Posted by
James Trenchard
SO it's come to this, a last minute hen do. Maybe the person organising the hen weekend has had to drop out due to unforeseen circumstances, maybe she's been fired from her duties, but whatever the reason, you've now got a small amount of time to organise an entire hen party weekend. Determination is a great thing to have on your side, but that alone won't get you all the way. This article is designed to guide you towards complete success if you are facing a shortage on time to organise a hen party weekend.
Keep your hopes high, fire up that determination and read on... a truly great, last minute hen party is within your grasp.
We're going to break down the key aspects that we think you should focus on and in doing so, should lead you on to the path which you find best. Ultimately, you will be the one who has to work out the finer details, but this should give you some tips on how to think and not become overwhelmed.
Here goes...
Last minute hen party dates
If the wedding is really close and you're trying to get something sorted pronto, the first person to speak to is the bride-to-be. Round up all of her available dates (the same as you would for any hen party) and then you have a very good place to start with the rest of the organisation.
If she can only do one or two dates before the wedding and it's looking likely to be a 'skeleton crew' of a hen party weekend, you could discuss a post-wedding hen party with the bride-to-be. Although she won't be able to do the more common 'let your hair down before the big day' thing, she still gets to celebrate with everyone. It may also be something that she is having to cram into a busy schedule of rehearsals and other pre-wedding commitments. Certainly, it's nicer to have a hen party before the wedding, but this is just an alternative to consider.
- Let's date -
Last minute hen party guests
The next thing to sort out is the guest list. It may seem an odd place to start, but as we explain in our other article about the maid of honour, you can't decide on anything properly without a general level of acceptance from the majority of people going. A last minute hen party will possibly attract only the very closest friends and family of the hen, but this may be for the best. Discuss the guest list with the hen, if she does want to invite 100 people, so be it. Once you've got the general list then make a social media group for people to join (or have at least a contact number for those without it) and then you can swiftly start discussing everything else.
It's key to make everyone aware of the time-frame you're working with, as a last minute hen party may instantly make people say that they're unable to attend. Booking time off for some people may require more notice than others, so as soon as you have that list, don't hang around with letting everyone know as much detail as possible, even if you only have dates.
Last minute hen party destinations
Where you stay for any hen party weekend is a big decision and would (in normal, less rushed circumstances) possibly take a little bit of discussion with everyone in the group chipping in with their ideas. You're now short on time however, so choosing a hen party destination needs to be a fairly speedy process. The most obvious decision is to choose somewhere you know well. You won't have to worry about making too many plans or doing research on how much drinks cost etc etc. Choosing a familiar town/city/other for a last minute hen party weekend is certainly the safest bet.
If you're not massively fussed about 'safe' options and prefer to find your way in new places, it may be worth your while taking a peek at our hen party destination tips to see if there's an awesome hen party destination near to you.
The hen party destination is a key part of how well the weekend goes, so making it simple in terms of getting somewhere will also play a big part. If it's truly last minute, springing a 5 hour car journey on people may not go down very well.
Last minute hen party budget
Setting a hen party budget for any hen weekend is going to be a pretty critical aspect, but with a last minute hen party, this is amplified. In the same way that some people may not be able to attend due to the time-frame, some people may not be able to save a vast amount if it's at the hen party weekend is at the last minute. It is not uncommon for people to have plans in place just to put a bit extra away every month and so adding in a very expensive trip could be very unlikely.
Even if you can afford any amount for a wicked hen party weekend, you have to think about everyone in the group and consider that the bride-to-be has invited people she would really like to celebrate with her. If people have families, you'll need to think carefully about how you're planning everything, so that those with less income can still attend.
Discussing what people can afford will make a difference too, as it will mean you have a better idea of how much to organise for the weekend. If the hen is adamant about having loads included, if you're brave you could try and talk her into a compromise or It's probably best to give everyone the option to pick the bits they can afford. Essential Adventure can make bespoke packages which potentially allow everyone to take part in only the bits they can afford to, so it could well be worth giving us a call to discuss your needs.
- Make sure to keep your costs in line -
Last minute hen party accommodation
Choosing where to stay for a last minute hen weekend is probably going to be a bit of a compromise. For a general idea on what sort of places to stay on a hen party weekend, we can offer you an entire article (click here... if you have enough time). With the knowledge of what sort of hen party accommodation exists, you'll be able to talk through the best available options with the rest of the group and should find somewhere comfy that fits within budget. Websites like Expedia and Booking.com will also frequently offer good last minute deals.
The biggest thing, which we've already mentioned some sort of compromise being probable, is that you're very possibly going to have to trade-off some luxuries depending on just how last minute the hen party weekend is. It's worth looking into all types of accommodation though and if you have a specific idea in mind, take a look and you might just get lucky. Don't set your hopes too high (sorry to sound so horribly pessimistic) and if everything then works out, you've got yourselves a little bonus!
Last minute hen party activities
Once you've got the bulky details sorted out (dates/guests etc), you'll need to think about what to do. Our first suggestion is to head to our hen party activity ideas page to have a look and see if there's anything that takes your fancy. Ideally, you can have a chat with the hen and/or the group to see what you all think then hen would like to do. If you have a hen party theme, you may want to incorporate something which ties in nicely (a dance class for example).
Generally though, this is going to tie in with the cost of the hen party weekend. If you start choosing loads of activities, the price is going to bump up and this could see people showing little interest. As well as price, it may be difficult to find availability for lots of activities, so choosing less will be more likely to leave you smiling, rather than pulling your hair out. Simplicity rules with a last minute hen party, so keeping the activities to a small volume will see you pleasing the majority.
If you're stuck, there are some great ideas in a couple of our other articles, which you can take full credit for from the rest of the group:
- The best sporty hen party ideas
Last minute hen party communication
Communication is going to be the best tool to use when planning a last minute hen party. Everyone will hopefully know how little time you have to organise everything, so just encourage everyone to input their ideas about the hen party destination and set them a time limit in which to have their input. Having clarity and precision from your side will mean that you can move through every stage in a swift and smooth manner. If some members of the group don't chip in, they simply don't then have the right to make demands. It sounds harsh, but you have to be strict if you want everything to run smoothly.
Just also make sure to communicate what is happening at every stage so that everything is decided by as many group members as possible.
- It's good to talk -
Last minute hen party summary
Time is definitely of the essence if you're booking a last minute hen party weekend. We present to you a list of the most important things to consider when booking a last-dash hen weekend. You should be aware that a lot of the aspects are linked to one another, but if you get stuck, don't hang around and get in touch to run through what you're looking for.
Just before we hand everything to you, you may want to take a look at our articles for simple hen do ideas and/or how to plan a hen party weekend... if not, here is that list:
- Last minute hen party dates
- Last minute hen party guests
- Last minute hen party destinations
- Last minute hen party budget
- Last minute hen party accommodation
- Last minute hen party activities
- Last minute hen party communication
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