The Complete Guide to Planning a Classy Hen Party
Whether you're the maid of honour, bridesmaid or the bride who has decided she'd rather be in charge, planning a hen party is no small task.
You need the right people, the right location, the right activities, enough food, plenty of drinks and, ideally, a plan that doesn't involve anyone wearing a novelty veil against their will.
So we've put together the ultimate guide to throwing a hen party that's actually fun, feels personal and gives everyone something to talk about afterwards.
From asking your bridesmaids to be part of the big day to keeping the margaritas flowing, here's everything you need.
1. Start with the guest list
Before you book the house, the bottomless brunch or anything else, work out who's actually coming.
Think about:
- The bride's closest friends
- Bridesmaids and maid of honour
- Sisters and cousins
- Family members
- Friends from different parts of her life
- Anyone else she'd genuinely want there
The golden rule? It's the bride's weekend, not an opportunity to invite everyone she's ever met.
Once you've got your list, set a budget and get everyone's availability before booking anything non-refundable.
2. Ask your bridesmaids in style
If you're planning to ask your bridesmaids, make the proposal part of the occasion.
You could create a little "Will you be my bridesmaid?" hamper filled with things they'll actually use and enjoy.
What to put in a bridesmaid proposal hamper:
- A personalised card
- Their favourite sweet treat
- A mini beauty product
- A pair of sunglasses for the hen
- A photo of you together
- A Pimentae Spicy Margarita
- Something with a little heat 🌶️
For a bigger reveal, go all out with a Pimentae Spicy Margarita hamper, so the answer to "will you be my bridesmaid?" can be accompanied by the answer to the more important question:
"Shall we have a marg?"
3. Pick a hen party theme
You absolutely do not need a theme.
But if you do want one, keep it simple.
Some of our favourites:
Aperitivo & Margaritas
Think good food, good outfits and margaritas in the sun.
Disco Cowgirl
Boots, denim, disco balls and plenty of tequila.
The Italian Job
Pasta-making, wine, linen and questionable amounts of limoncello.
Brunch Club
Matching pyjamas, pancakes, coffee (or espresso martinis) and a few daytime cocktails.
Destination: Somewhere Hot
Poolside, SPF, swimwear and a fridge full of margaritas. Or simply...
The Bride Likes Margaritas
No explanation needed.
4. Plan the drinks
This is where things can get complicated.
You don't want to spend the whole weekend playing bartender, but you also don't want everyone standing around drinking warm wine from a plastic cup.
Enter the Pimentae Bag-in-Box.
Our 5L Bag-in-Box serves around 50 margaritas, making it ideal for hen houses, Airbnb kitchens, garden parties and anywhere else where the drinks need to keep coming.
Pop it in the fridge, pour over ice and you've got bar-quality margaritas without someone having to squeeze 100 limes.
For a hen weekend, we'd go for:
🌶️ Spicy Margarita for the girls who like a little heat
🍋 Margarita for the classics
🍊 Grapefruit Margarita for something fresh and fruity
One box. Around 50 serves. Very little effort.
5. Keep cans for the moments in between
The beauty of cans is that they can go wherever the hen party does.
Pre-drinks at the house?
Cans.
Getting ready?
Cans.
Picnic in the park?
Cans.
Wedding morning prep? Maybe save those for after the speeches...
Pimentae cans are particularly handy when you're planning a weekend with lots of moving parts because everyone can just grab one and get on with having fun.
Stock the fridge before everyone arrives and you've got one less thing to think about.
6. Plan one BIG activity
You don't need to fill every minute.
In fact, please don't.
Pick one main activity that everyone will actually enjoy.
Ideas:
- Private dining
- Cocktail making
- Pottery painting
- Spa day
- Bottomless brunch
- Life drawing
- Cooking class
- Boat trip
- Karaoke
- Festival
- Beach day
Then leave plenty of time for doing absolutely nothing.
Because some of the best hen party moments will probably happen around the kitchen table at 11pm.
7. Don't underestimate the importance of food
A successful hen party requires snacks.
Lots of snacks.
Have something available when everyone arrives, something for after the activity and something substantial before heading out.
Think:
Arrival: Grazing board, crisps, dips
Lunch: Tacos, pizza or sharing plates
Pre-night-out: Something carb-heavy
Late night: Chips. Obviously.
Morning after: Breakfast sandwiches, pastries and coffee
And if margaritas are involved, food is not optional.
8. Add a few hen party games
You don't need 14 different games.
Pick a couple that everyone will actually want to play.
Mr & Mrs
How well does the bride know her future spouse?
Who's Most Likely To?
Always chaotic. Always revealing.
Bride Trivia
Questions about the bride's childhood, first date, favourite things and worst habits.
Advice for the Bride
Everyone writes one piece of advice for married life. Some sincere. Some... less so.
Photo Challenge
Split into teams and give everyone a list of photos to recreate throughout the day.
9. Create a hen party drinks station
If you're hosting at home, make the drinks part of the decor.
Set up a little margarita station with:
- Ice
- Glasses
- Tajín
- Fresh lime
- Pimentae
- Napkins
- Garnishes
- A big bucket for empties
For a really easy setup, use Pimentae Bag-in-Box and let everyone pour their own.
No cocktail shaker required.
No bartender required.
No one shouting, "WHO HAS THE TEQUILA?"
10. Don't forget the little details
It's the little things that make a hen party feel special.
Consider:
- Personalised name cards
- Matching sunglasses
- Disposable cameras
- Polaroids
- Welcome bags
- Mini hangover kits
- A playlist made by the bride
- Printed itineraries
- A guest book
- Photos from the bride's childhood
You don't need to personalise everything.
Just choose a few details that feel like her.
11. The perfect hen party packing list
For the bride
- Outfit
- Comfortable shoes
- Something old/new/borrowed/blue if relevant
- Phone charger
- Sunglasses
- Toiletries
- Any medication
- Emergency snacks
For the group
- Portable speaker
- Phone chargers
- Games
- Decorations
- Camera
- Ice
- Glassware
- Plenty of food
- Margaritas
And most importantly...
More drinks than you think you'll need.
It's much easier to have a few cans left over than to discover at 10pm that someone has finished the last margarita.
12. Make it about the bride
The best hen parties aren't necessarily the biggest or most expensive.
They're the ones where the bride feels like everyone has thought about her.
If she loves a big night out, go big.
If she'd rather have 12 friends around a table eating tacos and drinking margaritas, do that.
If she hates being the centre of attention, maybe skip the stripper.
If she loves a theme, commit to it.
And if she likes margaritas...
Well, you've got that part covered.