How to Plan the Perfect Hen Night
The perfect hen night is the entire hen weekend stripped of those unnecessary ingredients, mainly travelling and waiting around for the party to get started. Think of the hen night as the most delicious sauce reduced down so that the concentrated flavours are completely orgasmic. This time you have a clock working against you which leaves you a window of between 12 and 18 hours to let your hair down and party until the sun starts to rise from the east. In my experience some women get so carried away organising the perfect hen night for themselves that the bride's tastes are a distant memory, remember this is her celebration, not yours.
Let's clarify something from the start; a hen night doesn't necessarily mean 'a night'. You have the pleasure of playing with a good few hours here or there so the 'night' in question can turn into something more along the lines fun filled 24 hour party. Brilliant! If you've been paying any attention then you'll already have read, 'How to Plan the Best Hen Weekend' and will be very familiar with the Five Golden Girls - remember the Who, What, When, Why and How?
I'm not going to walk in six inch heels over trodden ground but as I said before, planning is everything. Tackle each of the Five Golden Girls and you're laughing. It’s simple; the rules applying to a hen weekend are the same for a hen night.
The only Golden Girl I will mention is 'Where'. Obviously, given a finite amount to time to play with somewhat limits where you can escort the bride and the girls. As those geeky scientists have yet to invent time travel we're left leaving heel marks in one of Britain's more exotic destinations.
Here's a few to think about:
Edinburgh
It’s got a very old castle and William Wallace went there a few times to have a chat about something important…what more can you ask for? So, unless the bride is getting married sometime around New Year when they celebrate a hog, this place is more suited for looking up kilts, checking out sporrans and sampling a plethora of whisky cocktails fermented by some Mel Gibson look-a-like called Pete.
Glasgow
Famous in the 1980s for a smile and kiss but not the pleasurable types you're thinking of. Things have moved on from those darker days and this place won European City of Culture in 1999. In my opinion, definitely an untapped treasure just waiting to be explored.
If you plan on joining the clan then why not think about doing the dirty duo - split Edinburgh and Glasgow in half and sample their highland juices. An absolute must if you ask me.
Nottingham
Don't believe what you read about the ratio of one man to every four women, when I went there it was like being invited to a sausage party. Students also add to the 'Nottingham mystique' so if you enjoy talking Post-Modernist Literature whilst having a Sex on the Beach then this is the place for you and the girls.
Blackpool
How can a city with the 'Golden Mile' be anything other than golden? If you think this is too good to be true then let me tell you that Blackpool is the unofficial 'casino and club capital' of the UK. If Vegas is just a distant dream you can still check out Black Jack who'll be on hand to entertain you in one of the many clubs. Don't worry about the lack of good weather as most your time could be spent winning hands of Diamonds and staring at Kings.
Dublin
'Irish eyes are smiling'…they certainly are day and night in this top class hen night mecca. We all have a girlfriend who's been there and fell in love with the accent, charm and in some cases Guinness. Just for the records it is true what they say about the Guinness tasting better.
London
Completing this whistle stop tour of the British Isles is the capital itself, London. You're spoilt for choice with this city as there is everything imaginable on tap. Soho and Covent Garden are literally on top of each other with kicking clubs from across the globe.
There are so many great cities covering the length and breadth of the UK - all you need to do is pick one.
Those are a few of the places but before you start thinking about which one to go for I want to share a few more gems that will make your hen night very memorable indeed:
- Adding a theme to the evening is great fun but it isn't about making everyone wear French Maids or Nurse costumes. The skill is to tailor the theme to each individual so that they all feel comfortable and are willing to take part. If the theme does include costumes then try and keep the costs down by adding individual accessories. Themes to think about - Bond Girls, School Days or Pop Stars but I'm sure you can come up with something brilliant.
- For the extravert bride, make her wear a veil and a necklace made from wine gums. Charge unsuspecting male revellers 20p to eat one from around her neck; she'll love the attention and you have made enough money for a few free cocktails.
- Get a photo of the bride as a baby and have t-shirts printed for all the girls. The look on her face will be a picture when you all strip off to reveal 'baby bridezilla'
- On a more practical note give out disposable cameras to everyone in the party. Believe it or not the old film variety still exists and after the hen night you'll have some very funny photos.
If you plan right everyone will be really looking forward to it but before I forget, make sure you get everyone to pay about £40 for drinks up front. Having a kitty available stops people worrying about who should buy the next round.
A hen night is such a great excuse to get the girls together and have fun. You don't really have to travel abroad but aside from the notorious weather Britain can be a welcome surprise.