Hen do, hen party or hens night?
It's all the same celebration, the words just change with the country:
| Where | What it's called |
|---|---|
| UK and Ireland | Hen do, hen party, hen night (a weekend is often a "hen weekend") |
| Australia and New Zealand | Hens night, hens party or simply "the hens" |
| US and Canada | Bachelorette party (in Canada sometimes "stagette") |
| Joint party (UK) | Sometimes jokingly called a "hag do": hen plus stag |
The groom's side has its own version: a stag do in the UK, a buck's party in Australia. You'll find those in our stag do ideas. If you're planning in the US, our bachelorette party ideas cover American cities and traditions.
Before you plan: what does the bride want?
Hen do traditions can be a lot: L-plates, sashes, inflatable everything, a stripper nobody asked for. Some brides love the full package, some would rather hide in the toilets. The kindest thing you can do is ask her.
- Vibe: chilled, active, glamorous, cultural or a big night out?
- Hard no's: props, fancy dress, drinking games, being made the center of attention, anything with an ex in it.
- Guest list: just the bridesmaids, or also mums, future in-laws, colleagues and her best mate from school? Mixed ages change the plan.
- How far: a local plan, a weekend away or a trip abroad.
- Money: who in the group might struggle with a weekend abroad?
Anything cheeky should be opt-in, for the bride and for every guest. A good hen do is one where nobody has to be a good sport about something they hate.
Tip: If mums and grandmas are coming, split the hen into two parts: an afternoon everyone joins (tea, a workshop, a long lunch) and an evening for those who want to stay out.
How to find the date without the bride
Ask the bride (or her partner) which weekends are a no: work, family events, dress fittings, the wedding itself. Then send one poll to the hens with all the remaining weekends. Ask everyone to tap every day they could make it and use "if needed" for the tricky ones. For a hen weekend, look for two or three days in a row. Pick the one where the most hens can come and all the bridesmaids are there, then tell the bride only the date.
Hiya hens! 🥂 Sophie's hen do is happening and we need a weekend. She's free on everything in this poll, so tap every day you could make it: [link]
Please vote by Sunday. We'll go with the weekend most of us can do and send the plan and the rough cost right after. Shh, it's a surprise!
Hey hens 🌞 Time to lock in Jess's hens! Mark all the days you're free in the poll: [link]
Deadline Friday arvo. Plan and costs coming next week. Not a word to Jess!
psst … this makes it easier
Find the hen do weekend without the bride in the chat
Get her no-go dates, then send one poll to the hens. Everyone taps the days they're free and you see the best weekend straight away.
- For one day or a weekend in a row
- One link for the group chat, no sign-up
- Free, no account, no app
Classic hen do ideas
The British hen do favorites, each with a twist that makes it personal.
1. Afternoon tea
- Budgetmedium
- Best formixed ages, mums and grans
Finger sandwiches, scones with jam and cream, tiny cakes and a pot of tea. It's the easiest hen party idea for mixed generations, and a glass of fizz turns it into a celebration. In Australia the same thing is usually called high tea.
Tip: Settle the jam-first or cream-first debate with a vote. Loser makes the first toast.
2. Bottomless brunch
- Budgetmedium
- Best forsociable groups
A set brunch with refills for a fixed time slot. It's sociable, it's daytime and it leaves the evening open. Ask for alcohol-free refills for anyone who isn't drinking, many places offer them.
3. Cocktail masterclass
- Budgetmedium
- Best forany group
A bartender teaches the group two or three cocktails, everyone gets to shake and pour. Ask them to create a signature cocktail for the bride, and you have the drink for the wedding too.
4. Gin distillery tour
- Budgetmedium
- Best forgin lovers
The UK is full of small gin distilleries, and many offer tours or let you blend your own bottle with botanicals of your choice. Name the bride's gin after something only your group understands.
5. Life drawing class
- Budgetmedium
- Best forgroups who've all agreed
A long-running hen do classic: a professional model, an art teacher and a room full of very concentrated faces. Done with a proper class it's more laughter than awkwardness. Ask the bride first and make sure every guest is happy with it, or book a clothed model.
6. Murder mystery dinner
- Budgetlow to medium
- Best fortheatrical groups
Book an event or buy a kit for the rented house. Everyone gets a character, the bride gets the best role and the dinner turns into a whodunnit. Perfect for groups who don't all know each other, because the roles give them something to talk about.
7. Fascinator or hat making workshop
- Budgetmedium
- Best forcrafty groups, wedding guests
A milliner shows you how to make a fascinator, and everyone leaves with something they can wear at the wedding. Useful, pretty and very British.
8. Wreath making
- Budgetlow to medium
- Best forwinter hens
For a hen do in November or December: a florist, greenery, ribbons and mulled wine. Everyone takes home a wreath for their front door, the bride gets the best one.
9. Learn a music video routine
- Budgetlow to medium
- Best fordance lovers
A dance teacher teaches the group the choreography from a famous music video or a film. Film the final run-through. Some groups perform it again at the wedding.
10. Theater trip and dinner
- Budgetmedium to higher
- Best formusical fans
A West End show in London or a touring musical in your city, with a pre-theatre dinner. Book seats together early, especially for Saturday shows.
11. Pub quiz takeover
- Budgetlow
- Best forlocal hens
Join the quiz at the bride's local as one big team (or ask the landlord if you can add a round about the bride). Cheap, cheerful and very good for groups that like a bit of competition.
12. A day at the races
- Budgetmedium
- Best forgroups who love dressing up
Racecourses across the UK and Ireland hold race days through the year, and some have special ladies' days. Hats on, a picnic or a lunch package, a small bet each for fun.
13. Ceilidh night
- Budgetlow to medium
- Best forScotland and Ireland, mixed groups
A caller shouts the moves, a live band plays and nobody needs to know how to dance. It's one of the best ways to mix a group, and it works for a joint hen and stag too.
14. Silent disco walking tour
- Budgetlow to medium
- Best forsociable groups
Headphones on, a guide with a playlist, singing at the top of your lungs through the city while passers-by hear nothing. Some cities offer these as group tours, check what's on locally.
15. Garden party
- Budgetlow
- Best forsummer, families
Bunting, a jug of something cold, lawn games and cake in someone's garden. It's the budget-friendly hen party idea for summer and works brilliantly with children and grandparents around.
16. Rave bingo or drag bingo night
- Budgetlow
- Best forsociable groups
Bingo with a DJ, a drag host or both, plus silly prizes. Many UK cities have regular nights like this. You get a big night out with a built-in program, and nobody needs to know anybody.
Outdoor and active hen do ideas
17. Coasteering
- Budgetmedium
- Best foradventurous groups
Scrambling along the rocks, swimming through gullies and jumping into the sea, in wetsuits and helmets with a guide. Pembrokeshire in Wales and Cornwall are well known for it. Guides adjust the jumps to the group, nobody has to jump.
18. Wild swimming and a sauna
- Budgetlow
- Best forswimmers
A guided swim in a lake or the sea, followed by a sauna if there's one nearby. Seaside towns increasingly have them. Bring dry robes, a flask of tea and something warm to eat.
Tip: Swim with a local group or a guide, especially in cold water, and check the conditions on the day.
19. Glamping in yurts or bell tents
- Budgetmedium
- Best fornature lovers
Real beds, fairy lights, a fire pit and a field to yourselves. Glamping sites across the UK cater for hen groups, some with hot tubs or a cook who comes to you.
20. Canal boat day
- Budgetmedium
- Best forrelaxed groups
Hire a narrowboat for the day, go through a few locks, stop at a canal-side pub for lunch. Slow, pretty and a lot more fun than it sounds.
21. Coastal walk with a pub lunch
- Budgetlow
- Best forwalkers, mixed ages
A stretch of coastal path with views, a long pub lunch at the end and someone driving the car round. Choose a route everyone can manage and a pub that takes group bookings.
22. Big house weekend with a cooking rota
- Budgetmedium
- Best forweekend hens
Rent a big country house and give each small team one meal to cook. Saturday dinner is the big one, Sunday breakfast belongs to whoever is still standing. It keeps costs down and turns the kitchen into the party.
23. Surf lesson
- Budgetlow to medium
- Best forbeach hens, especially in Australia
A group lesson with a surf school, then fish and chips on the beach. In Australia, surf schools along the coast often run hens groups. In the UK, Cornwall and Devon are the classic spots.
Hens night ideas for Australia and New Zealand
Sunshine, wineries and a long lunch: the Australian hens party has its own favorites.
24. Winery tour by minibus
- Budgetmedium
- Best forwine lovers
A driver, four cellar doors and a long lunch in between. Popular regions for a hens weekend are the Hunter Valley near Sydney, the Barossa Valley near Adelaide, the Yarra Valley near Melbourne and Margaret River in Western Australia. In New Zealand, Marlborough and Martinborough are well-known wine regions.
25. Sydney Harbour cruise
- Budgetmedium to higher
- Best forSydney hens
A private boat or a group booking on Sydney Harbour, ideally around sunset. Swim stops in summer, the city lights on the way back.
26. Laneway bar crawl
- Budgetlow to medium
- Best forMelbourne hens
Melbourne's laneways are full of small bars and hidden rooftops. Plan four stops, book where you can and keep the group small enough to fit through the door.
27. Barefoot bowls
- Budgetlow
- Best forany group
Lawn bowls at a local club, with no shoes and a drink in hand. Many clubs welcome groups for a social game, and it's a very Australian way to start a hens afternoon.
28. Beach weekend in Byron Bay or Noosa
- Budgetmedium to higher
- Best forweekend hens
A house near the beach, a morning swim, one big dinner out and a lazy Sunday. Book early for school holidays and summer weekends.
29. Dumpling making class
- Budgetlow to medium
- Best forfoodies
Fold, pinch, steam and eat. Big Australian cities have plenty of cooking schools for this, and a group of hens folding badly shaped dumplings is a very good time.
30. Mermaid swimming class
- Budgetlow to medium
- Best forplayful groups, swimmers
Some pools in Australia and the UK run mermaid classes with fabric tails and a coach. It's silly, it's harder than it looks and the underwater photos are the best of the weekend.
Hen do abroad: European city breaks
31. Villa weekend in Spain or Portugal
- Budgethigher
- Best forsun seekers
A villa with a pool on the Costa del Sol, in the Algarve or on Mallorca. Mornings at the pool, long dinners, maybe a boat day. Agree on the budget before anyone books a flight.
32. City break
- Budgetmedium to higher
- Best forculture lovers
Dublin, Barcelona, Lisbon, Amsterdam or Prague: short flights from most UK airports, good food and plenty to do in daylight. Check whether everyone's passport is valid long enough before you book.
Best hen do destinations
A destination is optional. Plenty of the best hen dos happen in the bride's own city. If you do travel, these places are popular with hen groups:
| Region | Popular hen do destinations | Why |
|---|---|---|
| England | Brighton, Bath, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle, York, Bournemouth | Easy to reach, lots of daytime activities and nightlife |
| Scotland and Wales | Edinburgh, Glasgow, Cardiff, Pembrokeshire | City breaks or coastal adventure |
| Ireland | Dublin, Galway, Kilkenny | Music, pubs and a big welcome |
| Europe | Marbella, Barcelona, Lisbon, the Algarve, Mallorca | Sun, pools and short flights |
| Australia | Hunter Valley, Barossa Valley, Yarra Valley, Margaret River, Byron Bay, Gold Coast, Noosa | Wineries, beaches and weekend houses |
| New Zealand | Queenstown, Marlborough, Waiheke Island | Wine, scenery and adventure activities |
Tip: Many group activities, venues and houses ask whether a booking is a hen party. Be honest when you book. It avoids cancelled bookings and lets the venue prepare a nice touch for the bride.
Budget, guests and a kind hen do
- Share the cost upfront. A rough figure for the activities, accommodation and travel, before anyone says yes.
- Split the bride's share if that's what your group does, and say so clearly.
- Offer a day-only option for hens with kids, shifts or tight budgets.
- Keep extras optional. Matching T-shirts, sashes and goody bags are lovely if they're cheap and nobody has to wear them.
- No forced embarrassment. Dares, forfeits and props are fine when the bride chose them and every guest can say no.
- Everyone fits. A hen do can have men on the guest list, two brides or a bride who doesn't drink. Plan for your actual group.
Need a few games for the evening in the house? Our hen and bachelorette party games has 30, from gentle icebreakers to cheeky ones. Still asking your bridesmaids? Try our bridesmaid proposal ideas or the special ones for the maid of honor.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a hen do, a hen party and a hens night?
They mean the same celebration before a wedding. Hen do and hen party are the usual terms in the UK and Ireland, hens night or hens party are common in Australia and New Zealand. In the US and Canada it's called a bachelorette party.
What do you do on a hen do?
Most hen dos combine one activity, like a cocktail class, afternoon tea or coasteering, with a long dinner and a night out or in. Weekend hen dos often happen in a rented house or a city break. What matters most is that it fits the bride, not a checklist of traditions.
Who organizes the hen do?
Usually the chief bridesmaid or maid of honor, often with the other bridesmaids. Sometimes a sister or close friend takes the lead. The bride is usually asked about the guest list and the general vibe, while the details stay a surprise.
Who pays for a hen do?
Guests commonly pay their own way and split the bride's share between them. Tell everyone a rough cost before they commit and offer a cheaper option, like joining for one day, so nobody feels left out because of money.
When should the hen do be?
Usually one to three months before the wedding. A weekend abroad needs planning a few months ahead so people can book time off and flights. Avoid the week just before the wedding, when the bride has enough on her plate.
What are good hen do ideas that don't involve drinking?
Afternoon tea, a pottery or wreath-making workshop, coasteering, a surf lesson, glamping, a theater trip or wild swimming with a sauna. Plan the activity as the main event and any drinking as an optional extra.