✿Petal & Paper
Home · Buying guides · Hen party complete planning guide
Buying guide

How to plan a hen party: from first conversation to unforgettable weekend

Hen party planning is a privilege and a responsibility. Here is how to get it right.

Start with the bride, not the activity

The biggest hen party mistake is booking activities before asking what the bride actually wants. Some brides want a wild weekend; others want a cosy night in with their closest friends. Ask directly and privately before anything else. Use our free hen party planning checklist to capture preferences before opening any booking sites.

The budget conversation

Money is the most sensitive topic in hen party planning. Have the budget conversation early and explicitly, especially if the guest list spans different financial circumstances. A per-person budget agreed upfront prevents awkwardness later. Rule of thumb: if you need to ask whether guests can afford it, the answer is probably 'some cannot'.

Activities that actually work

The activities with the highest guest satisfaction are: cocktail-making classes (interactive, everyone participates equally), spa days (truly relaxing), cooking classes, and dance lessons. Activities that often disappoint: anything requiring physical courage from non-willing participants, anything lasting more than 3 hours, anything where guests are split into teams they did not choose. Use our free games collection and bride quiz to keep energy high throughout.

Our picks compared

PickProductBest for
Top pick Hen party activity booking experiences UKActivity booking Check price →
Sash Hen party accessories bride tribe setGroup accessories Check price →
Survival kit Hen party survival kit set practical funnyGuest kits Check price →
Card A4 heavyweight matte card blushPlanning tool Check price →

As an Amazon Associate we earn from qualifying purchases. Prices shown on Amazon at time of click.

Frequently asked questions

How much does the maid of honour typically pay?
Traditionally, the maid of honour and bridesmaids share the cost and the bride pays nothing (or a token amount). In practice, costs are often shared equally with the bride contributing. The key is to decide this explicitly at the start — unclear expectations about who pays for what cause the most hen party disputes.
What is the ideal hen party size?
6–12 for a home-based hen; 8–15 for activities and restaurants; 12–20 for a full weekend away. Larger than 20 becomes very difficult to coordinate and usually splits into sub-groups. The bride should identify her absolute must-haves (the 5–6 people she could not imagine doing this without) before the wider list is built.