We have found the perfect ways to make a budget-friendly hen do special…
1. DIY Hen Party Decorations
Instead of buying expensive decorative balloons get some basic colours. Then you can personalise the balloons using a permanent marker to make this staple decoration tailored to your hen party.
2. Hen Party Keepsakes
Ask your guests to write their best piece of advice for married life on a wooden spoon and create your own recipe for a successful marriage. All you need are some inexpensive wooden spoons, a mason jar and a permanent marker for this DIY keepsake.
3. Survival Kit
The perfect pre-wedding gift for any preparing bride-to-be. Create the ultimate wedding survival kit as a gift to her to ensure nothing stands in the way of her perfect day.
4. Handmade Frames and Props
Get the perfect snap for Instagram with your own personalised photo frame for all your hen party pics. For the social media queens just itching to snap and share, hang up this elegant chalkboard personalised with your very own hen party hashtag. Use some fun hen party props to add some fun to your hen party photos. You could make an area into your very own photo booth!
5. Handmade gifts
Add handmade, personalised tags to nail polish, lipstick or miniature perfume bottles to create the most thoughtful of girly gifts. You could even get the guests to make a handmade gift for the bride and she has to guess who it is from.
6. Games
Treasure Hunt:
Create your own treasure hunt and let your guests battle it out to see who wins the prize. Hide rings around with clues leading to the final treasure.
Yes to the loo roll dress:
The most inexpensive game and quite possibly the most fun! Split into teams of three and use one from each as a mannequin to create the best toilet tissue wedding dress design your bride will EVER see. Will this bride say ‘yes’ to the dress?
Space Hopper Dress:
If you have the weather on your side, why not play some classic garden games. Space hopper racing is bound to get everyone laughing, make sure you get the camera out.
Ring Toss:
Create your own ring toss for a game everyone can play indoors or outdoors.
Bra Pong:
Recycle your old bras, for some good ole bra pong.
7. Food
For the after-party salvation or sophisticated bridal brunch, a fresh coffee bar with an assortment of cakes, pastries and breakfast bakes will re-energise and satisfy all your hen party guests!
For the food fanatics, the perfect canapé display needn’t be expensive and will add the wow factor to your eats! Source an old ladder and some clean wooden floorboard to use as a structure to serve starters, mains and dessert in miniature form.
8. Hen party drinks
Prosecco:
Layout a dedicated bubbly bar with fresh juices, cordials and berries to create your own fruity infusions and adaptions to Buck’s Fizz!
For an inexpensive solution for keeping the good stuff chilled during the party, fill chunky ice-cube trays with blooms and buds for the prettiest booze crates, baths and buckets. Source floristry off-cuts or wilted stems – this will save on the cost of buying fresh flowers.
Satisfy your sweet tooth with candy floss cocktails.
If you’re lucky enough to be planning an Autumn hen party then you are just in luck, here at Tranquility we know a thing or two about hen parties as we see many walk through our doors
We absolutely love all times of year but Autumn is especially suited for our cosy interiors blend well with Autumn themes.
I think we can all agree that Autumn is one of the prettiest and unique seasons of the year. Yet, bridesmaids and bridal shower hostesses often struggle with coming up with a theme for an Autumn hen party.
The good news is we have you covered and we don’t just mean with cosy blankets and open fires!
There’s a lot of fun Autumn hen party themes you can pull off. And what’s best is that they mostly only work during Autumn, so it will be a truly unique Autumn bridal shower theme.
Here are our favourite Autumn hen party theme ideas:
1. FALLen in love
This theme is super cute for a Autumn bridal shower! It’s a cute way to incorporate the season AND celebrate love! And, the best part is that you can keep the decor fairly generic and seasonal –
think invitations featuring falling leaves, decor in classic fall colours, and seasonal touches like maroon and mustard blankets (our favourite Autumn colours), pumpkins, gold metallic accents and sprinkle leaves.
2. Flannel and fizz
I LOVE the idea of incorporating a flannel into a hen party. Encourage guests to get comfy and show up in their favourite flannel pyjamas or flannel shirts and leggings and invoke a “morning-after sleepover feel.” This theme is easy to pull off – simply plan to host a brunch, have a mimosa bar, encourage guests to sport their favourite flannel pieces and decorate with cosy furry and fleece blankets and cushions here and there. We especially love incorporating red and black buffalo plaid touches into the decor, invitations and signage – for some reason, that just screams “cosy Autumn” to us!
Although you could technically pull off this theme at other times of the year, a “love is brewing” shower is still most appropriate for fall. It makes us at Tranquility think of curling up in a chair with a warm cup of hot chocolate, coffee or tea and a good book on a chilly Autumn day. And I think an Autumn bridal shower should feel the same way – an occasion to cosy up with friends and family and celebrate love!
Again, this is another REALLY easy theme to pull off. Have a hot drinks bar with a variety of hot drinks available and “accessories” for coffee, chocolate flakes, cinnamon sticks, cookies, you can even add liqueurs like Kahlua and Bailey’s, etc. Have fancy cups and holders for the hens and an extra special one for the bride. For favours, you could give a bag of coffee beans or a cute tea holder which would be perfect for this theme.
Have a simple “afternoon tea” type menu – small finger sandwiches, biscotti, muffins and baked goods – and everything will tie in nicely with your coffee/tea bar. Tranquility can supply you with Afternoon Tea just let us know to add this to your package.
4. Rustic fall shower theme
A general rustic, fall theme is the perfect way to tie in the season with a celebration of love! Some of our favourite ideas include:
-Pumpkins, especially fun spray-painted ones.
-Apples, everywhere – buy a bunch of bulk apples and use them everywhere for decor – on tables, on your food buffet, on the guest book sign in…they’re small and easy to put anywhere!
-Sunflowers – available in abundance at farmer’s markets everywhere this time of year, sunflowers in mason jars add the perfect punch of brightness to your fall shower decor! Keep other decor minimal with some burlap runners and a few lace accents, and you’re good to go!
-Wheat – we LOVE gorgeous, golden dried wheat stalks in vases for decor!
-Leaves – channel the gorgeous trees outside.
-Pinecones – again, taking another hint from Mother Nature, pinecones are a great way to bring the fall into your decor! Send your kids/nieces/nephews on a pinecone hunt to collect some to put on your tables for decor.
-Metallic gold anything – nothing says ‘fall’ like a touch of gold!
-Burlap and lace – nothing says elegant, simple and rustic like combining a few key burlap decorations with some lace.
5. Fireside Hen Party
When you think of Autumn, one of the first things that pops into my mind is the smell of burning wood and an open fire. And what a cute theme to have to invoke that “cozy and warm” feeling for a bridal shower! If you have a location where you can do a fire pit or campfire, consider this theme! A s’mores station is a fun idea your guests will love for a fireside hen party. Make sure to add plenty of blankets, at Tranquility we give you blankets that you can use outside.
So Summer is here and so is your hen party or your loved ones hen party. What better them than a festival. So we have provided some tipes and way to achieve this fun and fabulous theme without the smelly tents and lack of showers.
Wristbands and Lanyards
Your hen party is the perfect way to get together with your girls and let your hair down before the big day! If you are a festival fan then chances are you and your bride tribe will have a festival theme and what better way to invite everyone than by sending out their very own wristband.
These awesome wristbands will look perfect with your awesome festival makeup and funky festival hen party outfit.
Head on over to www.henpartywristbands.com to get yours…
They even have amazing lanyards if you want to go all out and these are the perfect alternative to the sash.
Get the Festival Look
Now everyone needs to look the part and this part is easy most retailers offer a guide to the festival look and really anything goes so you can choose to get a whole new attire or piece together an outfit yourself. Here are some perfect festival pieces…
-anything glittery
-welly boots
-straw hat
-headband
-sunglasses the crazier the better
-denim jacket, anything denim really
-raincoat
-bohemian dress
-patterned tights
-face glitter or jewels
-crochet and neon – new trends for 2019
-converse
-colourful socks
You can’t go wrong with any of these items in creating your festival look.
If you are still stuck then Tiger, a festival fashion influencer with nearly 100k followers and co-founder of popular festival brand Easy Tiger, is making all our dream dancing outfits a reality.
Be sure to check out her fabulous style!
“Festivals are a place that people tend to really let go,” she says. “They don’t care about what people think and just enjoy themselves, and I think this really shows through clothing.” – Tiger
https://www.instagram.com/ttigerlilly/
The food and drink
Make sure you get the food right, keep it easy with festival favourites such as burgers, hotdogs and pizzas.
Drink from hip flasks and colourful drink bottles. This will save on cleaning up and is better for the environment
Entertainment
There may not be a line up of world renowned bands and singers at your henfest but there is no reason for you not to have the same songs playing on our jukebox here at Tranquility.
We can organise musicians, a Dj or the popular karaoke in for you and your group.
We have fun activities that are perfect for a henfest such as…
-Flower Crown Workshop
-Yoga
-We can organise Face Painting or a beautician to do your make-up
Here at Tranquillity Ireland, we are a very popular location for hen parties and we have become rather fond of them. We understand the stress associated with organising the perfect hen party for your loved one. Seeing your beloved hen in full celebration mode, surrounded by her favourite females, is so thrilling and special, that there’s naturally a certain amount of stress and strain that goes along with it. We hope that our tips can help…
1. Choose A Practical Location
Picking a venue for your hen party is probably the trickiest job on your to-do list – you want your hen to have a sensational, once-in-a-lifetime experience, but you also need to carefully consider the constraints. It is important the location is tailored to all ages and that everyone can sleep well. At Tranquility Ireland we are only an hour from Dublin and likewise an hour from Belfast making it the perfect location. Set in the countryside with spectacular views it has everything you need in the village of Carlingford and Omeath. Even if you wanted to go to the next town Newry and Dundalk are bothe only aprroximately 30minutes away.
2. Activities to suit the bride
Most hen parties we’ve attended revolve around a good feed, good drinks, good company and a good nights sleep. Tranquility Ireland offers all of this things. If your bride is more relaxed then entertainment and a chilled vibe can be created in the accommodation or maybe she is a part animal? Then Carlingford offers the perfect amount of night life, our bus driver will even do a couple of runs so that the night owls can stay a little later that everyone else. We have lots of activities available for groups so there is certainly something for every kind of bride. You can check them out…
3. Minimise Complications During Planning
Chances are, you’re not throwing this party alone, and having multiple people or bridesmaids work on the same event can sometimes be the source of pre-party friction. Hen planning can be difficult at the best of time but the bulk of the work often falls to the most organised friend, rather than the one who has known the hen the longest. However, if one individual is doing none of the work but offering lots of opinions that’s when things can turn nasty. To keep conflict to a minimum, ask the hen to pick no more than three people to plan the party, and split up the to-do list up early on in the process. At the party everyone should be getting along, having fun and that is the main thing.
4. Fed And Watered
Every hen group needs to be fed and watered. At Tranquility Ireland we have various different options for dining. We also have various options for cocktail parties and making. These, however, need to be booked in advance. There needs to be enough feed to go around and that everyone’s requirements are catered for, the last thing anyone needs is to be hangry. Contact us to find out our full list of dining options, our chefs are happy to look after dietary requirements however they do need to be know.
Tranquility Ireland is the perfect location for your wedding, set in an intimate location overlooking the breath-taking views of Carlingford Lough and the Mourne Mountains. Our venue can cater up to 90 guests, we do however have grounds for a marquee.
The lucky thing about an intimate wedding is that themes are much easier to do and lots of fun for everyone. We have put together a few examples of our favourite themes. Let us know what you think, we always want to assist you in planning your time at Tranquility Ireland.
Seasonal Themes
Depending on when your wedding is you can tune into that season for colours, flowers, accessories and food.
Spring:
Spring colours are beautiful and look amazing. Here are some floral inspirations…
Autumn:
Choose earthly-toned blooms such as bold wine dahlias, peach roses, orange ranunculus, foliage and berries with lots of white or cream for balance. You can adorn your stationary and bouquets with beautiful vintage ribbons.
Winter:
For a Winter festive wedding, think luxe emerald and ruby reds.Add a touch of gold or rose gold and you have the perfect winter theme. Adorn cakes and flowers with Winterberries and eucalyptus. Add snug jumpers for over dresses and hot drinks for guests on arrival.
Summer:
Choose bright and vibrant flowers such as coral charm peonies and dahlias for your bouquets and centrepieces. Finish your hand-tied bouquets with a vibrant neon ribbon to add an element of fun! Serve ice cream, why not get a ice-cream van for after the ceremony.
Circus Theme
A circus theme would be magical and pretty fitting for an amazing fun filled wedding.
A vintage circus style would be perfect for stationary. Carry the look through on-the-day to menus and table plans. Host your wedding in a marquee and adorn it with red draping.
Dress the grooms in top hats and tails complete with braces and bowtie and for brides, pair your gown with an oversized headpiece or elaborate jewels or why not wear a suit too.
After that the rules go out the window the more elaborate the better, pair the weird and the wonderful together, from topsy turvy cakes, vintage furniture, add popcorn stations, cotton candy and sweets stand. Hire a clown, acrobats and fire breathers for showstopping entertainment. Sure why not get a lion and an elephant (we joke).
Bohomenian Theme
Tipis, feathers, Airstream caravans and flowers in your hair – boho weddings have had a rebirth. Eclectic meets luxe choose burnt orange, oxblood, earthy browns and brassy golds. If you’re dreaming of a free-spirited wedding drenched in cool, unique details, take note, this theme is for you!
Green Theme
Whether it is based on being Irish or just your favourite colour. Greenery theme weddings are truly beautiful and when it comes to your floral display, all greenery most definitely is a cheaper solution. With beautiful green lawns at Tranquility Ireland it is the perfect theme.
Choose emerald green dresses for bridesmaids and green dickie bowes for groomsen, there are beautiful dark green suits out there that would be the perfect statement for the groom.
Like the shade itself decorate cakes and tables with lots of greenery. Use metallic accents in your decor items – add twinkling tea-lights in shimmering mercury glasses for a romantic feel or brass taper holders for a more dreamy look.
Group Of Female Friends Celebrating With Bride On Hen Party In Bar
Stress – a state of mental or emotional strain or tension resulting from adverse or demanding circumstances.
At Tranquility Ireland we don’t believe that stress is conducive to organising a wonderful hen party.
In our book, planning a hen or stag party should be a fun experience, with as no stress or drama. You’re planning a party after all! When it comes to organising a hen party, lots of different personalities and opinions come into play, which is where our guide to organising a hen party stress free helps.
With mammys, bridesmaids, college mates, work friends, cousins childhood pals and sibling, all getting together for a night out or a weekend away, planning a hen party can be pretty challenging alright. So whether you’re a bride deciding what to do, or a bridesmaid putting the plans in place, our tips and advice can help you avoid disputes, and minimise the drama of planning a hen. Needless to say, why would you go anywhere other than Tranquility Ireland when we make it this easy.
1. Who is the lead guest?
Choosing bridesmaids can be tricky, but one of the biggest roles for your bridesmaids has is to plan your hen, so choose well and make sure you choose those who know you well enough to give you the hen party you deserve.
The perfect hen party planner know you well is organised and unflappable, but still fun and flexible. And once you’ve got your bridesmaids (or hen party planners if you’re not having a bridal party), it’s down to them to put the plans into action
If you’re planning as a group of bridesmaids, make sure the workload is spread out evenly; try not to take over, but also be sure to do your fair share of work. Most drama and stress that arises within bridal parties happens when one person ends up doing all the work – so try to share the workload. Sometimes you may have more time then say other bridesmaids who may be pregnant or busy kids, have matters to deal with in their personal life, health issues or live abroad for example. If this is the case then you can try to help each other with their tasks.
It’s not a competition, keep the competitiveness for the activities just because one person made the memory book, doesn’t mean she’s a better friend or bridesmaid to the bride than the one who booked the activities. There is nothing like hen party planning to bring out insecurities in each other so be nice to one another.
2. Who is attending
Where do you start with who to invite to your hen party another topic that deserves its own post. The bride will have an idea of who she wants at her hen party she might see her hen as a celebration of her singlehood with her closest friends, for another, it’s a chance to bring friends from different aspects of her life together ahead of the wedding. Then what happens with Aunties, work friends, cousins, extended family and friends, work colleagues and of course lets not forget about the Mammys. It’s best to check in with the bride about these – often a smaller group is so much easier to manage, and if it’s kept to very close pals, what is becoming increasingly popular is a home and away hen party, the home one, of course, being for the Mammies and Aunties etc. Also, don’t forget to ask the bride she may want a mixed gender hen party especially if many of her pals are men. Don’t assume anything
If you do have to invite someone who tends to be a bit out there (as in is a liability when it comes to drama, there is always one :D) it might be worth assigning someone as a buddy for them – or at least take turns so that the bride and the rest of the group won’t fall victim to their antics and everyone can enjoy the hen party as best as possible.
3. Paying for the party
This is rather challenging and obviously, it is one of the most challenging parts in hen party planning. You will want to give your girl a great time, but you also need to be mindful of everybody’s budget. The hardest part is these vary from person to person
Get an estimate from the beginning and as early as possible, so everyone knows how much it will cost before they agree to go. It is great for groups to get it paid earlier or to pay gradually. Even if you get a deposit from everyone at the start so then you know who is going.
Explain the costs to the group so they know exactly what they are getting for their money and then they can be as prepared as possible- there’s nothing worse than being told a hen party will cost €200, when you’ve no idea what you’re paying for. If the cost is growing, think about having activities that the group can choose like spa treatments or one less night for some guests, so everyone will be happy
the cost of the bride is usually split between everyone but make sure everyone is aware and willing. It usually doesn’t amount to much when split between everyone.
4. Save the date
At Tranquility Ireland we book up very well in advance if you want popular dates such as a bank holiday weekends we recommend you register your interest and secure your deposit at least a year in advance especially for the extremely popular Tranquility House
Before you book Tranquility you will also need to have an idea of numbers and of course circumstances may change but you need to have a ballpark number so that the right property to sleep the correct amount can be chosen for your group.
A fantastic idea is to create a poll for your group choosing 3 pinnacle dates that suit your bride because she is thee most important. Once this is done choose the date that suits everyone best and contact us straight away.
Our greatest advice is to give A LOT of time, as the more time the better
5. What to do
Activities are an important part of hen planning, and again, the bride is the most important in deciding and deciphering what activities are best. We have a fantastic list of activities that make it easy for you to decide. Look at the group as a whole and decide what would be best to suit everyone but most importantly look at the bride’s interests and always lead with that in mind. Check out the list of activities you can do while stayng at Tranquility Ireland >>
Be sure to consider of anyone who may be pregnant, mums or older guests when you’re making your plans too, it can be tempting to pack in a lot over the day or weekend but time to sit back relax and chat is important too. Also hangovers may need to be accounted for 🙂
6. Communication
Use technology to communicate, create a group in WhatsApp, Viber or messenger and don’t include the bride if there are any secrets. Ensure you don’t forget anyone and if someone has no got the messaging app the contact them separately. Provide a rough itinerary before the day or weekend so that the group can prepare themselves as much as possible. So that you too can enjoy the hen party too.
Email is a very good tool for the initial stages of the hen planning, so details don’t get lost in a stream of chatter.
You can decide to keep details a secret from the bride, but make sure to let her know what she need to pack.
The main thing you need to remember throughout the planning is who it is for… your bride. Give her a party that represents her and that she will enjoy
