Organising A Hen Party Abroad
Throw the hen do of her dreams with our tips and tricks.
So you’re planning your besties hen party abroad? Fear not - we have organised our fair share of international hen parties, and have all the handy tips and tricks you need to ensure her hen party of dreams does not turn into drama-island.
With flights & accommodation in Europe being so reasonable, the traditional barriers to a hen do abroad are certainly starting to come down, so planning your besties hen do can be easier than ever…
Set The Date
There is little point finding the insta-worthy villa until the group has agreed on dates. You’ll need to plan well in advance for a hen do abroad, to ensure maximum turn-out. This will ensure everyone can budget for it and book that all-important time off work. We’d recommend a minimum of 6 months, but anything 12 months and under would be ideal. An easy way to work out when everyone is free is to use an app like Doodle.
Budget Conscious
Once you’ve set the dates you’ll need to talk budget. No one likes talking about money but you can’t afford ( pun intended ) for any miscommunication here. You’ll need to strike a careful balance between ideal and realistic - if you price people out, the bride may prefer to stick to something cheaper, closer to home.
Consider everything from flights and accommodation, to transportation, meals and drinks-out plus any activities. Also consider if the bride is paying for herself (pretty standard these days especially for hen parties abroad) and any favours and accessories the group may want to purchase - matching t-shirts or swimsuits for example.
Once you’ve calculated everything and the budget is agreed, it's worth setting up a separate account (lots of newer online banks will allow you to setup mini accounts, or ‘spaces’ within your account to set aside money) to ensure that you have secure access to the funds, and allow the group to pay money in instalments etc. This should avoid any awkwardness when it comes to collecting money.
Accommodation Needs
It may be picture-perfect, but don’t try and pack 12 people into a house that sleeps 8; everyone will be expecting a bed for their buck! Keep an eye on where the villa or house is situated. It may look dreamy but if it’s 30 mins from the local town, you may have a tricky time finding an Uber at 3am.
AirBnB or similar is a safe way to book accommodation internationally - with many offering a full refund if you have to cancel before a certain date. Always use a reputable travel agent when booking accommodation and ensure they are ATOL compliant when booking a package holiday. Check the small print for your accommodation so you know where you stand in all eventualities.
Travel & Transportation
Always try and travel / fly together when possible to reduce time spent waiting for individual flights. Organise a meeting point and make sure everyone arrives in plenty of time.
You may need to book transportation to and from the airport to your final destination - often a private transfer for a large group is no more expensive than getting a taxi, and much more convenient.
If you have activities booked during your stay try to pre-book any transportation you will need, and include this in the budget.
Savy Checklist
With Brexit and Covid there are many new rules surrounding travel abroad, so by creating a checklist for everyone, it should be smooth sailing!
Vaccinated Status - Check the vaccinated travel status for the country you are travelling too. These are changing all the time and rules will differ for those who are not fully-vaccinated, or unvaccinated.
Passport - Ensure everyone has at least 6 months left on their passport - the EU only require 3 months left on your passport, however ensuring everyone has 6 months will negate any last minute issues.
Insurance - please encourage everyone in the group to take out personal travel insurance - this can be as little as £15 if you book in advance, but could result in £1000s saved if there were a problem while you are away.
Realistic Itinerary
You may feel like you should plan for every minute while you’re away - but no one likes a regimented itinerary, especially on a hen weekend.
Allow time to settle in and soak up the destination.
Don’t book any early morning activities - no one will thank you for a 9am yoga class after an all-nighter.
Book in dinner and bars/clubs - plus 1 or 2 activities for a weekend away. The rest of your time can be spent hanging with your besties and playing games!
Just In Case
Make sure everyone has the address of the villa / accommodation saved in their phones, just in case you get split up.
A print-out of this information, coupled with a few taxi numbers and local emergency service numbers would also be handy.
A WhatsApp group is always a good idea, especially when travelling abroad and someones gone AWOL in duty free…
and finally...
Don’t forget to enjoy yourself - you’ve spent hours planning this hen do, and it’s your holiday too! Don’t sweat the small stuff - and remember to take LOADS of pictures!
When you’ve all recovered you can enter them into our Hen of the Month competition, where the bride can win a goody bag!
Top Accessories for the Hen Weekend Abroad
Feeling Hot? With our Bride Sun Hat you'll look it too.
This super cute bridal straw hat is the ultimate accessory for your hen weekend abroad.
We're taking heart eyes to a whole new level with these hen party worth heart shaped sunglasses. Available in white and pink, so your entire hen party can be heart eyes for you.
Whether you're going full-on hen party glam, or striving for a more understated look; this super soft bow veil is your perfect accessory. Looks as good on the slopes as it does on the beach.
Your hen party is the perfect time to be extra - which is where our XL Bride Straw comes in handy. Everyone will know for sure you're the lady of the hour - small enough to take in your hand luggage to sip those plane mimosas in style.
Photograph Credit:
@CatherineHegartyy | @AmyJayneHemsley | @KezzaOd79 | @Millie_MH1 | @BeccaaBrownie
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