Karen Silas
Planning an outdoor hen party in 2021? These are the best hen do games, ideas, decorations, accessories, t-shirts & gifts that can use for your bachelorette party as lockdown eases
As lockdown gradually eases in the UK, brides-to-be are slowly able to celebrate their hen dos with loved ones, albeit in a smaller group than they may have anticipated.
Thankfully there are lots of ways to adapt to the new normal, ensuring that we are able to throw hen parties with all the traditional fun and games, even if it is with an intimate gathering.
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The vibe: Hen party decorations for indoors or outdoors
If you are on video call, have everyone zhoosh up their surroundings with balloons and streamers so that each guest is fully immersed in the party vibe. Or, if it's an outdoor gathering, provide face masks for guests or make the party vibe pop with helium-filled balloons.
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Hen Party Kit - Team Bride, £25.99, Party Pieces
Bridal party embroidered face masks, £11.99 each, Etsy
Miss to Mrs bridal balloon bunch, £52, bubblegumballoons.com
Origami flower cascade, £12.99, Ginger Ray
60-piece balloon arch kit, £19.99, Ginger Ray
Ginger ray fringe curtain in rose gold, £7, John Lewis
Engagement ring party decoration, £4.99 for a pack of three, Card Factory
Pink Leaf Ribbon backdrop, £24.99, Ginger Ray
Rose Gold photo booth frame, £15.99, Ginger Ray
Mini chalkboard easel with chalk, £3.99, Card Factory
If you are going down the luxe picnic theme for your at-home hen, nothing could be more gorgeous than adding dried flowers into the mix. These on-brand bouquets are all the range right now, plus are the perfect gift to send home with your bride at the end of the weekend - as they will last forever!
White & Green Eucalyptus Dried Flower Bunch, £42, Pampas & Bloom
And don't forget the food and drink accessories! Everything from personalised glasses to straws can help add a more festive vibe.
Floral hen party cups, £3.99 for eight pieces, Ginger Ray
Enjoy your pre-wedding celebrations in style with these Ginger Ray Floral Hen Team Bride Sashes! This is perfect for hen parties, with a stunning 'Team Bride' message on the floral paper sash in rose gold foil.
Floral Hen Team Bride Sashes, £15 for six, Hobbycraft
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The bride-to-be must make the most of her last night of freedom! This bundle contains everything she needs to celebrate in style - including lots of accessories designed to grab everyone's attention wherever you end up!
Bride Squad Hen Party Bundle, £12.99, Card Factory
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Copper bachelorette party wine glasses, £13.94, Etsy
Personalised mason jar glasses, £7.50, Etsy
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Bride tribe rose gold straws, £1.99 for a pack of six, Card Factory
Floral team bride plates, £3.99 for eight pieces, Ginger Ray
Floral hen party napkins, £3.99 for 16 napkins, Ginger Ray
If you really want to form a bride tribe then you need to be wearing something which brings you all together as a collective and what better than a pack of these great Bride Tribe sashes? Complete with a beautiful presentation box, these six sashes are bright pink with silver foil text which stands out really well.
Bride Tribe Sashes, £14.99, Last Night of Freedom
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Have everyone dress alike in hen party PJs and t-shirts
One thing that brings us all together and can be pretty hilarious, is being dressed alike. Have your friends wear 'Bride Squad' tees, PJs or swimsuits, or if you're having a socially-distanced hen party, send a kit to guests with fun tiaras, party eyeglasses and temporary tattoos.
Bride Squad Satin Embroidered Pj Short Set, £15, Boohoo
A cute personalised hanger is always a nice extra touch. These ones can be ordered by contacting London-based boutique, Confetti Bridesmaid, on their website.
Personalised bridesmaid hanger, Confetti Bridesmaid
Bride Squad Sunglasses, £3.99, Etsy
Personalised 'Friends' themed 'Bride' and 'I Do Crew' T-Shirts, £8.99 each, eBay
Team bride temporary tattoos, for 16 pieces, Ginger Ray
Bride Squad Swimsuit, sizes 6-24, £16, Boohoo
And of course, the bride needs to stand out with her very own veil. This one makes a nice change with the floral crown.
Bride to be veil with floral crown, £12.99, Ginger Ray
And her own pair of rose-tinted sunglasses!
Bride to be sunglasses, £6, Ann Summers
Plan the entertainment: hen party beauty, fun & games
Fun activities you can enjoy indoors during lockdown include having everyone do facials during the party or have liquor, wine or port tasting – you can order the kits online and do it virtually.
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Starskin Foil Face Mask, £18, Beauty Bay
Another option is to play games like Never Have I Ever, made popular by Ellen DeGeneres on her chat show. The maid of honour can be Ellen and guests can play along to reveal their funniest secrets to the bridal party.
Never Have I Ever Card Game, £29.95, Amazon
This karaoke set will truly help get the party started - while being on-brand for a hen party celebration with a gorgeous rose microphone! Plug it into your computer, get a speaker ready and head over to the Lucky Voice website to have your pick of all of the songs for an unforgettable night of performances!
Lucky Voice Rose Gold Karaoke Machine, £69.99, Lucky Voice
Or shop one of these packs that come complete with a bunch of games, from charades to Mr and Mrs.
Hen hamper 7 greatest games, £16.49, IWOOT
Ginger Ray hen party games set, £15, Hobbycraft
You'll also need a good speaker to blast those tunes and keep the party atmosphere going. This one features changing colours and also doubles up as a handy ice bucket - perfect!
Intempo party ice bucket with Bluetooth speaker, £29.99, Amazon
Hen party food and drink
You can design your own party drink named after the bride or groom, or if you are individually isolated, another great option is to make sure every guest has the same cocktail-making kit.
Modern Gourmet Foods, Gin and Prosecco Cocktail Shimmer, £12.99, Amazon
Pre-prepared cocktails is also another fabulous option. These nifty drinks come in letterbox packaging and are available in a range of your favourite tipples, from cosmos to margaritas.
Box of cocktails, £39 for six, NIO Cocktails
Or if you want to size up, these handy 3-litre boxes of cocktails provide a whopping 20 serves. They've been created in collaboration with some award-winning bars like Trailer Happiness and Hawksmoor Bar and come in six flavours, including Plum Negroni and Trailer Daiquiri.
3L bag-in-box sharing cocktail, £86, The Drinks Drop
Luxury boxed wine brand Laylo also specialise in big serves, with their eco-friendly boxes holding the equivalent of three bottles. They offer red and white wines, but this rosé from the south of France which is reminiscent of strawberries and cream is perfect for balmy summers.
2.25L Rosé Méditerranée wine, £33.99, Laylo
Freixenet Rosé Sparkling Wine and Flute Gift Set, £14.99, Amazon
Gin Tonic Botanical Infusions, £5.95, Amazon
This sparkling wine is a great low-alcohol option for those wanting a sophisticated tipple without all the sugar and calories. The 20cl mini bottles are perfect for a quick drink and come in 'nude' or 'blush' flavours.
Wild Life Botanicals Blush, from £4.50 per 20cl bottle, Wild Life Botanicals
Or why not go one step further and personalise each bottle of bubbly with the bride-to-be's name and photo?
i heart Personalised Prosecco, £19.99, i heart wines
If fizz isn't your thing, save some time with these amazing ready to serve tipples from Tom Savano. As they say, life is too short for bad cocktails!
Tom Savano cocktails, From £13, John Lewis
Another option is, of course, a classic game of Prosecco Pong.
Prosecco Pong, £12.99, Prezzybox
Or a different take on Prosecco Pong is this fun rose gold shots wall. That's sure to get the party started!
Hen party drinks shot wall, £17.99, Ginger Ray
Who says boys get to have all of the fun with their beer kegs? Give your friend's hen the house party edge with this adorable cocktail keg - which holds 33 servings - more than enough to treat the hens to a welcome cocktail! Available in three fabulous flavours, everyone will be wanting a selfie with the Party Keg!
Party Keg, £99, Liberation Cocktail
Not everyone wants to spend a hen sipping on prosecco, so for the non-drinkers at your party, why not order a box of this Wild Elderflower Bubbly. Created by a Devon-based drinks company, the refreshingly sweet fizz is a tasty non-alcoholic alternative at the drinks table.
Wild Elderflower Bubbly, 12 bottles for £20.28, Luscombe Drinks
For nostalgic flavours and fruity colour palettes, you can't go wrong with this adorable bottles of gin from Two Birds. We'd recommend trying the Pink Grapefruit & Pomegranate Gin!
Two Birds, £29.99, Master of Malt
Glamping? This is the perfect addition to add to your drinks table! The mini retro fridge is stocked with eight 50ml miniatures of all different flavours, giving your G&Ts a tasty edge for your trip!
That Boutique-y Gin Company Retro Gin Fridge, £34.95, Master of Malt
Your hens can't just be watered - they have to be fed too! These cupcakes can be personalised with your own text.
12 hen party cupcakes, £28.99, Bakerdays
Lola's Cupcakes - which have just started delivering nationwide for the first time ever - can also be personalised with a photo of the bride or your hen group. They also come in cute mini sizes, as well as gluten-free and vegan options.
Personalised cupcakes, Lola's Cupcakes
This rainbow pinata cake from all-time favourite The Hummingbird Bakery is a real showstopper and is almost too pretty to eat. The bride will have a lovely surprise cutting into this sweet treat!
Rainbow pinata cake, from £39.95, The Hummingbird Bakery
Save yourself a whole lot of drama and get one set that will completely cover all of your barbecuing needs!
BBQ Box, £45, Macknade
Who doesn't love a doughnut wall?
Kraft doughnut wall, £6, Hobbycraft
Jamie Laing's infamous Candy Kittens sweets come in personalised jars, which could also double up as a cute giveaway for hens.
Candy Kittens personalised jars, £10, Candy Kittens
The best of both: these bite-sized alcoholic cocktail gummies by Smith & Sinclair are infused with premium spirits, syrups, fruit and herbs. Think Passionfruit Mojito, Raspberry Collins and Pineapple Bellini but in sweet form. Pick from a selection of kits, from Summer Lovin' to The Party box.
Smith & Sinclair The Party, £15 for ten gummies, Chocolates Direct
Hen party gifts: Give the bride-to-be and the hens something to remember
Why not make up some paper bags for all the hens and fill them with little giveaways?
Team bride party bags, £6 for pack of five, Hobbycraft
Or better yet, personalise them.
Personalised hen party tote bag, £9.99, Prezzybox
Eylure lashes will give your guests extra party-meets-festival vibes and are the perfect addition to the special treats for your loyal group of hens.
Eylure lashes, £5.96 a pack, Eylure.com
And some comfy sliders for the bride to relax in once the hen is over! It's also a nice touch for when she's getting ready on the big day.
Bride tribe sliders, £16, Ann Summers
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