What is a Hen Do?
Before you start planning your hen party, it's important to understand exactly what a hen party is and where the tradition comes from.
We’ve put together this guide to help you decide what type of hen party suits you and where to host it. With our years of experience as party planners, we’ve gathered everything you need to know to make your celebration both special and memorable. After reading through this, you’ll feel confident and ready to start planning your perfect hen party.
Why is a Hen Party Called a Hen Party?
Of course, the word 'hen' is most often used to describe a female chicken, but that isn’t actually where the choice of that word came from. If you go back to Middle English, the word hen was used to refer to the female of any bird or other animal species! So the word hen was chosen to specify that the party was exclusively for females and everyone attending the party is referred to as ‘hens’!
How did Hen Parties start?
It’s only recently that these parties became a tradition. Starting as a pre-wedding celebration back in the 1960s & 70s. A bachelor/stag pre-wedding celebration was already a tradition, so when more and more women wanted to match the partying, this is when the explosion came to the UK.
Who's Allowed to Go on a Hen Do?
Anyone can attend a hen party celebration! The tradition started when only females would attend, but recently, anyone who is friends or family with the bride-to-be can join in on the celebration regardless of gender.
What is a Hen Weekend?
A hen weekend usually involves an overnight stay along with a couple of activities or ideas to add to each day of the weekend. This is the most common choice for a celebration at the moment as you can then do a day activity and an evening activity with an overnight stay.
What is a Hen Night?
A hen night is where you just party for one night! This is usually cheaper than a full weekend but still just as popular and great if you have a few groups and want to do celebrations separately with them all.
What is a Hen Party at Home?
Enjoy the celebrations at home with your friends. No need to spend loads of money in bars or on hotels. See our full article about hen party ideas at home here.
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