Bachelorette Party Ideas: The Best Hen Do Ideas for the Bride

A bachelorette party is the moment to celebrate properly one more time and spend a special day together. You can do something out of the ordinary, wear great outfits and really let your hair down! But how do you get the hen do right? Who gets invited, where do you celebrate and what do you do?

Here are our best bachelorette party ideas – from planning and the running order to outfits, activities and the party, with real cities, costs and tips from many hen dos.

Summary

• First you need to sort out a few basics: when are you celebrating, who is coming, where are you going?
• The activities are the crux: we have ideas from a relaxed afternoon to a legendary party
• Where to? From the city round the corner to Mallorca – our city guides list venues, costs and routes

How to plan the bachelorette party

As maid of honour, it is your job to plan the hen do for your best friend. But how do you actually go about it? First, there are a few urgent questions you need answers to – our FAQ will help you here! 😊

1. Who is coming to the hen do?
2. When will it take place?
3. Where will you celebrate?
4. What do you want to do on the day?

Once you have the basics sorted, you can get into the detailed planning. The next steps follow below.

Schedule: what a typical hen do looks like

To give you an idea of how a bachelorette party usually runs, here is a quick blueprint.

Where: cities & options for the hen do

There are lots of ways to celebrate a bachelorette party. Broadly, three directions are possible, depending on what you have in mind:

Option 1: A weekend in an exciting city:

• The easiest choice is the nearest big city.
• Alternatively, pick a big city in Germany (Hamburg, Cologne, Berlin, Munich).
• If that is not enough, go abroad: Mallorca, Amsterdam, Budapest and Krakow are popular with hen groups. Each of our city guides shows checked bars, restaurants and activities on one map, with cost per person and ready-made routes. It is worth reading up on the local rules first, for example for Spain or the Netherlands.

Option 2: Keep it among friends

• This is about your best friend. So why celebrate with lots of strangers?
• Simply rent a cabin or stay local and throw a great house party

Option 3: A trip into the countryside

• For sporty, outdoorsy types, a trip into nature with camping and a party by the lake is an option too.
• You could sleep in tents or a holiday flat.

Option 4: A low-key hen do for a pregnant bride

• If your friend is pregnant, a packed, tiring programme makes no sense. It only causes stress and in the end nobody wins.
• Plan a nice, low-key hen do instead, with spa treatments, good food and relaxed time together.

Outfit: your outfit options

When it comes to the hen do outfit, men tend to go over the top with crazy costumes, while women have a much better sense of style! These outfits are popular for a bachelorette party:

• The classic: A hen party T-shirt is a lovely souvenir. You could all sign it, for example, so the bride has something to remember the day by.
• Professional styling: How about a beauty workshop? You pick up make-up tips from a pro and are perfectly styled for the party afterwards.
• Accessories: Besides the classic T-shirts, accessories are popular. There is a huge choice.
  • Headpieces: a flower crown or a tiara
  • Sash: sashes with a slogan, such as “Team Bride” or “Bride to be”
  • Other bits: badges, nice tote bags, tutus, balloons and so on.
• No special outfit: You will have a great time together without a special outfit too 😉. It even makes the planning a little easier, but would something be missing?

Tip: Remember that the outfit can get in the way during some activities. It might also cause problems at the door of a club. So bring a spare outfit.

What: great activity ideas for the afternoon

The activities, the real heart of the bachelorette party, should be something special. Make sure you pick things that everyone (and especially the bride) will enjoy. And one more thing: it is your day, you don’t “HAVE TO” do anything – even if the media suggests you must ride around in a stretch limo and book a stripper…

Here is some inspiration and our top 10 list of activities:

1. Festivals in Europe / local fairs: Is there a festival you have always wanted to go to? Now is the time! Alternatively, see whether there is a good local fair or festival nearby.
2. Spa and beauty: How long ago was your last massage? Far too long – treat yourselves to a spa day with all the trimmings!
3. City tour: There are great city tours, including themed ones (food, crime, sightseeing), that are genuinely good fun and not just for pensioners.
4. Sporty fun: If you like, burn off some energy with rafting, cycling, hiking or a high ropes course.
5. Food and drink: Take a cocktail-making class or a Spanish cooking class – there are plenty of options.
6. Shopping: If the weather lets you down, why not go shopping?
7. Professional styling: Have you ever had your make-up done by a pro? Get tips from an expert and pamper the bride-to-be properly.
8. Culture: In bad weather or just because, museums, street art exhibitions or a trip to the theatre make for an entertaining afternoon.
9. Hen do games: A classic among the activities – dares and challenges for the hen do. With or without a vendor tray of goodies to sell to strangers, they are always an option.
10. Hot-air balloon ride: Want to get out and up? Book a balloon ride and see the world from above!

Tip: That was just a selection of our bachelorette party ideas: you will find many more hen do activity ideas here!

Party: how to make the hen party legendary!

So that your hen party really stands out, here are a few ways to celebrate – we have put together three options to suit your taste:

Option 1: A party at your own place

A good party at home has its advantages: it is just you and her best friends, and nobody gets chatted up by strangers all night. You can also prepare everything together at your own pace. Remember these things too:

• Good music: Ideally prepare three playlists (songs from your teenage years, singalongs and party tracks)
• A small programme: To keep the evening lively, prepare a few small activities: looking at old photos, dress-up, karaoke, games…
• Snacks: Order a few pizzas, cook something yourselves and get some crisps and peanuts.
• Drinks: Yes, you would definitely have forgotten those ;-). Buy too much rather than too little. And remember ice, mixers and herbs for cocktails.
• Stripper: If you like, you can book a walking six-pack for your party. Not compulsory, but an option. Agree on the date a few weeks in advance.

PS: If the bride is pregnant, a house party is a good option. Plan a few alcohol-free cocktails for her.

Option 2: Your local

Going to your favourite bar is a good choice too. Or you can make your way round a few pubs.

• For a night like this you should have a plan B. Pick a handful of pubs in case you don’t like one of them.
• Also give the landlord a heads-up beforehand so they can prepare. Check whether fancy dress is OK too.
• You might even persuade the owner to give you a discount – you are a big group and will probably spend a fair bit.

Option 3: VIP clubbing

OK, you want the big party, you get the big party! Good clubs are naturally easier to find in big cities and party hotspots. Keep these points in mind:

• Book a table, so you skip the queue and the night is more relaxed.
• If you want to turn up in fancy dress, ask beforehand whether that is OK.
• Have a plan B here as well – if you don’t like the music or something else goes wrong, you are prepared.

Bear in mind that everyone prefers different music. In the end, though, that is not what matters most – the point is that you all have a great night. Be willing to compromise and find a middle ground.

Tip: Here you will find all the hen party options at a glance.

Final tips

If you have taken our advice above on board, you are already a big step closer to a brilliant bachelorette party. And one thing up front: whatever goes wrong, it will still be good. Her best friends are getting together to spend a lovely day with each other – what could possibly go wrong?

Finally, a few tips to take with you:

1. Photos: Remember to take photos. You can put one friend in charge, or everyone takes some and you share them later (for example in a group chat).
2. Budget: Keep in mind that the activities, a great party, accommodation and travel are not exactly cheap. And then there is the expensive wedding, the wedding presents and so on. So plan in some “cheap” elements too, for example cook yourselves or take a trip into the countryside. As a guide: a day with an activity and a party usually comes to €100 to €200 per person, and a weekend with travel and accommodation quickly reaches €400 to €500 (konfetti, Pissup). More on this in our guide to bachelorette party costs.
3. Plan B: Have a back-up plan ready for the key parts. It might rain, there might be trouble at the door, or something similar.
4. Make it special: Try something new. Business as usual is for other days, so use the hen do to try something you have never done before.