Hen Party Ideas

Introduction to Hen Party Ideas

The Hen party is Europe’s (Britain and Ireland’s) version of the bachelorette party. It is a party held in honor of the bride to-be. It goes by various names, including hen night, hen do, or stagette in Canada. The hen party is, of course, the female version of the bachelor party that is held in honor of the groom.  In simple terms, the hen party is the last fling of the bride before being tied into the knots of marriage. It can be as wild a party as one wishes or it can be a normal party where close friends and family attend.

While the bachelor party is a very old tradition, the hen party itself is the fruit of the sexual revolution of the 1970s. Women of that era wanted to be equal to men in virtually all aspects, and did not want to be left out in partying as well! It may be stunning to note that hen parties were very uncommon until the 1990s. The first book about organizing hen parties was in fact published in 1998.

Hen parties are somewhat different from normal parties. For one, only women attend. Culturally, it is present in numerous countries in one form or the other. A version exists in India, among Hindu families (although they are less naughty). Hen parties have a reputation of being the place and time for exaggerated sexual freedom. The image of girls partying wantonly is what comes to mind. The following is common:

(i)      Drinking

(ii)     Hiring strippers

(iii)    Naughty (sex-oriented) games

(iv)    Sharing secrets especially intimate ones with the friends

This is of course not always the case. Under more reserved circumstances, hen parties could take the form of dinners or cocktail parties where the guests would give advice regarding married life to the bride-to-be.  Some parties are themed (e.g. costume dresses that can be naughty or not). A wide variety of themes are now commercially available. It can be fun just to shop for the hen party!

The best thing about the hen party is that the bride to-be is virtually a queen. She does not pay anything and does not have to participate in the organization (even though the bride often chooses to do so). In most cases, one close friend will host the party and the cost will be borne equally by the participants. Hen parties are held in the evening and may go on well into the night (even into the wee hours of the morning for the wilder parties). Hen parties are best held up to a week before the wedding day (so that any hangovers have time to pass!). Sometimes, gifts can be given to the bride to-be, helping her to prepare for her marriage life. The hen party can then be turned into a bridal shower.