Glam Hen Nights In

A Hen Night is an important part of any Bride’s journey to the altar but not everyone wants their Hen Night to involve an evening out on the town. Just because you’re a homebody doesn’t mean you can’t still have a Hen Night to remember, all it takes is a little preparation and your (or your Maid of Honour’s) home. We’ve put together a few suggestions on how you can glamorise your Hen Night whilst staying in.

Mad Men your night up with cocktails, wiggle dresses or big skirts and bigger hair. If full fancy dress seems too much, put together a dress-up box of items such as ankle socks, tulle petticoats or strings of pearls for the guests to use (courtesy of eBay or your local charity shop) or ask them to come already dressed. Search the internet for drinks recipes and put together a slang sheet, for every word someone uses that’s period correct give them a prize or make everyone else pay a forfeit.

If the 50’s and its style aren’t your thing then simply pick a decade, load up your playlist with period appropriate music and boogie on down. Top marks go to the party with the glitter ball and biggest flares.

A poker night can be glammed up if everyone comes as somebody else. Choose the characters, real or imagined (complete with outfit suggestions, facial hair, personality traits and trademark catchphrases), and assign each one to a guest. No money has to leave anyone’s hands if you invest in a box of poker chips, and playing with chips will only make the game feel more Vegas. To up the stakes a little, bet wedding related tasks that need doing, that way the Bride is always a winner.

If play acting is your idea of fun, there are plenty of murder-mystery games available on the highstreet or online that will give everyone the opportunity to dress up and lie through their teeth. Add a bit of glamour by choosing one, or setting one, in a year of your choice.

Pedicures, manicures, makeovers and hair styling, what woman doesn’t like to primp and preen occasionally? Pick some tutorials or looks that you’ve been dying to try and have an evening in with the girls, some sing-a-long tunes and a bottle of bubbly.

If films are your thing, pick an evening’s entertainment from the older pictures on offer. Black and white films were over-the-top glamorous and there are plenty of reviews online to help you choose the perfect ones. If you prefer full Technicolor films, choose an actress from the glamour years such as Marilyn Monroe whose pictures are available in colour. Pop some corn, crack open the bubbly and settle down for a night at the movies.

Add a little glamour to your dinner party by decorating the room as a 30’s speakeasy, a 40’s nightclub, a 50’s gentlemen’s club or a 60’s coffee shop. Just changing the atmosphere of the room can have a huge impact on the feel of the evening; people won’t even have to dress up to get the vibe.

However you choose to spend your Hen Night, adding a little old school glamour can really make your evening sparkle.