What Is A Hen Do? Your Guide To The British Hen Party
If you're getting married then you know one great tradition that happens before you get married: That's the hen party.
A hen party (or bachelorette party if you're American) is a tradition of getting the girls together for one last good night out together.
These days the traditional last night out has changed, with whole hen weekends or spa days also being popular among hens.
Are Hen Dos Common?
For women getting married, a hen do is common to have before the wedding. It gives the bride the chance for her "last night of freedom".
Not all girls have a hen party, but the vast majority do keep up with the tradition of getting together with family and friends.
Are Hen Nights For Women Only?
The hen night is traditionally only for women. The groom and his friends have a stag party, while the bride and her friends have a hen night.
Who Goes On The Hen Party?
There is a big range of people who you can invite on a hen party.
This is typically the bride's closest friends and family, work mates and possibly old school friends.
The mother of the bride, mother in law, sister in law and other family members of the groom are also often invited.
As mentioned it's a female only event.
What's The Difference Between A Hen Do And Bachelorette Party?
A hen do and a bachelorette party are the same. Americans call this a bachelorette party, while us British call it a hen do (or hen night, hen party or hen weekend)
When Do You Have A Hen Party?
There is no set time to have a hen party, but 4 - 6 weeks before the wedding is seen as a good timescale to have a hen party. Keep this in mind when you're thinking about hen party time and dates.
This gives plenty of time to organise things, and lots of time before the big day.
What Do You Wear To A Hen Do?
Picking out clothing can be hard for the hen do, so you've really got to know what you're getting up to so you can get an outfit together.
If you're all getting dressed up, you can't go wrong with personalised hen t-shirts for you and the girls.
If it's more fancy and you're wondering what to wear to a hen do, classic summer dresses or something more casual if it's less dressy are often good choices.
How Long Does A Hen Party Last?
Traditionally a hen party lasts a night, but these days things are changing. Some hen do's can last a whole weekend, now being called a hen weekend.
If you are planning on going abroad for your hen do, a weekend makes the most sensible choice.
What Happens On A Hen Do?
What happens on the hen do very much depends the friendship group. If you've got a quiet bunch of friends then it could be a chilled and quiet one.
More adventurous or raucous friends could mean a messy time on the hen do. Drinks, strippers and who knows what else can happen on the hen night.
Summary
And that is your guide to what a hen party is. Now you know what you may expect from the hen do, and exactly what a hen do is.