Planning a hen? Here are 7 things you HAVE to bring along

As any veteran MOH (that’s maid of honour to you and me) will tell you, planning a hen party is no walk in the park. Yeah, they’re the best craic ever – but when it’s ALL on you to give your best gal the send-off of a lifetime, it’s fair to say the pressure is well and truly on.

So to make your life a little easier between the likes of planning themes and organising accommodation, activities and deposits, here is our handy list of the essential fun stuff to bring along.

L-plates at the ready!

1. Hen paraphernalia

A hen isn’t just any old party, so you and the girls need to squad up in your hen gear and look the part. We’re talking hen sashes, novelty headgear and feather boas (with a heavy pink bias of course). And it doesn’t have to be all fluffy cowboy hats and light up boppers: if the bride is allergic to the uber-tacky, there are loads of classy options available too, like vintage floral sashes, glitter crowns, cute personalised badges and floral crowns.

2. Decorations

Hen party decorations add to the sense of occasion, so make sure you stock up BIG TIME in the lead up. Whether you plump for balloons, bunting or scatter sequins for the dinner table, they’ll make the hen a HEN.

3. Sentimental photobook

A hen is all about telling the bride how much you love her, so presenting her with a memory photobook isn’t only a lovely moment, it’s also a keepsake she’ll treasure. And it’s SO simple to make one – all you need to do is gather up photos from the hens – or their Facebook pages – and upload to a handy site like Harvey Norman’s Photo Centre to create a gorgeous matte or glossy photobook.

Harvey Norman’s Photo Centre couldn’t make it easier; in a matter of clicks you’ll have created a beautiful memory book the bride will love.  

4. Hen games

Think making a show of the bride, but in the best possible way. One of the ultimate hen games is Mr and Mrs, to see just how well the bride knows her soon-to-be groomie! We suggest bringing it up to date by pre-recording the groom’s answers on an iPad and playing them back at the hen.

And if you want to bring on all the LOLs, get the hens to write a funny memory they shared with the bride and make her guess who wrote what, or you could have a quiz to see how well they know the bride.

5. Survival kit

These are basically party bags for grown-ups – and who doesn’t fricking love party bags? Stuff them with the likes of paracetamol, sweets, bottles of water and safety pins. The hens will absolutely adore ‘em!

6. Treats

If you’re staying in a hotel, there’s generally that window where you all hang in the bride’s hotel room, play games and have a bit of banter before you all head out on the batter. This is where the goodies come in, so we advise stocking up on the like of cupcakes (hen-themed is always a winner!), posh crisps and Prosecco.

7. Instant camera

Snapping away with an instant camera creates the loveliest keepsakes all the hens can take home. We love the super cute Fujifilm Instax Mini 8, which you can get your paws on from Harvey Norman. We don't know how they do it, but photos taken on these babies are so flattering. 

Oh, and don’t forget, the general practice with hen parties is to add in a small extra cost per hen to cover stuff like decorations, treats and gifts.