Planning a hen party is a huge responsibility. From inviting all the right people, to getting the perfect activities for your bride to be, there’s a lot to think about – including the access needs of all the guests. Today we’re giving you some top tips on how to plan an accessible hen party.
Talk
No matter whom the bride to be has decided to invite to the hen party, talk to them all. You’ll need to find out if anyone has any access needs, dietary requirements or if there’s anything at all you need to know before you begin planning.
When we’re talking about access needs, we’re thinking beyond wheelchairs! While any wheelchair users will need accommodating (obviously) it’s also worth remembering that there are hundreds of other ways your ladies may need to be thought about. From being heavily pregnant, to needing quick access to toilets, to needing venues that can facilitate certain medications, you never know what people will need. So ask!
Think Outside The Box
When we think of hen parties, our minds tend to go straight to nights out and naked waiters. While that all sounds fabulous, it may not be appropriate for your girls. It’s time to think outside the box. We put some ideas together in our Hen Party Ideas post, including some suggestions suitable for ladies of any age (at the last DIY hen party we planned, the eldest guest was 70+ and the youngest was 9 months!).
Be Inclusive
In any group, nobody likes being ‘the awkward one’. Knowing that people are altering plans to accommodate you can be difficult. This results in people suggesting they won’t attend, only attend part of the celebrations, or removing themselves in some other way.
Being inclusive means making your plans around the needs of others, so they don’t miss out any of the fun. If they need to leave because they actually need to, that’s one thing. Being left out – even if it’s by their own suggestion – is another thing entirely. The bride to be cares enough about all her guests to invite them, so everyone should be included.
Who, Not What
Finally, anyone who’s ever been to a hen party will tell you it’s more about who you’re with than what you do. You can have all the best activities in the world booked, but if you’re not surrounded by the people you love it won’t be half as fun.
Planning an accessible hen party with all your best friends where you sit in front of a TV and watch films all evening can be the perfect event.
Did you plan an accessible hen party? We’d love to hear about it. Let us know what you did in the comments, or get in touch to send us more info!
Want to know more about being a bridesmaid? Take a look at our post What Are Bridesmaid Duties?