Invitations for the hen party

The hen do is a fixture of the British run-up to a wedding — a celebration of the bride-to-be with her closest friends and often a few family members. It ranges from a relaxed afternoon tea to a full weekend away, and the organising usually falls to the maid of honour or a close friend. Pulling a group together, agreeing a date and collecting everyone's share can be a real juggling act, and an online invitation makes the first part far simpler: one link, all the details, replies in one place.

The format depends entirely on the bride and the budget. A spa day or afternoon tea for a gentler crowd; a cocktail-making class, a meal and a night out for the classic city version; a weekend away in Brighton, Bath, Edinburgh or Liverpool for the full works. Numbers usually sit between eight and twenty. In our experience the trickiest part is the money — people need to know the likely cost up front, what is included and what they will be chipping in for, so it is worth being clear about it from the start rather than springing it later.

A good invitation carries the bride's name, the date (or dates, for a weekend), the meeting point and time, an outline of the plan, the cost and what it covers, the dress code or any theme, and an RSVP with a reply-by date. For a weekend, add accommodation, travel and a packing note. Keeping some of the surprises back from the bride herself is part of the fun, so a private version of the details for the rest of the group can help. A playful, glamorous template sets the mood.

The digital format is made for this. The link circulates on a dedicated WhatsApp group or by Instagram DM, replies and numbers count themselves, and you can update the plan in seconds as it firms up. A Google map points everyone to the meeting spot, and a shared playlist gets the group in the mood before the day arrives.