Okay, so you’ve been trusted with the crucial task of planning a fun, memorable and carefree hens party for the bride-to-be. We’re sure you’re eager to make sure the event goes off without a hitch, so here’s a quick guide to ensuring you give your bestie the perfect send-off into married life.
We’ll start off with some general “getting started” tips before focusing on what’s arguably the most important aspect of hens party planning – the venue!
1. Gauge the bride’s desired level of involvement
Depending how close you are with the bride (we’re guessing very!) you might be able to make arrangements for the hens party without even consulting with them, because that’s how across their schedule you are.
However, you’ll know better than anyone whether your bestie is a control freak or a “go with the flow” kind of gal, so this is a judgement call you’ll have to make – how much do you involve the bride-to-be in the hens party plans? Do you ask her who to invite, or what date best suits her?
The last thing you want is a bitter bride on the day of the hens party, so it might not hurt to have a discussion on how involved she’d like to be in the plans, and this will allow you to proceed with peace of mind.
2. Pick a date
Time to get started with the actual logistics – when are you having the hens party? The lead-up to the big day is a busy time for the bride-to-be, not to mention the rest of the bridal party! We recommend giving four to six weeks’ leeway between the hens party and the wedding day, as this allows a bit of a financial buffer for guests to comfortably afford both events.
Get your calendar out and have a look at possible dates four to six weeks’ before the wedding day, and see how much time that leaves you with to take care of the hens party preparations (and get the invitations out, of course!).
3. Pick a venue for your hens party in Melbourne
The right setting for your hens party depends largely on who you’re inviting. Is the bride’s great grandmother attending, or is it just for the bridal party to blow off some steam amid frantic wedding plans? Is the idea to relax and pamper yourselves in a classy environment, or have a few laughs and drink a few cocktails?
The best way to cater for everyone is to book a versatile venue for your hens party. As an example, Slate Restaurant Bar (ideally located in the centre of Melbourne CBD) offers a variety of breakout spaces that span the full range of atmospheres you might want to create for your bride-to-be’s hens party.
From our spacious rooftop bar with its breath-taking view of the surrounding city skyline, to our intimate cocktail soiree areas, Slate is the perfect venue for your upcoming hens night in Melbourne.
Some other hens party planning tips
Give as much notice to your guests as possible – ideally, as soon as the guest list is confirmed, print the invites and get them sent out.
As we touched on earlier, it’s important to know your audience. This means considering every guest who’s attending the party when you make arrangements like music, food/drinks, entertainment, transport and so on.
Remember that it doesn’t necessarily have to be X-rated – not all the time, anyway. It’s a good idea to divide the event into several scheduled sections, maybe starting with laidback drinks before moving onto karaoke for a few laughs, and this allows you to moderate how your guests choose to involve themselves.
It never hurts to have a contingency plan in place – brainstorm some possible things that could go wrong on the day, just to enjoy peace of mind that there’s a “Plan B” in place should something unfortunate happen, like the entertainment can’t make it or the bride-to-be is late, etc.
And last but certainly not least, don’t forget that part of your job as the hens night organiser is to make sure the bride gets home safe and sound! Keep an eye on her, check in throughout the night and make sure she’s having a fun time.
Book Melbourne’s best venue for your hens party today
If you’re eager to make your bestie’s hens night one that everyone will remember for years to come, book Slate Restaurant Bar today. We are well-equipped for hens nights, bucks parties, wedding receptions, birthdays and more – rest assured, we’ll go above and beyond to make sure your entire bridal party has a fantastic night.