A hens party at home, planned in an evening.
A hens at home (or in a holiday house) is relaxed, cheaper than a night out, and often more fun: everyone can actually talk, and nobody is shouting over music. The trick is a simple running order so the night has a shape. Here’s a plan you can copy.
Updated 2 October 2026 · By Hens Party HQ
A simple running order
- 3:00 pm: Guests arrive. Drinks and a welcome toast to the bride.
- 3:30 pm: An activity: Sip & Sparkle glass decorating, a flower crown bar or Paint the Bride.
- 5:30 pm: Grazing table or a long lunch-style dinner.
- 7:00 pm: Games: Mr & Mrs, Most Likely To, Red Flag Roulette, Whose Undies.
- 8:30 pm: Messages for the bride, then dessert and dancing.
- Next morning: Recovery brunch.
Activities that work at home
- Sip & Sparkle: decorate a glass each with pearls and ribbon.
- Paint the Bride: ten minutes, one muse, zero talent required.
- Flower Crown Bar: short-stemmed flowers, wire and ribbon.
- Signature Cocktail: a drink named after her (with a mocktail version).
- Dance Class: learn a routine together to perform at the wedding.
Games for the living room
Games are much easier to run when the questions are on the TV rather than read off a phone.
- Mr & Mrs (the Partner Quiz), with her partner’s answers filmed beforehand.
- The Shoe Game.
- Most Likely To.
- Red Flag Roulette: everyone’s AI “male me” alter ego.
- Whose Undies?!
- A Dare Jar, tame to spicy.
Food ideas
Keep food easy so the host can join in. Set up as much as possible before guests arrive, and choose things people can eat standing up or on the couch.
- Grazing table: two or three cheeses, prosciutto and salami, crackers and sourdough, grapes, figs and strawberries, olives, dips (hummus, tzatziki, French onion) and a handful of nuts.
- Easy mains for later: a build-your-own taco bar, a big tray of lasagne or baked pasta, sliders with pulled pork or haloumi, or pizzas ordered in.
- Brunch the next morning: bacon and egg rolls, a fruit platter, yoghurt and granola, and pastries from a local bakery.
- Bite-size extras: caprese skewers, mini quiches, sausage rolls, prawn cocktail cups or vegetable cups with dip.
- Dessert: a cake for the bride, a dessert board (macarons, chocolate-dipped strawberries, brownies, lollies), or a DIY sundae bar.
- Dietary needs: ask on the invite, label anything gluten-free, vegetarian or nut-free, and keep one dish safe for everyone.
Drink ideas
- A signature cocktail named after the bride, made in a jug: an Aperol spritz, a pink gin fizz or a sangria.
- A matching mocktail that looks just as nice: sparkling water with elderflower, cucumber and mint, or a virgin spritz with blood orange soda.
- A bubbles bar: prosecco with jugs of juice (peach, raspberry, orange) and garnishes so guests can mix their own.
- Plenty of water and ice. Fill a tub with ice before guests arrive.
Make her a keepsake
Ask every guest to write a favourite memory or a piece of advice for the bride, and collect everyone’s photos from the weekend in one place. A few weeks later, it’s the thing she’ll treasure most.
Checklist
- Send the invite with the date, address and dress code
- Collect game answers and photos 1–2 weeks before
- Buy activity supplies
- Test the TV with a laptop or the TV’s browser
- Plan food and a signature drink
- Set up a way for guests to share photos and messages