While we love to look after our brides at One Fab Day, there are some very important (and hard-working) girls we can't forget about: the bridesmaids. As a bride they are your go to girls to rant at, cry with, get excited with, count on and most of all they embark on the wedding planning with you, no questions asked (most of the time!) So unless you're Jane from 27 Dresses, most of us haven't been a bridesmaid before and need a little help to make sure things run smoothly. We shared 13 Rules that Make the Perfect Bridesmaid not so long ago, we hope it came in handy as your mantra when buying the bridesmaid dresses or during planning sessions over cups of tea (or prosecco depending how you roll) discussing colour palettes and floral arrangements. Today however we are sharing the ultimate bridesmaid advice Hen Party Guide: Top Tips to Plan the Perfect Party.

Personally I wonder if I should have gotten a degree in Event Management before I began planning my sister's Hen Party. Between staying local or weekends away, must-have activities, blending a mix of friends along with Mammys, Aunties and 3rd cousins, all while keeping the bride happy and making sure everyone is going to have the best time ever, you might say I'm a little overwhelmed. But while it can seem like a humongous task, following our simple rules is guaranteed to have you dancing along with your bestie (bubbles in hand) in no time...

Planning is key to a stress-free hen party. So grab yourself a notebook ( a pretty one)...

Getting Started

1. When, oh, when?

First things first, decide on a date with the bride. 4-6 weeks in advance of the big day is ideal, it gives the guests time in between to be comfortable in the money department to cover both events. Also of course, the bride needs time to recover before the big day!

2. Give Plenty of Notice

Once a guest list has been confirmed by the bride (and she has supplied you with emails and mobile numbers) send out a 'Save the Date' so that the guests can book time off work etc. Do this as early as possible, to avoid diary conflicts with other hens and weddings (yep! once you hit the big 30 your whole summer is booked up! - Ed)

3. Bride Knows Best

Find out if your bride wants to be involved in the Hen Party preparations, many like to be involved to some extent, but in my experience this is a time for the bride to let go a little and leave the planning to their bestest pal or pals.  She chose you after all, so she has to trust you to plan the right kind of party. But ask her what she loved and hated about other hens - best to know what kind of thing she'd enjoy. You don't want a bitter bride on the day.

4. Know Your Audience

When planning a Hen Party remember that you are catering for all age groups, and possibly/probably a diverse group from different parts of the bride's life. Don't plan something that will isolate the older generations or any of the guests. Plan an activity that will suit the entire group, from the start of planning you will get a feel for the guests that you are planning the party for, so keep that in mind when you're planning a 3 hour hike for the bride's 70 year grandmother!

5. Channel your inner Monica from Friends

Be realistic about activities and timings. It's great to have a jam-packed day planned, just make sure you give people enough time in between to be prepared. You will have a few disgruntled guests if you only give people 15 minutes to glam up after a day of water sports! So think it all through and build in travel time. A more relaxed day is the one people will enjoy.

Sorting out the Sponds

6. Keep an Eye on Costs

Whether you decide to stay local and head for a day of activities, dinner and drinks or go all out and plan a weekend away keep costs in mind.  Not everyone has lots of money to spend these days, going to a wedding costs a bomb and those of us with 7 per year at the moment are facing bridal bankruptcy so watch the budget.

Just a Heads Up:  The average Hen Party weekend away costs approx €200, this should include 2 nights (B & B), an activity, one evening meal, and some sort of drinks reception or tokens if you're heading out on the town!

7. Offer Flexibility

Most hen parties include a variety of ladies of differing circumstances - not everyone is young, free, single and loaded! - you'll have pregnant friends, young mums, ladies with less to spend, so it's nice to offer a couple of options outside of the main plan e.g. if you're planning a two night away with dinner, then offer the option of just one night or if you're planning an afternoon activity, drinks, dinner and dancing then offer dinner only.

8. Sort the Trains, Buses and Taxis...

If you're heading away, make sure to organise transport - taxis or minibuses - to take people from locations, and can include this in the budget so that it is paid for in advance (people love that! there's nothing worse than being hit up for "extras") It will be easier to keep the whole group together and reduces the risk of losing any guests, it happens, trust me!

9. Build in some Contingency 

Allow for a small cushion (money-wise) by adding €10 to everyone's costs (make sure to tell them you're adding it in for unexpected extras) if it's not needed on the night you can use it to buy a round of drinks!

10.  Be Transparent

When you do decide on the plan, email the guest list with a break down of costs. You can still keep some surprises, but if people are handing over €150-€200 they will want to know what it's being spent on!

Hen's Honour - Be Prepared

11. Build Email Excitement but Don't Overdo it!

It's important to keep the email communication lines open and clear, and the guests will love to be informed of the goings on, but make the most of your emails and limit the amount you send, you don't want the guests to dread checking their inbox for fear of finding thousands of hen-party related correspondence

12. Swimsuits or Sparkly Dresses?

A few weeks before the party send out an email to inform the guest what they need to bring. For example if your going to be taking part in outdoor activities, they will need, runners, swimwear, warm clothes etc. I know we all want to keep some element of surprise on the actual day, but people need to be prepared too!

13. A Bit of Bridal Bonding

Ask the group to send you on  a photograph of themselves and the bride-to-be, for use in a memory book - as many friends of the bride might only be meeting for the first time at the party, it will help can explain to everyone the story of their friendship, and it's often the real tear-jerker that bonds the group together, but more of that next week...

More To Come...

I hope that helps you with the hen party planning ladies, this is part 1 of 2 blog posts  - I'll be following up with the Good Bridesmaid's Guide to Hosting the Hen Party next week, as any of us who have been there know there's plenty of work on the night, so we need to be prepared.

And it will be a well deserved few drinkies on the night for you and your fellow bridesmaids. If you're still deciding on a Hen Party plan, check out our Hen Party Ideas, from trips to the country, afternoon tea parties and vintage fun there is something for everyone!

Image Credits

 Inspired by Love via One Fab Day | Studio DIY | Jason Matos via Bicyclette Boutique |Peardrop Avenue via Not On The Highstreet | Lisa Hessel Photography via The Knot |  Have and Hold Design