How to pick a theme for a hen party

Picking a theme for Christmas parties is easy (after all if it all goes wrong you can just revert to the classic Winter Wonderland theme.) However picking one for a hen party? Not so much. Not if you want to be unique anyway, especially if there girls in the group are of varying tastes and ages. How are you going to find a theme that’s going to accommodate everyone? Let alone one that’s going to adhere to everyone’s budget! It’s a tough one for sure; luckily we’ve got some useful tips and tricks that will help you decide.

Keep in mind what the bride-to-be likes

It is her hen do at the end of the day so it’s probably a good idea for you to keep her in mind. Think about her interests or something funny she’s mentioned in the past. Does she have a favourite film or has she been dropping (sometimes not so subtle) hints about what kind of then party theme she’d like? Hopefully you paid attention, because this is your chance to show that you really were listening and (if you get it right) she’ll be so impressed by your thoughtfulness.

Age gaps

Now most of you may all be the same age however, if your party is quite a big one then you may find that a few of you in the group are at various different stages in your life – so bunny girls may not be the best choice of dress up. Consider this before you pick a theme as it will help avoid disagreements and resentment. Our best tip is to pick a theme that’s quite adaptable such as “vintage chic” or “nautical” as then people can customise it the theme to their personal style and preference without feeling uncomfortable.

Budget, budget, budget…

Once you’ve decided on a theme you need to consider how much it’s really going to cost everyone. For example, a burlesque theme is probably going to cost (overall) a lot more than say, an 80’s aerobic theme.  So maybe have a look to see how much fancy dress and accessories are for theme before announcing it to everyone. Not only will you have done your research but you’ll also have a list of sites that sell the right costumes and/or accessories at cheap prices.  We recommend sending this list to all the other ladies too, as it’ll save them time searching for the items themselves (and earn you extra brownie points!)

Be wary of where you’re going

Not really a problem but something that many hens forget. After all, it doesn’t make sense to go with a hula theme and wear next to nothing if you’ll be having your hen do somewhere cold (unless of course you are very brave hens!) Likewise if you’re hen party ideas involve doing activities out in the day then maybe it’s not such a good idea to wear anything skimpy? There might be kids at the venue, you never know and it’s always good to be conscientious of other people.

Some of our favourite themes

  • 1920’s flapper girls
  • Nautical Naughties
  • 80’s Yuppie
  • Burlesque  Babes (best for night time though)
  • Leading Ladies in Film
  • 1950’s Chic
  • Greek Goddesses (cheap and easy – all you need is a makeshift toga and some sandals!)