Sometimes hen weekends can be crammed so full there's no time for resting or getting to know the other hens and some can be a little too free flow so no one knows what's going on...
Fear not because we have some advice to share on planning the best hen weekend with the right amount of 'organised fun' but with free time for re-energising, getting ready and chatting to the other hens.
We've based our itinerary on an outdoor hen weekend starting on a Friday afternoon to a Sunday lunch time. This would work perfectly at any of our three hen camps - Festival Field, Glamping Glade or Wild Bells.
Top Tip - Even if the itinerary is a secret from your guests or bride to be - provide a packing list so that everyone is prepared. For example - if you're hosting a sports day let everyone know they need to pack gym kit and trainers.
Friday Arrival
It's a good idea, if logistically possible, for the bridesmaids/organisers to arrive beforehand to get set-up. Ordering a supermarket shop to arrive when you get there is a great way to be efficient and ensure you have supplies for the weekend. Your first priority should be to get the arrival drinks chilling!
Friday Night
Everyone will have travelled to be there so will no doubt be hungry, order a takeaway so there's no prep or effort required to get everyone fed before the weekend ahead. Often during hen weekends, not everyone in the group knows each other so allowing some time for introductions to happen is a great way of ensuring the rest of the weekend is a success. Check out our suggestions for free hen party games that are easy to play around the campfire while you toast some marshmallows. It's a great way to get to know each other before the weekends gets going.
Saturday Morning
To cater for everyone waking at different times, a buffet breakfast is a great way of letting your guests graze when they wake up so that everyone can get showers and dressed for the day ahead. Croissants, fruit, cereal, toast and crumpets are great to leave out so that everyone can serve themselves.
If you need some entertainment for the early risers whilst everyone else is getting ready, lawn games are a great for smaller groups to play. At our hen sites, we have extras that can be added on like lawn games with giant jenga, croquet and limbo for a small fee and can be used all weekend.
Structure is important for a hen weekend so that it keeps the energy levels up so it's worth arranging an activity and 11am is usually a great time to start - a workshop like flower crown making, yoga or soap making is a nice way to get everyone together. Most workshops are between 1 -2 hours which then takes you nicely to lunch time.
We recommend a grazing board lunch so that everyone can choose what they want to eat and it's kept casual. Another opportunity to get topped up before some afternoon activities.
Saturday Afternoon
After a bit of lunch, it's time to bring the energy! A sports day with either well known games or your own made up events. Assign teams and let everyone get competitive! We hire a sports day kit with egg and spoon, tug of war, three legged race and sack races for our groups to hire to save you the hassle of thinking what to do or source the equipment. Make sure you have someone taking photo's and videos!
After expending some energy, sit down and have a chilled afternoon with drinks and snacks to replenish before the evenings activities.
Saturday Evening
Make sure everyone's got their party outfits on for a festival vibes evening! Cocktail making is a great way to get the night going whether you host it yourself or get someone in to do it for you. Choose the brides favourite cocktail and start the night with those. If you have guests who aren't drinking, it's still a nice activity to make mocktails.
Take the stress out of sorting food and have a pizza van roll up to the field to make everyone a pizza whilst you're sipping on cocktails watching the sunset.
Host your very own silent disco with all the bride to be's favourite songs, switch on the disco lights to get the vibe right and party the night away in the yurt or take the disco on a conga round the site.
Sunday Morning
There may be some sore heads on Sunday morning so make sure there's juice and food available to cure the hangovers. BBQ some sausage and bacon for sandwiches to prep everyone for their travel home.
If you're a bit closer to home and have more time, it's a nice opportunity to go for a walk in the local area and have a pub lunch to have a final catch up before the weekend ends.
We hope that's been helpful as hen weekends can be tricky to plan with lots of different ages, friendship groups, family members etc involved. We think this itinerary has something for everyone and allows enough time for everyone to bond before meeting again at the wedding.
If you're looking for somewhere to host a glamping hen party in Yorkshire, check out our pop-up glamping sites at Birds & Bells.
Available for groups of 12 to 20 (or more), sleeping in luxury bell tents with a large yurt for gathering. There are cubicle toilets, showers and wash up areas with power, water and appliances. The sites also include lots of extras from Silent Discos to board games and a BBQ! Open from April to September 2024 and 2025. Get in touch to book now.
We have extras available to hire including sports day kits, lawn games, picnic sets and audio guestbooks!
We also have a new pop-up site for 2024, Wild Bells, a lakeside glamping village with bell tents and a large emperor tent for gathering. Packages at this site also include silent disco, hot drinks and a bbq. Find out more here.
If you already have a site in mind, we also offer mobile glamping where we bring the bell tents to you. We also offer this service for weddings which is a hassle free way of hosting your guests overnight. No more late night taxi's or budget hotels.
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