Is she up for an adventure, or would she like something a bit tamer? You should also ask the bride if she would like to be involved in the preparations for the hen party; some brides prefer to be involved, whilst there are those who are content to leave the planning and preparation to the bridesmaids.

Apart from asking the bride what she wants, you should also consult with the other bridesmaids and close guests. Remember this as well – you are probably planning an event which will consist of guests of differing ages, especially those from the bride’s family, such as her mother, aunts, great-aunts, and so on. So take the guests’ ages and circumstances into account and plan a general activity which will suit all the guests. If you still want to have something less staid, you can always plan this for the evening or another day or weekend.

Have realistic expectations

Remember when Monica from the television show Friends was trying to plan Phoebe’s wedding? Don’t be like that! Be as organised as possible, of course, but make sure that you have realistic expectations regarding all the activities and the timing of these activities. It would be great to have a full day but give the guests enough time to prepare for the next activity as well. Think through all the activities you are planning and make sure to give enough time for travel to and from various places. The main idea, after all, is to have a fun and relaxed day, not a day filled with stress!

Planning the perfect hen party or hen party weekend is now made even easier because you can also choose from various hen party destinations, such as hen party houses in Brighton, where you can take advantage of more than ample space for guests, great amenities, and extras as well.