Hen parties are renowned for their interesting dress up senses, hilarious costumes and mildly inappropriate props. We can guess exactly what just came into your mind there. Something about a woman, a large inflatable member of male genitalia, and some form of alcoholic beverage to hand. We can all name a few ideas and even scenarios like that.
We have compiled a short list of props, dress up ideas and accessories for you to take to your Hen Party. These are guaranteed to give the group a laugh and leave you with loads of hilarious photos to look back on and think – OH.MY.GOD!
1) Fake Hen Party Tattoos
Fake Tattoos are for most a distant memory of being a child and always wanting to get the real thing. For some reason when the words Hen and Party come out that love for lick and sticks comes flooding back.
You can get them in all different colours with various writing, slogans and even pictures. A great option we have seen before would be each member of the party getting their tattoo with their relation to the bride whether that be; Bridesmaid, Maid Of Honour, Mother Of The Bride, etc. It’s a great quick and easy way to get everyone involved with the fun and looking like a true Bride Tribe.
We love these ones!
2) Personalised Clothing
The sure fire way to let everyone know you’re on your hen party, while still holding an edge of mystery, as passers by try to figure out why someone has “Dirty Diane” written on the back of their t-shirt. Unite your hens as you spend the first half hour explaining (and inevitably reminiscing) the nicknames to one another, it’s a great way for everyone to get to know each other. Personalise t-shirts, sashes, badges, whatever takes your fancy. If you deem some nicknames too unsuitable for some guests (mothers, mothers-in-law, we’re looking at you), why not just stick with everyone’s roles within the big day? Or funk it up with a team name- Bride Tribe, Hot Hens, etc.
If T-shirts aren’t your thing, why not try headbands? There are so many options to try with head accessories. Go sweet and stylish with flower crowns (a great way to let everyone in on your colour scheme too), or nice and naughty with some creative decorative headwear.
Or if you want something a bit less obvious, check out these great hen party wristbands from our article “How to Bring the Festival Fun to Your Wedding”.
Sidenote: It’s always best to stick a helpful note on the bottom of a T-shirt; “If lost please return to…” for that one drunken liability. You already have her name in your head.
3) Hen Party Survival Kits
Trust us on this, the survival kit will absolutely be one that you won’t regret, whether you dish them out to your hens beforehand (tied in with an invitation is a really good idea), or everyone brings their own fillers catered to their specific needs. Fill with only the essentials, and go on the search for mini versions of everything- remember you’ll be taking it with you.
Here’s what we recommend you take along with you on your wild night to ensure you make it to the very end (and survive the next day), pick your favourites or pack them all! Customise your kits completely and have fun knowing you’re prepared for anything.
Plasters
Wear those heels that make your legs look 5 miles long! Blisters? Who has time for that? You’ve got a dance floor to conquer, and as long as you pop some plasters in your kit you’re fully prepared for the circumstances after wearing those shoes.
Paracetamol
An absolute no brainer. A hangover is inevitable, especially with all of the hen party games (Stuck for ideas? See our blogpost for inspiration “10 Hilarious must play party games for your Hen Party.”), so keep paracetamol close at hand for the morning after the heavy night before.
Plastic Shot Glasses
What will you be doing more than dancing and posing for photos? Shots. Why not go the extra mile and get some personalised glasses, and toast the bride to be in style. Just make sure they’re plastic if they will be accompanying your night of boogying!
Tissues
Let’s be honest, there’s going to be tears. Hopefully they’re all happy tears, but the last thing you want in the group photos is a snotty nose. Freshen up, flip your hair, and face that camera.
Essentials
We’re talking deodorant, chewing gum, hair ties. Anything that will help you feel fresh and restore that all important energy. Maybe even keep an emergency fiver folded up in there too (yes, chicken nuggets are an emergency), along with a small list of recommended taxi numbers.
Most importantly, pack your smiles, your stories, and all the love in the world. This is a night you will never forget, so go out of single life in style and have fun.
4) Photo Booth Props
An absolute classic, photo booth props are the best way to add a bit of fun to your photos. If you have a creative flair, look online for inspiration, get a group of your girls together and get crafting! This is a great way to make the experience more personalised- maybe you have certain images that are special to you, or catch phrases that you can’t go without saying, or maybe you want your groom to be in on the fun, stick a life size photo of his face on a piece of cardboard and you have your very own groom prop! Lipstick kisses and graffiti moustaches very much encouraged on that one.
If arts and crafts aren’t your forte then don’t worry, you can buy readily made props from hundreds of websites for relatively inexpensive prices. With so many different varieties, you’re bound to find some accessories that fit the theme you’re looking for. Usually you’ll be able to find hand-held props, background props, and some kind of border to frame your brill pics. It’s a great opportunity to take some really unique photos, and get everyone bonding. We’re sure you’ll even get the camera shy girls out for this one!
Use some of our fave links to find your inspiration.
5) Gift Bags
When did party bags stop being a thing? This is not a trend that we want to get behind, bring back the days of cake slices, bubbles, and plastic jewellery. Your hen do is the ultimate party of your adulthood, and all the best parties had gift bags. We understand that you’ve got a pretty expensive few months coming up, and we’re here to cater to that with our suggestions on how to build the ultimate party bag.
So starting with the bag itself, there’s no need to go all out on this part, a simple paper bag will do. Add all the frilly bits yourself, write the names of the party goers in a bold colour on the front and go from there with decorating. Don’t forget to include a small thank you for attending, and the date of the hen party is always a nice touch.
Next think of what you’d appreciate after a night of partying, it’s probably along the lines of some pampering. Bearing this in mind, go retro, and cost effective, and throw in a bottle of nail varnish or two (the more glitter the better), a nail file and some nail art. There’s no right or wrong with this one, but throwing it back to your younger years is a great way to bring those waves of nostalgia. Continuing this theme, no party souvenir was complete without a bracelet (that you wore non-stop to let everyone know you had been on the party A-list), couple this up with some lollipops/candy jewellery, some nonsense hair accessories, and balloons. If you have a bit more cash to splash, indulge in a mini bottle of fizz and a bar of chocolate to sweeten up your guests.
Of course these are just small suggestions, each party bag will be completely unique to you and your girls. But throw in some tissue paper for decoration, a small personal message of gratitude to everyone, and dish out the goods you’ve picked out at the end of the night.
6) Adult Accessories…
A 100{44093929866ffde580cd7fec71c3035639911f7d7059ab5d58fbf90eca30ddcf} safe one to tell the DJ – Turn to full and blast this through the speakers. This one gets everyone singing, Rachel and Jo
Okay, we wouldn’t have written a blog entry about a hen party if we didn’t include a section about some male looking accessories. We know you were wondering about when we’d include it. You wouldn’t believe what you can find when you search for accessories for a hen party. You’ve got your typical ones; straws, drink stirrers, balloons, water pistols. But why not go all out? Bear with us on this one. Find a life size male inflatable, glue a printed photo of the groom-to-be onto the face, borrow an item of his clothing (tie recommended, probably his least favourite in case of loss or damage), and only refer to the doll as his name. All night. Penalties ensue for anybody who does not treat the inflatable groom as a person.
The fun doesn’t end there. Get your girls together for a good ol’ rod race with some ‘wind-up willies’. We’ve included a link of where to find this because, trust us, it’s hilarious. Get the real party started with some naughty confetti and phallic glow sticks, fill up your water pistols with only the finest alcohol and continue the night away from the boys (but keeping them there in spirit…or is that spirits?).
