friends

So, your best friend has asked you to be her chief bridesmaid, and you’re starting to think about planning her hen do. This isn’t an easy task, as you have to organise a celebration that the bride-to-be will love, while also considering what her entire party — some of whom you might have never met — will enjoy.

We’ve already written a range of hen do guides that cover the steps you should take to ensure you plan the best hen do possible. So, this time we’re going to outline some of the common mistakes you should avoid making to ensure that everything goes as smoothly as possible.

Don’t make it too expensive

Rebecca Hurley, Deputy Head of Events for BMA House says: “More and more couples are looking for more informal wedding breakfasts with a lot more mingling and strolling around than formal seating. This means we are seeing couples choosing the fun options of street food and food stalls over a sit down wedding breakfast.

Theming continues to play a pivotal role (for most couples, as they aim to make their wedding day stand out for their friends’ wedding) in the wedding planning process  However, how and where people look for inspiration is constantly evolving. We believe that social media channels such as Pinterest will continue to influence couples’ (decisions when planning their big day) decision making process in planning their big day. 

A new study conducted by a UK based holiday company has revealed that 85% of brides to be and their hen parties would prefer a classy hen weekend over a tacky one. ‘Not getting drunk’, ‘spending quality time with family and friends’, ‘doing something productive’ and ‘being pampered’ emerged as the top reasons why women are choosing classy breaks away, with many happy to pay from £100 to £300 for a weekend away including activities. 

Hen parties are one of the best parts of an impending wedding. Not only do you get to head off somewhere exotic with all your best girl friends in tow, you also have the perfect opportunity to go as wild, as extravagant, as debauched or as indulgent as you see fit. Looking for a bit of inspiration for your upcoming hen do?

Here, leading European hen do organiser Eventhuse, has put together a list of celebrity hen dos to show you how and where to party like a VIP.

A festival weekend like Kate Moss

Are you looking to get married in a location that can be made to look and feel just how you want it to?

Barns are perfect as they are often a blank canvas, giving you the scope to have your wedding styled exactly how you always imagined, however their size alone can be daunting.  Lindsey Hunter of Get Knotted gives us her recipe for transforming a barn from blank and chilly to warm and romantic.

From a small intimate gathering of close friends and family to a lavish reception for up to 250 guests, The Woburn Estate gives couples the opportunity to have their perfect wedding day.

The Sculpture Gallery is set in the beautiful grounds of Woburn Abbey and was constructed by Henry Holland during the 18th Century for the fifth Duke of Bedford. It is one of the most majestic and elegant settings for any ceremony or reception, and with its own private gardens overlooking the Camellia Lake, it guarantees exclusivity. 

As the most romantic day of the year looms, wedding venues nationwide are gearing up for a flurry of enquiries as freshly engaged couples eagerly book their nuptials and look forward to their big day.

It can be easy to caught up in the romance of the moment, so to help those couples who have become engaged after the question was popped on Valentine's Day, Clare Poole, Head Wedding Co-ordinator at The Royal Toby Hotel, part of the Deckers Hospitality Group which owns and operates a number of prestigious wedding venues in the north west of England, offers these top 10 practical tips to ensure a smooth, organised planning period:

A mid-length wedding dress might not be the first image you have in mind when thinking about your dream gown, but the LWD can be a sure fire way to make a style statement on your big day. Here, we take a look at the benefits of a mid-length dress – and it might just have you reconsidering!