Top Ten Tips For An Unforgettable Hen Party From The Adonis Cabaret

Who better to get the Top Ten Tips from than a self-confessed hen expert who organises hen parties for 35,000 hens a year and who really knows his hens from his ducks....

1. Who to Invite

Now this can be a nightmare before you even start! Usually left to the maid of honour - is she expected to invite ancient Auntie Ethel? Or the old school friend that no one but the bride can stand?

If you think people will clash, split the day into different sections - the tranquil safe spa day (ideal for the mother in laws and party prudes) and the wild party in the evening that you know the bride will love! Or if there is an extreme divide, consider having two hen dos - there is nothing worse than having one or two people that don't join in the fun, or worse, ruin it for everyone else.

2. Save The Date

Choose a day or weekend at least a week before the wedding and do not under any circumstances hold the hen night the night before the wedding. Plan well in advance so that you can maximise the numbers who are able to attend. This is the bride's big night so make sure all her best friends can be there.

3. Budget

Cash is kind and money can be a real deal breaker for some. Make sure you set a realistic budget for your intended guests whilst retaining the feel of making a special effort for the bride. It can be a difficult balance and may well effect the 'who to invite' list above and the 'location' below. But don't settle for the "I'll pay you later" - this only leads to resentment when you find out that that friend just splashed out on new shoes!

4. Location

Do your research! We have seen all varieties of hen dos, from a night a someone's house or at the local pub, to international city breaks in Europe and beyond. Marbella is a top destination this season and there are some amazing deals out there at the moment. A hen night is often an excuse for some quality girl bonding tie and therefore location can be key. But wherever you decide, make sure you check out the best places to go (and the places to avoid!) before setting off. It may sound silly, but if you choose to go abroad then check that everyone has a valid passport - you don't want any tears at the airport!

5. Collaboration

I know this could lead to a minefield of arguments but try to involve the other guests. Don't be so vague as to ask "right girls, what are we doing?" because this will result in a barrage of conflicting ideas, but let them know your plans and see if they can add anything to it. Remember, there will always be someone who doesn't agree, but you can never please everyone. Go with what you feel the bride will want.

6. Plan Your Activities

Most brides want their hen dos to involve a good party and probably a little bit of naught drinking. The most popular evening activities are comedy clubs, drag cabaret, strip shows and then - most likely - onto a nightclub. Adonis Cabaret, for example, puts all of those brilliant activities together in one venue, to make it easy for you and give you just the right mix for everyone. But also consider day time activities, a girly spa day, beauty treatments or afternoon tea to make the bride feel really special.

7. That said, don't go overboard

It always seems that there's not enough to fill the day but once you are all together catching up and gossiping, time soon flies. (We have experience of this first hand - get a group of girls together and you can't get a word in edgeways!). Be flexible with your plans. If the group seem to be happy, don't rush off to the next activity just for the sake of it.

8. Communication

This seems really nerdy, but how many rows do you think are caused when groups are drunk and lost in a strange city? It is not long until everyone will really start to panic. Make sure everyone knows when and where to meet on the day. Perhaps send an itinerary out beforehand and exchange mobile numbers. Once you are all there, establish a meeting point just in case anybody gets separated fro the group & mobile batteries die during the evening.

9. Pace yourself

This is especially important if you are out for the whole day or weekend. You don't want the bride (or anyone else) to be legless by lunch time and not be able to enjoy the evening shenanigans. So make sure you factor in some down time for eating and hydrating with soft drinks or water.

10. Finally, relax, enjoy the day and have fun!!

You can get full details of Adonis Cabaret on their website, you can also follow them on Facebook

GoHen

Have you planned your hen or stag night yet? I recommend popping over to the GoHen website for some inspiration.

The countdown is on for upcoming Baz Luhrmann film The Great Gatsby and in celebration GoHen have created a fantastic themed hen party package called 'Roaring Twenties'. The film, which is based on the novel by F. Scott Fitzgerald, centres around 1920's culture and a time of great sophistication and celebration, themes wound into the pre-nuptial package offered by GoHen.

The plot focuses on main character Nick, a World War I veteran who takes a job in New York and rents a small house on Long Island. His new abode turns out to be next door to the lavish mansion of Jay Gatsby, a mysterious millionaire who hosts extravagant festivities. What ensues is an exploration of social connections, forbidden passions and sublime, elegant parties across the great manor house.

The beautiful writing and suave storyline have influenced the innovative hen package created by leading hen party organisers GoHen. Their new ‘Roaring Twenties’ package takes place in the striking city of Oxford and involves hens spending a night in a 4 star hotel with spa and leisure facilities. Typical of Tom and Daisy’s civilized teas in the book the group will indulge in afternoon tea, including a selection of finger sandwiches, pastries and scones served with tea or coffee. This is followed by an afternoon session of Burlesque Dancing, where the group will be taught a sultry, show-stopping dance in-keeping with the many ballroom dances orchestrated by Mr Gatsby. In classic celebratory style the package is topped off with VIP nightclub entry; hens will be treated like royalty and given an unforgettable experience.

GoHen’s Oxford Account Manager Danielle said, “Our wonderful new Roaring Twenties package is perfect for any hens who love the vintage, 1920’s theme and want to recreate a piece of the famous novel. We’ve found the most classy, chic activities on offer and paired them with the fabulously elegant destination that is Oxford to create a hen package that’s a real all-round, group pleasing experience!”

GoHen, as part of StagWeb Ltd, have been organising unbeatable events since 2002 and benefit from 11 years experience in this specialised market, including significant buying power, higher value events, client protection, event creativity, dedicated account management and systems support. With packages from as little as £35 and as varied as cocktail making, inflatable games, life drawing and the Somerset Games, with GoHen you get a dedicated account manager to take charge of all elements of planning, invites, budgets and itineraries. With years of experience and ABTA bonding for added reassurance, the GoHen team really deliver the best in celebration weekends.

To find out more give GoHen a call on 0845 130 5225 or visit their Roaring Twenties package. GoHen can also be found on Facebook  and on Twitter.

The Hen House

Not all hen parties have to involve 'L' plates and pink sparkly deelieboppers! If you're looking for something a bit different then the Hen House can help you to find a suitable property and has suggestions for activities too.

The Hen House is run by a Devon based partnership Jill Nielson and Judy Lawson. Already running two other successful sites, Last Minute Cottages and Big Cottages, this site was set up partly by suggestions from advertisers on our other sites and partly because we felt there were very few web sites for the discerning visitors, providing accommodation at the higher end of the market for those who want to organise a hen party in beautiful accommodation and with a range of facilities and activities to choose from.

We have kept the site as simple and straightforward as possible. You can visit every venue advertised from a range of regions in the UK and we are now adding properties in Europe. We have asked owners to let you know what they have to offer on site as well as what is available nearby, so that you can make an informed choice depending upon your budget and what you would like to organise to do during your stay. The properties we have to show you are all owned and run by people who wish to provide you with the best.

Venues to suit all needs, tastes and all ages! We are not an agency, enquiries and bookings are made directly with the property owners.The advantage of contacting the owners direct is that they can give you lots of help with local facilities and services and what the venue has to offer your party. 

Not only do we offer fabulous properties we also have great hen party ideas pages;

Outdoor Activities; for the active hens,

Catering: for that wonderful meal you can all share and remember,

Entertainment; pottery painting, cupcake parties, relaxing spa treatments, naked butlers (well not quite!), cocktail making and  more!

Little Extras; hen party bags, games and balloons to mention but a few.

So, all in all, The Hen House offers a complete package to make your hen weekend one to remember and one that is taylor-made to just how you want it! You are in charge!

Take a look and begin your journey to the perfect hen weekend!

You can visit The Hen House website, find them on Facebook, and follow Jill on Twitter.

Darby & Joan Vintage

In February we featured a company here who provide organisation, styling and vintage crockery for events in Sussex, Surrey and Kent, now for those of you looking for gorgeous china & crockery of times gone in Derbyshire we're delighted to welcome Darby & Joan Vintage.

Darby& Joan Ltd is a Derbyshire company passionate about the enduring beauty of china & crockery from years gone by. We love that vintage pieces have a story to tell & can add a little personal magic to any setting or event. Everyone loves to be individual & to create a wedding or party that is a little bit different.  If you love the idea of a vintage themed event then maybe we can help. Modern vintage means classic, elegant & timeless style. Those thoughtful touches will add a touch of glamour & bring a talking point to any table, room or garden party.

If you don’t want to embrace the whole vintage theme then why not have a more traditional day with elements picked out which are undeniably vintage? Darby & Joan can work with you to help you achieve the style you are looking for. We have collected a stunning selection of English vintage china, glassware, table linens & vintage props & accessories for any kind of event where a touch of vintage glamour is required.  We have styled and co-ordinated photo-shoots and have worked with retailers on their visual merchandising.

We also offer a bespoke Afternoon Tea menu and service. You don't have to be having afternoon tea at Claridges to add a touch of refined elegance to your special event.  There is something indulgent about having a tea party, especially if you include a glass of something fizzy....

Whether you are planning a vintage themed wedding, a relaxing afternoon with the girls, a summer tea party in the garden, a treat for mother’s day or a baby shower, afternoon tea is a lovely & indulgent way to celebrate your occasion. For you to buy - we source gorgeous vintage pieces to create bespoke items, unique cake stands, hand-poured natural wax teacup candles & candles poured into delicate glasses. The perfect gift or a stunning addition to your wedding tables. 

What's not to love!  

As well as visiting their website  you can connect with them on Facebook and follow them on Twitter

Mayflower Events

Looking to have a tea party theme for a special occasion? Our guest post today comes from Robyn Ayala-Lea who is able to help out with her company, Mayflower Events.

Mayflower Events specialises in organising, styling and catering for tea parties and supplying beautiful vintage crockery, cakes and catering for weddings, engagement parties, hen parties and stag parties. 

The aim of Mayflower Events is to make the organisation of a wedding or party effortless by being a single point of contact from vintage crockery hire, glasses, table linen and cutlery hire to the cake and catering. 

Mayflower Events also offers an event organising and styling service so the bride and groom can enjoy their wedding or party whilst someone else seamlessly brings all the elements of the day together. Depending on what the bride and groom’s requirements are, we can assist for the whole day or just for certain individual parts.

The team at Mayflower Events really enjoy putting together a beautiful selection of vintage crockery with the most delicious cakes and fabulous tea party food and watching our brides and grooms have a truly amazing, special day. Our resident baker has a real talent for making not only beautiful, but also very tasty cakes – we believe that a cake must taste as good as it looks!

We have collected a wide range of beautiful crockery over the years, and some stunning accessories. We love being given the challenge of turning a generic venue into something unique for the bride and groom that guests will talk about for years to come. It’s important to us that we keep producing unique and fun ideas – for example we currently planning a Willy Wonka Tea Party and Mad Hatters Tea Party and are in the process of launching our Gentlemen’s Tea Party service.

Typically we will sit with a bride and groom and go through what they are looking for, put on our creativity hats and come up with a selection of ideas to meet their budget. The consultation and planning process will vary from client to client. Some clients may just wish to hire our beautiful vintage crockery and will simply book us for their event date having viewed the website and asked us some questions over the telephone or by email. Other clients organising, for example, a tea party for a hen party or wedding may have a telephone consultation, followed by a face-to-face meeting where ideas are discussed and agreed. Mayflower Events can be as involved as much as each bride and groom require.

We pride ourselves on paying attention to every small detail and providing a reliable, professional yet personal service to make the bride and groom’s celebration as special as possible.

Please take the opportunity to browse the services Mayflower Events offers on our website. If you have any questions no matter how big or small then please contact us and we will be happy to discuss your individual needs.

You can also follow Mayflower Events on Facebook and Twitter.