Let's talk party...the HEN DO is getting close!

Wohoo, we are getting to the really good bits now. Dan is as I’m writing this getting ready for his stag do in Portugal this weekend. Which means it’s only a few weeks left to my hen do in the south of Spain!!

Dan and the guys will no doubt have loads of fun in Porto having booked some nice restaurants and a big club night out. But I’ve got a feeling me and the girls are going to enjoy a few days at this place too. Welcome to Rancho Rustico!!

I do like a big party but I was never keen on ‘standard’ hen do ideas like pole dancing classes or butlers in the buff so I’m hoping this will be a happy medium.

We have booked an Andalusian villa in Cartama, a town close to Malaga in Spain via AirBnb. The villa is set in the quiet countryside and has swimming pools and yoga facilities with very simple house rules and no one to disturb:

“Rancho Rustico is a place where you can let your hair down, party and enjoy yourselves!”

I can’t wait for sun, sangria and salsa dancing on the patio. And hopefully a bit of karaoke too!! 😉

Are you getting married and planning a hen do? Here follows 5 top tips to get you started from GoHen.com.

1. Decide a date early on.

This is a great place to start and once you’ve pencilled a date in your calendar you’ll have a better idea of what to do/ where to go to make the most of the seasonality. If you’re planning to go abroad then booking early is also hugely beneficial; as a general rule flights tend to be cheaper when booked far in advance.

2. Pick a destination for the event.

This one is also important, and depends largely on peoples budgets. Take into account who’s going and the type of budget they may have and plan accordingly- it may be unrealistic to expect everyone to fork out for a week in Las Vegas when budgets are tight. If you’re stuck for hen party ideas then popular destinations abroad include Rome, Marbella, Paris, Barcelona and Budapest. Closer to home the most popular UK destinations are Bath, London, Brighton, Nottingham, Cardiff and Edinburgh.

3. Make a guest list.

If you’re the bride-to-be then you’re probably already in the process of making a wedding guest list, which makes creating a hen party guest list a bit easier. Be firm but fair in your choices – don’t try to invite everyone on the list just because you feel a vague family-or-friend obligation. Choose the girls closest to you who’ll help you have the best time possible over the weekend. Chances are a few invitees won’t be able to make it, so there may be an opportunity to invite extra people at a later date.

4. Manage the financials.

Hen party planning can be awkward when it comes to the finances- we understand that asking your best friends for money is never an easy task. The sooner you get it out of the way the quicker you can all go back to being excited about the weekend- so make it clear early on how much everyone owes (so there aren’t any nasty surprises later on) and give people the chance to say whether they can afford it or not. Once everyone’s on board with the price keep track of who-owes-what; it may be a good idea to make a spreadsheet so you know what’s left to pay.

5. Have a great night!

This is the most important piece of advice- as a bride-to-be this is your chance to celebrate your last nights of non-married life, so it’s important that you enjoy it. Planning a wedding can be hugely stressful so this is a wonderful opportunity to take the pressure off and have a memorable weekend with your favourite girls!

Hen Party