How to Plan the Perfect Hen Party Weekend: A Step-by-Step Guide
Planning a hen party is a significant undertaking. This step-by-step guide covers everything from choosing the city to managing the guest list and booking activities.
Step 1: Establish the basics early
Before you book anything, you need three things confirmed:
The date — hen parties typically happen 4–8 weeks before the wedding. For popular cities and summer weekends, you may need to book 3–6 months ahead to secure accommodation and activities.
The budget — get a rough per-head budget from the group as early as possible. A realistic budget for a 2-night hen weekend including accommodation, activities and meals is £200–£400 per person depending on the city and how lavish you want to go.
The guest list — confirm who's coming before booking anything with a minimum group size. Activities like a cocktail masterclass have a 10-person minimum; most accommodation options have their own minimums and maximums.
Step 2: Choose the city
The best hen party city depends on what the bride actually wants. Some useful pointers:
- [London](/locations/london), best for variety and a big-city feel, but accommodation is expensive and logistics are harder. - [Edinburgh](/locations/edinburgh), consistently one of the most popular; compact, beautiful, brilliant nightlife. - [Bath](/locations/bath), perfect for a more relaxed, spa-focused weekend with beautiful Georgian architecture. - [Brighton](/locations/brighton), great for a beach-themed hen with a vibrant independent bar scene. - [Manchester](/locations/manchester) or [Leeds](/locations/leeds), excellent value, good transport links from across the North.
All of these cities are covered by our hen party cocktail masterclass, your mixologist comes to your accommodation wherever you are.
Step 3: Book accommodation first
Accommodation is the hardest thing to book and the thing that falls apart most often if left too late. For a hen weekend, you want a large private house or apartment where the whole group can be together, this is also where your cocktail class will take place.
Search Airbnb and VRBO for properties that explicitly allow hen parties (some do not, check the house rules). Sites specialising in large group rentals for hen parties and getaways such as Group Escape Houses offer hand-picked houses that work brilliantly for groups. Their hen party houses page is the quickest place to start. Look for: - A large kitchen-diner or living space where the class can be set up - Enough bedrooms for the whole group - Good transport links to the city centre
Book this before you book anything else.
Step 4: Plan your activity anchor
Every great hen weekend has an anchor activity, the thing everyone is doing together that structures the weekend. A private hen party cocktail masterclass works brilliantly in this role because:
- It happens at your accommodation, so no logistics - It works for any group size from 10 upwards - It takes 2 hours, leaving the rest of the evening free - It creates a natural progression into a night out afterwards
Book your cocktail class early, once you have your dates and accommodation confirmed, get a quote and secure the date. Evening slots (typically 6–9pm on a Friday or Saturday) book fastest.
Step 5: Build the rest of the schedule
Once accommodation and your anchor activity are booked, fill in the schedule around them:
Friday evening — arrivals, get settled, first drinks at the house.
Saturday daytime — explore the city. Lunch out, a spa treatment, a tourist activity, shopping — whatever suits the group.
Saturday evening — cocktail class (6–8pm), then out for dinner and a night out.
Sunday — brunch together before everyone heads home.
Keep the schedule loose. Hen weekends that are too tightly programmed end up feeling stressful. The cocktail class is your structure; everything else can be more relaxed.
Step 6: Sort the details
Catering, decide whether to cook, order takeaway or go out for each meal. For Friday evening, having food delivered or pre-ordering a hamper works well. For Saturday lunch, booking a restaurant in advance is worth it.
Decorations — banners, sashes, balloons. If you're going all-out, order at least 2 weeks ahead.
Transport — if guests are arriving from different places, share a central meeting point and train time so nobody is left waiting.
Communication — set up a group chat or WhatsApp early. Share the schedule, the accommodation address and anything guests need to bring or organise.
Frequently asked questions
For a weekend away in a popular city, start 3–4 months ahead. This gives you time to confirm the guest list, book accommodation, and secure activities before popular dates fill up. 6 months ahead is even better for summer weekends in Edinburgh or London.
A shared payment app like Monzo or Splitwise makes collection much easier. Collect deposits early, people are more likely to commit when money has changed hands. Be clear upfront about what is and isn't included in the per-head cost.
Build your schedule around the guests who are there for the whole weekend. If some people are joining for just the Saturday, make sure the main activity (like the cocktail class) is on Saturday evening when everyone is present.
A two-night weekend is the standard for hen parties involving travel and accommodation. A one-night hen do makes sense for local groups, budget-conscious guests, or when the wedding is coming up quickly. A cocktail masterclass works perfectly as the centrepiece for either format.
The most reliable structure is: Friday arrival + first evening drinks, Saturday daytime activity + cocktail class in the evening, Sunday brunch and travel home. Keep scheduled activities to a maximum of two per day. See our [full hen party weekend itinerary guide](/blog/hen-party-weekend-itinerary-uk) for a detailed hour-by-hour plan.
May, June and September are the sweet spots, good weather, not peak summer prices, and most venues are fully operational. August is popular but expensive and very busy in cities like Edinburgh (Fringe Festival). Winter hen parties are increasingly popular in cities with good indoor activity options like London, Manchester and Edinburgh.
Be transparent early. Share an itemised per-head cost breakdown so guests know exactly what they're committing to before they confirm attendance. For very budget-conscious guests, see our [hen party on a budget guide](/blog/hen-party-on-a-budget-uk) for tips on keeping costs down without cutting the experience.
Cocktail Classes Near You
Our classes are available in cities across the UK:
