When you are asked to be maid of honour for your friend, it can be a lovely gesture. But it can be a stressful time for you. As well as supporting the bride, and helping with the arrangements, you are expected to organise a hen do. It can be a nightmare, depending on how helpful the other bridesmaids are, and how demanding the hens are that are going to be invited. But don’t panic, here are four things you need to do so that it will be a perfect day for the bride.



Image by Garry Knight

Send invites out to the hens

It might seem obvious but the bride to be will need to have guests at her hen do! It’s best to sit her down and get her to write a list of the people she will want there. It would be great if she could add an email address and phone number for them as well so that you have several ways of contacting them. When you have a list of people she wants at the hen do, it’s a good idea to check out the age groups of the people invited. If the mother in law to be, and the bride's mother are going to be invited, it might be worth checking with the bride how active they are. Also check if they are offended by more raunchy activities. Once you have your list, find some unique invites online from sites such as Etsy.

Check everyone’s budget

It is important to do before going any further with hen do plans. Make an email group or social media event page and talk to the girls about their budget. There is no point organising a four-day trip away if people can’t afford it. Ask people what they can afford and then arrange the do to this budget. It’s also worth asking the others if they would be happy to divide the cost of the bride, so she doesn’t have to pay for her hen do.

Sort activities

Now is the tough part. Once you have your budget and your guests, it’s now time to decide what you are going to do. Every bride is different, some may want a quieter hen do while others might fancy a night out on the town. Think about your friend carefully, and try and incorporate some of her favourite things in the hen do. Check out your local area and see if there are any special events that are happening which the hens may enjoy. Also, look at activities that will be fun for all ages. And if you are thinking of going further afield, you might want to go on sites which organise the activities for you.

Organise Transport and Accommodation

It’s now time to sort out transport for everybody so they can safely get from A to B without any hassle. Sites such as Shofur have luxurious transport options which will thrill the hens. You could incorporate a limo or even a party bus as part of the hen do plans. It’s also worth looking at accommodation for your guests. If you are going somewhere further afield, you need to find somewhere for everyone to stay.

And don’t forget, she loves you, and will be delighted with anything you organise.