Is it possible to have a non-tacky hen night? If learner plates and plastic tiaras aren’t really your thing, don’t despair! There are lots of ways to give a bride a good send-off into married life without it all getting embarrassing and brash.
The basic ingredients for a classy hen night are the same as those for a tacky version: bride and her besties, a special venue, a few drinks and something nice to eat. You just cut out all those dodgy clubs with sticky floors and lurid cocktails.
So, what does today’s discerning bride do on her hen night? Here are five ideas to pass to your chief bridesmaid – she should be organising it after all!
1. Preen and pamper with a beauty party and perfume-making class
There’s nothing like a bit of group pampering to get you looking aisle-ready. Book out a department store beauty salon or head to hen specialists such as Duck & Dry for a group preening session. The hen party gets new hair dos (and make up and nails if you like), while sipping on a glass of Prosecco.
This can be followed up with a masterclass such as perfume making. Increasingly popular with hen parties, these classes show you the basics on how to blend and match different fragrances. You’ll come away with a bottle of your own hand-crafted scent – what a perfect memento of a wonderful hen party.
2. Hit a music festival with fancy camping
Great tunes, yummy food and loads of sun (if you’re lucky) – a music festival is a great place for a hen party. Crazy outfits are de rigueur at music festivals, so your hen party can get creative with vintage gowns, floral garlands and buckets of glitter.
Don’t expect your hen to camp in the mud though! Book a local Airbnb or on-site glamping option to give the bride-to-be a touch of luxury. You can enjoy all the best things about a music festival while also sleeping in lovely comfy beds and washing off that festival grime in a hot shower each day.
There are lots of ways to up the glam on this one. Why not organise a make-up artist and photo shoot one morning, to record you in your festival costumes? Or head to the festival with a surprise up-market picnic for the hen, with fresh fruit, cream cakes and lots of other tasty bits.
3. Find a gentle pace with a river cruise
A river cruise can be a wonderful, refined choice for a hen do. Head to a stunning city or rural destination and float through beautiful scenery, Champagne in hand, with a few laid back tunes to set the mood. Many river cruisers have on-board buffets and dance floors, so you can party away without touching dry land.
To take things up a notch, round off the river boat experience with dinner at a classy riverside restaurant. Dressing the hen up in a sailor’s hat is strictly optional!
4. Relax with a spa day and afternoon tea
Organising a wedding can be stressful. Help the hen unwind with a brilliant combination of spa treatments and quintessential English afternoon cream tea. It will make her feel revitalised and spoiled at the same time.
Tunbridge Wells is the perfect destination for a cream tea and spa hen weekend. Where better to enjoy a beauty spa than in a spa town? Tunbridge Wells has a number of elegant spas, for example Coco Blush, based at One Warwick Park Hotel. Enjoy beauty treatments including detoxifying mud wraps and hot stone massage, manicures, pedicures and more in this town centre spa.
And for the cream tea? For an afternoon tea in Tunbridge Wells, Salomon’s Estate has all the class, cake and comfort you could wish for. A magnificent country house with extensive gardens, Salomons Estate offers tempting teatime treats served in elegant surroundings.
5. Give the wedding queen her own private castle
She’s a princess about to become a queen so she needs a castle to celebrate in. Book your own private castle (or maybe a castle-ish country house). Exploring a picturesque old building is entertainment in itself, with freestanding baths, four-poster beds, and views from the ramparts.
An ideal rural celebration, there’s sure to be a countryside pursuit you can book to amuse her Majesty. Try clay pigeon shooting, archery, falconry or a treetop high rope adventure.
For an extra touch of luxury, hire your own chef or drinks waiter for the evening. Madame must be waited upon!
6. Build your craft skills with a making session
Crafting is a great way for the hen party to relax, chat and have fun. There are so many classes to choose from – for example pottery painting, knicker making, life drawing, or cocktail mixing. With guidance from a pro, you spend a few hours getting wonderfully messy, with a unique creation to show for it at the end.
Floral garland making workshops are a big hit with hen groups. A professional florist will show you how to build a magical, colourful crown of fresh blooms – just the thing to wear out on the town or even recreate for your bridesmaids on the big day if you’re having a country theme.
Why not follow your craft activities with a special gin tasting session at a local artisanal distillery?
7. Relax and revitalise with a yoga weekend
Organising a wedding can be a stressful business. Turn those frowns upside down (literally) with a yoga weekend. Whether you choose to book into a retreat or hire your own yoga instructor, this can be a winning idea for a hen who wants none of the traditional boozy hen party activities.
To make this idea even more unique, hold a yoga session somewhere special, such as a beach or in the grounds of a grand country house, and follow up with an afternoon tea in Tunbridge Wells or a special picnic.
Healthy, clean-living hens might also enjoy a group trek through the countryside. Pack your maps and your macs and head into the great outdoors for some simple but memorable fun.
Are you looking for the perfect place for a sophisticated hen party in Tunbridge Wells? Salomons Estate has all you need.
Just get in touch with our friendly team to discuss your requirements.