Hen party ideas: How to throw the perfect hen party at home
Whether you're the maid of honour or the bride herself, planning a hen party can seem a little overwhelming at first — but we're here to help. Hosting a hen night from home can be a great option for brides hoping to keep it more low-key, or those who just want more of their home comforts to hand while partying into the small hours!
From themes and dress codes to decorations, food, and activities, we've shared our top at-home hen party ideas, for a night she'll never forget.
- Why throw your hen party at home?
- When to throw your hen party
- Where to host your hen party
- How to start planning a hen party at home
- Theme ideas for your at-home hen party
- Bottomless brunch
- Garden party
- Afternoon tea
- Cocktail masterclass
- Pamper day
- Musical theatre
- Garden festival
- Movie magic
- 'Crafternoon'
- Game night
- Gift ideas for your hen party
Why throw your hen party at home?
Although the pandemic certainly inspired us to get creative with how we celebrated many milestones, there are many more reasons why you may prefer hosting your hen party at home. Not only do you avoid any reservations or deposits possibly falling through for venues or entertainment, but you can also organise a much more personal, intimate party than you may have achieved elsewhere.
What's more, if your bridesmaids, close friends, or family members live further afield, then they won't need to find a hotel for the weekend or worry about arranging taxis: they can simply stay with you. This way, an at-home hen party can easily turn into a hen weekend at no extra cost (freeing up the budget for more prosecco and presents!).
When to throw your hen party
Generally, the standard time to throw a hen party is about a month before the wedding. This allows the bridal party enough time to plan the event itself, finish up any maid of honour duties, and gives any new friends who met at the hen party a chance to bond and keep in touch before the wedding. This also means that if everyone had one too many martinis , there's plenty of time to recover and a hangover won't interfere with any last-minute preparation the bride needs to do.
Where to host your hen party
If you're involved in planning your own hen party, then your first instinct may be to host it yourself. And certainly, having your home comforts to hand is a huge upside of throwing a hen party at home as it offers the opportunity for any outfit changes, requires no travel arrangements, and your favourite food and drink is already to hand.
However, before sending out the invitations, you may want to consider whether your maid of honour or bridesmaids would be willing to host your hen party. Maybe they’re lucky enough to have a big garden that's perfect for classy summer parties, or a home theatre that would make a low-key movie night feel like a Hollywood premiere. Either way, hosting your at-home hen night could act as their engagement gift and it offers the bride the extra benefit of avoiding the clean-up on the morning after!
On the other hand, if you're the maid of honour or bridesmaid in charge of hosting and organising the whole hen party, then this is your chance to show just how well you know the bride-to-be. Think carefully about how she would picture her ideal hen party: is it in the comfort of her own home or garden, complete with floral, rustic decorations and surrounded by friends and family? Or is it a well-orchestrated surprise, held at a best friend's house to catch her off-guard with party food, cocktail dresses, and drinking games? (And on that note, if it's a surprise hen party then make sure to host it somewhere the bride could be easily lured to under false pretences, so she's suitably stunned!)
How to start planning a hen party at home
If she's more of a Type A personality, the bride may want to plan her own hen party and put her long-awaited ideas into practice. If so, the bridal party can just be there to help with anything she needs, like arriving a few hours early to help set up the decorations, bar, or buffet table.
However, if you're the maid of honour in charge of planning your best friend, sister, or cousin's hen party then this is your time to shine. Make sure you start organising her hen night well in advance, so that the guests can get time off work, make childcare arrangements, or even — if the theme requires — come up with a costume. Creating a group chat on social media or a shared mood board on sites like Pinterest is a great way to share everyone's input for the bride-to-be's likes and dislikes (and takes a little pressure off you to come up with all the ideas).
Guestlist
The hen party doesn't just have to involve the maid of honour and bridesmaids. The bride may have had to make some tough decisions amongst her friends when picking members of the bridal party, so this could be her opportunity to include other wedding guests into a special day. Be sure to invite close work colleagues, old school friends she keeps in touch with, or family members from the groom's side.
Budget
When it comes to funding the hen party, the money you will likely save from booking a venue, buying bar-priced drinks, and arranging travel can be put towards transforming the future bride's home into something truly special. Generally, guests will chip in to fund the hen party so that the bride — who may have an expensive wedding on the horizon — can simply enjoy her night. In this case, be sure to agree on a figure in advance that everyone in the bridal party and guestlist is happy with and attempt to work to this budget as best you can.
Now for the fun part!
Theme ideas for your at-home hen party
There are countless themes you could follow for a hen party or hen weekend, but what really matters is picking something that you know the bride-to-be will love. Throwing a hen party at home doesn't have to be a low-key alternative to going out to a venue, so we've chosen our ten favourite themes — as well as plenty of ideas for decorations and activities — to help you give her a classy, fun-filled send-off into married life.
Bottomless brunch
If the future bride loves to catch up with her friends over coffee and eggs, then bottomless brunch is the perfect idea for her hen party from home. For the drinks, think ice buckets filled with bottles of prosecco or champagne, and jugs of orange or peach juice to make delectable mimosas or Bellinis. Nothing beats starting off a special day with a glass of fizz!
When it comes to the food, if one of the bridal party fancies themselves as the resident chef then they can don an apron and whip up a showstopping brunch buffet. Aim for a mix of sweet and savoury classics like pancakes, avocado on toast, waffles, or smoked salmon and poached eggs, and be sure to include some vegetarian or vegan options for any guests that need them.
A great way to add a personal touch to this theme is to recreate the bride's go-to dish at her favourite brunch spot: or, if nothing compares to the real thing (and cooking feels like a lot of pressure), arrange in advance for the restaurant to deliver it to your door.
As the table will be the focal point of the hen party, be sure to lay it beautifully. If there's a colour scheme, ensure that the tablecloth, place settings, and balloons all compliment each other and work with the colour pallette: they're going to be in all of her photos to remember the day, so you want them to have the wow factor. Seat the guest of honour at the head of the table and you could even add a 'Reserved for the Bride' place setting to get that restaurant feeling at home. Now tuck into a hearty brunch and let the fizz flow!
Garden party
A great idea for those throwing their hen do in summer, a garden hen party allows you to make the most of your outdoor space and revel in the sun (hopefully). As we all know how unpredictable the British summertime can be, be sure to invest in a gazebo or any other reliable form of garden shelter well in advance in case your hen party is rudely interrupted by rain.
When it comes to decorations, candles and fairy lights are your best friends. Hanging string lights throughout the garden and into any trees makes the world of difference in creating a beautiful outdoor atmosphere, as will candles laid across the tables. An inexpensive way of doing this is buying a large bag of tealights and placing them inside any holders or lanterns that you already own, or that you ask the guests bring along with them. This way you can achieve an eclectic, rustic table setting, and the twinkling lights instantly make your garden look like a classy and inviting venue.
Afternoon tea
For the bride-to-be who loves scones, pastries, and fine china, why not turn her hen party into an elegant afternoon tea? Start by laying a beautiful table with your best cups and saucers, cupcake stands, and mason jars filled with fresh flowers. If your guests have a signature cake they always make, or know the recipe for the bride's favourite pastry, then ask each member of the bridal party to bring something different. Or, if you'd rather splash out for a professionally baked spread, then get in touch with the bride's favourite cafe or hotel to cater their finest afternoon tea straight to her door.
The beauty of an afternoon tea party is that it can be as boozy as you want to make it. If the bride would rather keep a clear head in the run up to the wedding, then opt for teapots of high-quality, loose-leaf teas, pressed juices, and freshly ground coffee to accompany your cakes and cucumber sandwiches. On the other hand, if she wants to let her hair down, crack open the prosecco and make a batch (or three) of Buck's Fizz for the table.
This theme also offers a great excuse to get dressed up, even when hosting your hen party from home. Dust off your favourite summer dresses and wide-brimmed hats to spend the afternoon feeling classy as can be. If you're lucky enough to be celebrating on a summer's day, then kit the party guests out with our personalised bride tribe hats to really look and feel the part.
Cocktail masterclass
If the bride-to-be would rather sip cosmopolitans than cups of tea, then incorporating a cocktail masterclass into her hen party could suit her down to the ground. You might think you're much better at drinking cocktails than making them, but that's all about to change!
Hiring a bartender and a mixologist for the evening is a great idea for those who have always wanted to learn how to make professional standard drinks at home. From piña coladas to porn star martinis, whiskey sours to watermelon margaritas, there's an almost endless variety of drinks that the hen party can turn their hands to. The cocktail theme doesn't have to end at the drinks, either: guests can take the opportunity to wear their best cocktail dress or that brand new jumpsuit they haven't had the chance to wear out yet.
To soak up all the delectable drinks you'll be making, keep the cocktail theme going and serve up platters of finger food and smaller tapas-style plates throughout the evening. No drinking on an empty stomach before the big day! But if you didn't listen to this advice, you might need our hungover hen pyjama sets to spend the morning after recovering in style.
Hen-fest
As a group of friends, siblings, or work colleagues, some of your favourite memories together may be donning your wellies and spending a glitter-filled weekend at music festivals. If the future bride is a Glasto girl through and through, then throwing her a festival-themed hen party will take her right back to those days: just without the camping or lack of working shower.
Much like the garden hen party, this theme does rely on warmer weather so it's generally best for hen nights thrown in spring or summer. That said, it wouldn't be a British festival without bringing out the obligatory plastic anoraks and dancing stubbornly through the rain: you could even include pac-a-macs in the guests' gift bags along with face glitter and dry shampoo for the full festival experience!
As well as a good speaker system (and a trip round to the neighbours for a heads-up about the noise), all you need is some camping chairs, bunting, and colourful lighting to turn your back garden into an at-home festival. If you live in a rural area, getting your hands on some hay bales is a great touch for DIY seating and getting group photos that really look the part. For an extra activity, set up an accessories station where you can adorn each other with face glitter, gems, and flower crowns so that you all look like you just stepped off the bus at Glastonbury. And as for the dress code? Wellies and denim shorts, of course!
Pamper Day
Planning a wedding can be stressful. Even for the most level-headed of brides, organising flowers, seating charts, menus, and venues can all get a little overwhelming. So, to give her some much-needed zen before the big day, why not set up an at-home spa day for her? A hen party doesn't always have to involve a late night and a sore head the next morning: instead, you could leave her feeling refreshed from a facial, mani-pedi, and glasses of cucumber water.
While you could certainly spend the afternoon doing the treatments yourself, mobile beauty therapists can also be hired at a reasonable rate to give you spa-quality pampering from the comfort of your own home. This not only ensures that everyone is looked after equally, but hiring a professional spa therapist also gives the hen party a touch of class and luxury she'll love.
To create a calming spa ambience at home, set up a long playlist of quiet, atmospheric songs that plays in the background throughout the day, and ask each guest to bring all the scented candles and incense they can carry! Everyone can come prepared with their own robe, but for that extra special touch, why not equip the bridal party with our personalised bride squad pyjamas or luxury dressing gowns? This way you can relax in style, keep them as a memento, and wear your matching sets while getting ready on the big day.
Movie magic
This one's for the movie lovers! If the bride-to-be is hoping for a more low-key hen party at home, then hosting a movie night complete with generous helpings of cinema-style popcorn could be the perfect idea for her. If you or someone you know has a projector, all you need is a white wall or bedsheet (and few strings of those trusty fairy lights) and you can create an impressive, cosy theatre experience from home. Think fuzzy blankets, glasses of wine, and giggles until the small hours!
You could pick out a selection of the hen's all-time favourite films, get nostalgic and revisit teen classics you used to watch together, or stick to a set theme like rom-coms or vintage blockbusters. To kick things up a notch, you could put the movie magic theme into practice by setting a dress code for the hen party: task the guests to come as their favourite movie character, or even coordinate a group costume like the Pink Ladies or Charlie's Angels. Why not incorporate a quiz as one of the party activities, so that the bride can showcase her cinema trivia? To up the stakes, the winner can go on to be the judge in a 'Best Dressed' contest!
For the food, lay out the bride's favourite sweets and movie snacks on a buffet table, complete with vintage-style popcorn bags and ice buckets of wine, fizz, and beer. If the guests want something a little more substantial, you could also arrange for some wood-fired, artisan pizzas to be delivered as the perfect accompaniment to a movie marathon.
Crafternoon
If she's more of a creative, free spirit than a party girl, then the bride-to-be may love a more low-key arts and crafts hen party. It's likely that, with everyone juggling their jobs, kids, and everything in between, the bride may not have seen the guests at her hen party for quite a while. What's great about hosting a 'crafternoon' is that it gives the guests a chance to slow down a little and catch up with each other while creating something beautiful (or just creating…something!).
Paints and easels can be easily brought in and out of the bride's house, and, as long as aprons are provided and the carpets are protected, you can keep it relatively mess-free. Similarly, many pottery companies now offer classes at your home on how to make mugs, vases, or plates from scratch. Or, if you want to spice things up a little while still keeping the hen party a classy affair, you could even hire a model and attempt to do a nude life drawing!
Whether it's a masterpiece or not, a great way to commemorate the day is framing the bride's artwork or including it in one of our customisable hen party collages alongside her favourite snaps from the day. Or, get creative with lipstick kisses or fingerprints in our alternative guestbooks. This way, she can look back on a special afternoon with her best friends for years to come.
Game night
For the bride with a competitive streak, why not turn her hen party into a game night? Start off with a few of her favourite board games like Articulate or Pictionary, or even better, spend the afternoon playing engagement-themed games like Mr & Mrs or He Said/She Said. A member of the bridal party could even craft a personalised quiz to see how well the guests really know the happy couple. As the night goes on, you could spice things up with a few spirited rounds of Never Have I Ever, Truth or Dare, and beer pong (or, if you prefer, prosecco pong).
However, if she's the resident sporty spice, you might want to think of some more physical ways to start some healthy competition between the guests. You could do a throwback to classic school sports days and compete in things like an egg and spoon race or a three-legged race, both of which are especially funny after a few glasses of wine! To really get into the swing of things, make sure the host is prepared with all the sports equipment they need, and you could hand out party bags at the beginning with accessories like sweatbands, whistles, and gym socks so you all look the part.
Be sure to include prizes for each winner, which could range from old-school medals and participation ribbons to bottles of champagne. Let the games begin!
Musicals
Our final theme is the perfect idea for a musical theatre enthusiast. Whether it's West Side Story or Wicked, if the bride-to-be is always gushing about her favourite musical, then why not bring it to life for her hen party? The playlist for the evening is already sorted, with back-to-back hits from the musical being an absolute must. As for the dress code, ask your guests to come as one of their favourite characters, or if they don't know the musical, they can get inspired by the era or place it was set: think 60s beehives for Hairspray or bright blue 70s flares for Mamma Mia!
A great touch for this theme is to get hold of a karaoke machine, so that whoever feels brave enough (perhaps after a few cocktails) can get on the mic and give the performance of a lifetime! One major benefit of hosting this musical-themed hen party from home is that only your closest friends will hear your rousing rendition of 'Memory' from Cats, rather than a packed karaoke bar — which means less cringing the morning after.
Gift ideas for your hen party
With personalised gifts and keepsakes for a whole host of occasions, be sure to check out our range of wedding gifts, engagement gifts, and hen and bride wear to help you help you celebrate life's special moments in style. Why not add the finishing touch to your hen party with our Kiss the Miss Goodbye guestbook, or surprise your friends and family before the big day with our creative bridesmaid, best man, and maid of honour proposals?
If you're a bridesmaid or maid of honour at your loved one's wedding, you'll want to throw her a hen party she'll never forget. With these at-home hen party ideas you can give her the classy, thoughtful send-off into married life that she deserves, without even stepping out of the front door. Be sure to shop the wide range of creative and customisable wedding and engagement gifts here at Write From the Heart to find everything you need to celebrate in style.