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alternative hen dos

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Alternative Hen Do party ideas

June 6, 2014

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I never had a hen do and frankly, I never attended one, much less a stag do (those are for the boys!). I do see them around quite often, either in town or when I go down to London and it’s one of those things that were a cultural shock for me. We do have similar celebrations back in Portugal but they seem tame, compared to what happens here. People in the UK organize days or weekends out (the boys like mostly going to London, the girls to Blackpool), with their friends or family, get a stripper and have a jolly good time. The idea of the hen do celebration is a good one, as it is a rite of passage that you’d want to share with your closest ones. However, the thought of spending a lot of money (from £101 to £250) to just get drunk and walk around with inflatable male genitalia is not exactly my idea of fun. Call me old, call me boring if you like, but I prefer classeh stuff, ya know? There are plenty more things that people actually end up doing on their hen/stag nights that would make me blush to talk about, so you can read about it here.

What would I do if I was to organize a hen party for my friends? I thought about a few fun and non-rude activities that I would enjoy:

  • Spa day – getting massages, mani-pedis, and glasses of bubbly, wearing soft white cotton bath robes. Total relaxation!
  • Millinery classes – how about making or decorating the hats you’ll be wearing to the wedding? Should be fun for everyone, not just the crafty among yourselves.
  • Vintage tea party – the perfect theme for a classy event, complete with vintage teacups and lots of yummy patisseries. It will make for a wonderful time and fantastic photos if you all dress up accordingly!
  • Camping weekend – if you’re getting married in the Summer and feeling like taking a risk with the weather, get on the Airstream and find a nice campsite.
  • Candle making course – learning something new with a group of friends is always fun. You can still go for a drink but do it afterwards, for Health and Safety’s sake!
  • Ikebana! – For those who don’t know, it’s the Japanese word for the art of flower arrangement. There are plenty of group classes you can take to learn how to properly arrange flowers. Most ladies love fresh flowers, so I’m sure this would be a winner!
  • Go to a festival – get the tents, gather your friends and just go and have a blast. Tacky hen crowns and accessories are optional.
  • Put on a mask – and go to one of the Lucha Britannia events. Mexican lucha libre, cabaret, funky outfits, what’s there not to like?

These are just a few ideas that are out there that I think would be fun. What did you do for your hen do? Do you have any other suggestions?

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