Arranging a hen weekend or night can be a very daunting affair. As you’re the chief bridesmaid and party leader it may feel that all the responsibilities will fall on your head, so I have prepared some basic tips to help make sure the weekend goes to plan.

What to do - First and foremost find out exactly what the bride wants to do. If she is not sure or would like people's input, speak to her best friends and bridesmaids and get their feedback.

The guest list - Always check with the bride-to-be before inviting people as you do not want any friction on the weekend. Don’t forget to invite important family members on both sides. They may not come but it is always nice to be courteous.

Getting it right - Once you have decided what you are going to do, try to email and talk to as many people in the party as possible and get feedback. If you have to, set a budget that everyone thinks is fair. You want as many friends to attend the celebration as possible so “I can’t afford it” should hopefully not be an excuse.

Booking it - Once you have been given the green light, book the break as soon as possible. You will not gain anything from booking late and you might miss out and end up disappointed.

Booking conditions - Some companies let you remove people from the booking up until 28 days before the hen party, but you should always check terms and conditions thoroughly before booking. A full understanding of these boring terms and conditions will save you from losing money if people drop out.

Collecting the money - Give everyone a payment date at least 7 days before the actual payment is due as this will give you time to get any cheques cleared.

Make sure everyone knows - Lots of people these days have email addresses, so try to email everyone all the details once you have received them, if not snail mail will have to do!

On the break - Make sure everyone has your mobile number so if anyone gets lost or confused they can contact you easily.

Most importantly - Don’t stress, you cannot please everyone, just make sure that you and the hen have a good time!

Article by Hen and Stag Party Organiser Marco Walker