15 Great Hen Party Ideas
Hen parties – you either love them or hate them. (Or maybe you did love them but going to ten variations on the same event has worn you down a little. Come on; our besties deserve better!)
If you want to plan a hen party for a small group, want a funny hen party idea that’s fresh and new or just want something to get your brain sparking ideas that aren’t ‘cocktail making’ – then read on.
At Collection Pot we have the joy of seeing the pots set up for hen parties every single day – and although it kind of makes us jealous we’re not out every weekend at these amazing get togethers, we can use our eye from fund raising pots to share some of the best ideas we’ve seen.
Let’s jump in.
Hen party ideas for small groups
Some hen party ideas are designed for massive groups who can split astronomical costs. (Yes, we have seen trips to Bali or plans for groups of 50!)
We know there’s a cost of living crisis, and not everyone will be able to make it to a hen party. The last thing the beautiful bride-to-be needs is the fret and worry about not being able to fill a castle with mates or having just a couple of you shouldering a hefty bill.
Enter these fantastic hen party ideas for small groups.
1) Hire a house for a silent disco (and bring celebrity guests)
Without tonnes of people to entertain, the hen party can have a much more chilled vibe. Consider hiring a whole property with AirBnB or a cottage if budgets allow, then with the extra spending money, have some extra fun! A silent disco set up runs at about £100 for an evening and keeps neighbours happy and your guests enjoying the night.
You can add the classic hen party butler in the buff or go highbrow but still keep it fun by streaming cameos purchased of celebrities for the bride! Don’t forget to pack all the tech you need to share on a big screen and have fun scripting.
2) Ice skating disco
If you ice skated as a child, you may have forgotten how fun it can be. Most towns have a rink, and you can book right on if you are a small group to a party or disco event. Grab some hen party outfits or brand some coats or goodies with a photo of the bride and get skating! The cafes are never that great on site, so why not arrange a taxi pick up for after to whizz you back to a base camp before getting changed to head out on solid ground?
3) Enjoy an emo moment or a tribute band session
Whether the bride-to-be loves footloose and WHAM or is more into MCR, Taking Back Sunday and Brand New, a tribute evening or an emo night could be the ideal evening out for your small group hen party! Grab a table and a few pitchers, and steadily get louder and louder. Have a search on Skiddle for the Black Parade for emo nights, or Eventbrite for tribute nights, or scan Facebook Events.
4) Glamping
A yurt is even cosier with a few of you – and there are so many options now. Glamping is cheaper than a hotel stay, helps you explore the U.K. instead of raising a carbon footprint, and there are so many locations on offer!
Make it wild or calm, get outdoorsy or just rest and recover with face masks and ghost stories and some toasted marshmallows.
A night or two in a canvas hideaway, and you’re likely to come away feeling refreshed, not drained.
5) Join a craft session
There’s often a focus on doing something as one gaggle, but your small hen party group has the benefit that it can join a class with others on it if you book sooner. The benefits include meeting new people, learning a new skill, and paying far reduced fees than you would on a private hire. Search Eventbrite for classes in an area and look well in advance to secure all the spaces you need.
Funny hen party ideas
Want weird and wonderful ideas for your hen? We hear you! We have had a good look around at some of the funny hen party ideas. That will get you all giggling. So skip the usual smut (unless you want some, and we wouldn’t judge you!) and indulge in something you will probably never do again!
6) Learn fishing
Did you know that women now account for 37 percent of anglers in the U.S.A.—the highest level on record?
According to a recent report by the Recreational Boating and Fishing Foundation (RBFF), 19.4 million women went fishing in 2021. That’s 1.6 million women getting out on the boat, or lake for the first time! Yes, ladies.
Grab your anti-sickness bands and your bait (they even make vegan baits now that feed fish) and take them to the high seas. (Photos of you holding a fish are ideal for any singleton’s needing the perfect Tinder snap.)
7) Hold and walk with a hawk
So long, common pigeon – this hen party is all about the hawks. An excellent ice breaker and one to remember forever, there are a range of places to enjoy falconry experiences, whether you can hold them, walk with them, meet bird experts and also get some amazing photos. Have a look online to see the best location for you. While you can’t hold a gin and tonic and a hawk, you can get that nice outdoorsy feeling without too much extreme movement – so you still have energy for dancing later.
8) Star gazing
When did you last look at the sky? If the answer was bonfire night, this could be time to change that. Did you know that there are places called Dark Sky Parks in the UK where reduced pollution makes super dark skies, and you can see about 7000 stars and planets with your good ol’ eyes?!
Galloway in Scotland is one place where you can appreciate the beauty of the night sky. The park also has red deer, a loch, and a gorgeous nearby hotel (Creebridge) with 17 bedrooms so that you can reconvene with a drink before bed.
9) Learn to snowboard
A funny hen party idea this is not if you are great at snowboarding, but if you are a newbie or a whole set of novices, you can only imagine the falls and slips. It’s all very You’ve Been Framed. Beware of booking too close to the big day for any photo showing injuries! Take a look at a reputable resort with plenty of space – Snowzone or Xscape may be good locations close by to your whole party.
10) Psychic reading
Believe in the mystical, or think it’s all cobblers? A trip to see a psychic or a hypnotist is a fun experience for many and can be something to add to your evening. Check reviews and their reputation and see if anywhere local to you is hosting an evening with them. Sometimes dinner is included.
11) Bring a colour party
Everyone picks a colour, and bring the food and drink in that shade. So if they picked Blue, they would be getting WKDs, blue refresher bars, blueberries and Salt and Vinegar crisps. Fine dining it isn’t, but this is a great way to share the load of the costs and is perfect if you are going out or staying in.
12) Challenges and a charity shop dress up
Fancy a dash of silly fun that’s budget friendly? Start with a charity shop outfit selection for all the teams. Without looking, each guest trails their hand on the rail until someone shouts stop. They then have to grab and wear what’s been chosen – no excuses!
Then it’s time to take to the town. You can take part in a range of fun challenges ;
· Find someone who looks like the hubby to be
· Left-handed drinking
· Never have I ever
· Truth or dare
(In short – any game that you played at school becomes amazing when aided by grown-up beverages.)
Luxury hen party ideas
13) Exclusive cinema booking for gaming or a film
Did you know you can book a whole cinema screen? Whether you have 20, 30, 40 or 50 guests, there are cinemas in over 75 locations in the UK that can be hired just for you! Not a film buff? The cinemas can also allow you to game on the big screens!
Prices are around £150 for gaming to £250 minimum for films.
14) BYOB on a yacht
There are plenty of places to jump on a yacht for the day – the best spots are the Solent, Hamble River, Portsmouth and Brighton. Most of these have great routes from the capital, so they are a good option for many who can get there.
As well as many captains allowing you to BYOB and food on board, you can also make it as educational or fun as you like. Some people can learn the ropes, while others sunbathe and make cheeky sailor jokes. It’s really what you make of it!
Cost-wise, a 37ft yacht + skipper is about £200 per person, season dependent.
15) A day trip to Paris
Package holidays are around 19 per cent more expensive than last year, research from consumer group Which? has revealed, so if you want to get away, it’s best to look at ways that don’t involve a flight.
Paris is a dreamy destination that’s perfect for the ‘gram, and isn’t too far from Blighty.
The website Kayak lists the average price for a return flight from London to Paris as £140, but a return trip on the Eurostar in mid-July comes in at £89 – and will likely also be quicker too.
Airbnb or hotels are reasonable, and you can do whatever the bride-to-be fancies, from shopping, sightseeing, sunbathing, or simply watching the world go by with a coffee before an evening in a beautiful restaurant. Why not push the boat out with the centuries-old La Rôtisserie d’Argent for its famous pressed duck?
We hope you have enjoyed these tips – and they’ve sparked some inspiration for the perfect hen party for a small group or gaggle of fun-loving hens!
If you pick any, we’d love to see your photos – tag us on social media!
