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| Edited in A Colour Story |
So, we’re back! Operation hen party was a HUGE success *mops brow*
After a lot of sweat, love and stress, our hen party trip to Marbella, was utterly lovely (if I do say so myself). Having started planning the beast last year, I wanted to share the highs and the lows, the tips and the tricks, and the amazing vendors I discovered along the way, so that you, bridal babe, can ride that hen party wave effortlessly (and in style) without falling off…
#1 Shortlist your options
Before setting up the WhatsApp group (complete with hilarious picture of the hen + hen party-themed emojis) shortlist all of the most viable options that are most suitable for the bride-to-be. Ask yourself: what’s she going to love? Where hasn’t she been? What’s the budget? Once you’re set with an idea, approach the group and see what the response is. Go in with too many options and you’ll create a storm of opinions and ideas that it’ll take months to emerge from. Keep it simple.
#2 Get organised
I’m definitely one of those people who can’t cope without a diary, notepad and/or constant iPhone reminders. So, planning the hen party definitely called for new stationery, a very business-like folder (to hold all documentation) and what was my attempt at a cool, calm and collected approach (read: occasional sweaty wide-eyed panic).
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| A snap I captured from wandering around Marbella’s cobbled Old Town |
#3 Spread the love
Definitely don’t take on everything yourself. Let other’s sort out the games or other surprises for the bride-to-be! Spread the LOVE people. Spread the love.
#4 Book! Book! Book!
If, like me, you’re planning a hen party abroad and you’re feeling the pressure in terms of activities. Keep in mind that there are lots of companies that can help out. Check out: This is Cluck, Hen Heaven and Go Hen. When it comes to booking restaurants for a large group of people, definitely DEFINITELY book ahead. Get a recommendation if you can from someone who may have been to your destination already, or check out TripAdviser for ratings and reviews. In Marbella, I booked three lovely restaurants (two were recommendations) and one was a bit of a guess – but turned out rather wonderfully…
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| Casa Tua Marbella |
Night #1
For the first night we headed to Il Tartufo Ristorante in Old Town Marbella.
What to eat: Definitely order the Traditional tagliatelle egg pasta with shavings of fresh black seasonal truffle. I could have literally eaten a bath tub of this stuff, seriously, it was DIVINE.
Night #2
For the second night, we sat outside at the beautiful Casa Tua Marbella. Set in the idyllic cobbled streets of the Old Town, it’s ideal for a large party of people and the food is incredible.
Night #3
On our final night, I’d booked us in to Le Coco Rico Marbella along the seafront. I can’t recommend this restaurant enough as they really put the effort in when they heard we were a hen party! Not only did they decorate the table, but they very kindly provided us with two bottles of champagne on the house! Thank you so much Le Coco Rico!
#5 Get the party started…
As a little treat for the hens, I stopped by The Works and picked 10 Prosecco Made Me Do It cocktail-making books and a pack of cards to post out a few weeks before we flew out. The little things can make all the difference.
#6 Get your bride tribe kitted out
If you’re looking for some bride squad themed beachwear or swimsuits, I highly recommend Matalan. I teamed up with the brand for the hen party to kit out each of the hens in one of their [gifted] beautifully made swimsuits (click here for their ‘Poolside Prosecco’ suit and here for the ‘Bride Squad’ one). Not only this, but they have some beautiful bride-to-be gifts suitable for the bride too! Click here for Laura’s (the bride’s) white ‘Bride-to-be’ swimsuit. You’ll love the metallic gold writing, not to mention each suits’ built-in cups, they’re really comfortable and flattering.
#7 Gift bags
I wanted to give each of the hens their own individual hen party bag for when we arrived in Marbella. I kitted these beauts out with everything from Bubblegum Balloon’s gorgeously vibrant Flamingo Pink Confetti Flutter’s (which are just perfect for showering the bride with), these were very kindly gifted to me by the amazing brand (have you seen their balloons too? They’re incredibly Insta-worthy). Alongside this I purchased gifts from Team Hen and Ginger Ray. You’ll also love the hen party wares on offer from The Hen Planner too.
#8 Try not to get stressed out
I’m not going to lie, planning the hen party felt like a lot of pressure. Especially when it was for my best friend (as she’d planned a right corker of a hen for me when I got married three years ago!). Just BREATHE your way through it, and try not to take anything too personally. If you’ve planned everything and put the effort in, it’s all going to be okay, trust me.
#9 Don’t overschedule
Don’t go too OTT when it comes to scheduling activities – you’ll end up like a drill sergeant – and everyone will feel stressed out. Take it slooooowww. People can always break off and then meet up later.
#10 And finally…don’t forget to enjoy it!
P.s. Hands-down, favourite gif of all time.
