hen party goodie bag ideas: what to put in hen party bags
Hen party bags have quickly become the norm, and with good reason: they add to the fun and give attendees some mementos to take home. But, whether you're planning your own hen do or have been tasked with organising one for your friend or sister, it can be difficult to decide what you're going to fill your goodie bags with. You'll also need to decide what you want your hen party bags to look like, and whether everyone's going to get the same, or if you're going to add some special treats for the likes of bridesmaids and the mother of the bride.
Here, we're going to offer some of our favourite hen party bag ideas. Take our advice on board, and we guarantee your guests will leave feeling and happy and appreciated.
What to put in hen party bags
It can be difficult to decide what to fill your hen party bags with, as there are so many factors you need to consider, including your budget and who's going to be there. But we're going to outline some of the most popular hen party bag ideas, as well as some slightly more out-of-the-box bits and bobs that will truly make your goodie bags memorable.
Name tags or badges
A hen do offers the perfect opportunity for the bride-to-be's family and friends from different stages of her life to get together and socialise. This means it's likely a lot of people will be meeting for the very first time. So, when you’re coming up with some hen party gift bag ideas, why not help to make things easier for everyone (and avoid the awkwardness of everyone forgetting each other's names) by adding a name tag to each one?
Personalised T-shirts, vests, or hoodies
No hen party is complete without all of your guests being given a hen do T-shirt, vest, or hoodie. You can then arrange for everyone to wear them at the same time, and your partygoers will be able to keep their tops as a memento.
We would recommend commemorating the event by printing your chosen clothing with the bride's name, a reference to her hen party, and the date. For example, you could choose to have something like "Jessica's Hen Do 2021" or "Catherine's I Do Crew 2020" printed on the back. Then, if you've decided that you're not going to provide name tags, you could print everyone's name on the front.
Here at Custom Planet, we offer a selection of personalised stag and hen do T-shirts, or you can have your design printed on any of the tops you'll find in our entire range of custom T-shirts. These are ideal when you’ll looking for the perfect hen do party bag ideas.
Hen party sashes
Sashes are another hen party bag must-have, and we would recommend personalising them to show what parts people will be playing at the wedding. Of course, the bride-to-be will want an extra-special sash, but you can also highlight the maid of honour, bridesmaids, and mother of the bride in this way.
You can still present everyone else with a sash, too. These could just be printed with their names, or something simple like "Charlotte's Hen Do 2020!".
Whether you decide to buy your sashes or make them yourself, Pinterest has plenty of hen do sash inspiration.
Hen party headwear
When you’re considering what to fill your hen party bags with, consider adding matching headwear to each one. If you aren't planning to go down the fancy-dress route, this can add an extra dash of novelty to the event and, if your group gets separated, it'll make it much easier for you to spot the rest of your tribe in a crowd.
When choosing your headwear, consider the vibe of your party. Flower crowns can work well if you're going for a boho vibe, while glitter-painted crowns are great if you're going for a sleeker and more modern feel.
Prosecco shimmer
Prosecco is the drink of the moment, so why not give your guests some shimmer to jazz up their drinks at home? If you add glitter to the prosecco you're serving at the actual party, this will also have the added benefit of reminding friends and family how much fun they had on the hen do long after they've returned home.
If prosecco isn't your bag, or you know people in your party have a different favourite drink, there are some other hen party bag filler ideas you could go with. After prosecco shimmer took off, versions were created for gin, vodka, and even cider, so there's plenty of choice.
Wish bracelets
Wish bracelets make great hen party goodie bag ideas for a number of reasons. Firstly, you'll be giving your guests something nice that they can take away and wear. But you can also ensure your friends and family won't be upset if or when their bracelet breaks, because that's the whole point! They're generally made from a relatively thin string and the idea is that you can all put your bracelets on at the same time and make (secret) wishes. Then, when they snap, your dreams are supposed to come true.
There are a whole host of affordable wish bracelets available on Etsy, many of which are specifically made for hen parties, which is ideal.
Ice breaker games
As we've mentioned, hen parties tend to involve a lot of people meeting for the first time. So, if you're going to be handing out your hen party bags quite early, why not include some ice breaker games that can help to start conversations and build bridges? You could even make these yourself so they're personal to the bride or her friends and family.
Metro has a great list of 15 hen do games that will break the ice, which includes ‘guess who’ picture quizzes, never have I ever card games, and funny story time challenges. These are all great ideas that will certainly help to get the conversation flowing.
Novelty straws
If you’re looking for classic things to put in your hen party bags, you can’t go wrong with novelty straws but, if the traditional raunchy styles aren't in keeping with the feel of your party, you could always go down another route. Straws emblazoned with everyone's names will look cute, and also reduce the risk of people getting their drinks confused. Colourful crazy straws are a lot of fun and have a nostalgic feel, while paper straws printed with something along the lines of "Rebecca's Hen Do 2021" will look classy, but still make your guests' drinks extra-special.
Cans of wine or cocktails
If you've planned a weekend away or are travelling somewhere by train, you can help to get the party started early by treating your guests to canned wine or cocktails. There are so many options available that you can choose the perfect drinks for each guest, or simply offer an array and let everyone swap their drinks among themselves. A couple in each hen party bag will work well.
Hangover or survival kit
If your hen party plans involve a big night out or some heavy day drinking, consider helping your guests out with a hangover or survival kit. This could include the likes of a sleep eye mask, some paracetamol for the morning after, plasters for when their shoes start to rub, and a bottle of water to keep everyone hydrated. If you're spending a night away, you could even include essentials like a toothbrush and lip balm, just in case anyone's forgotten theirs!
Place all of these bits and bobs in a little pouch or makeup bag, which you could even have personalised. You can also include any other essentials you think your guests might need along the way.
Temporary tattoos
Temporary tattoos are becoming a popular element of hen parties. They can encourage everyone to feel part of the bride tribe and will also make for some fantastic Instagram photos. You'll typically find glitter or colourful temporary tattoos that say everything from "He put a ring on it" to "The I do crew". You could even have some designed, so they're completely personalised. Applying temporary tattoos is also an incredibly nostalgic thing for a lot of people, so it'll be a lot of fun.
Mirror
Why not make makeup checks and touch-ups much easier for your guests by providing them with a pocket mirror that they can use throughout the night and beyond? These could be personalised with the event and date, or simply everyone's names. A mirror is something that most women will carry in their bags for years so, whenever they use it after the festivities are over, they'll be reminded of how much fun they had, which is a plus!
Disposable cameras
Putting disposable cameras in your hen party bags will allow all of your guests to document their own experience and also give the bride lots of photos to remind her of her special night. Hen dos are unique in that they give a bride the chance to get all of her favourite ladies together, which might only ever happen once. While Instagram photos and pictures tagged on Facebook are great, they can get buried and forgotten, but developing photos from disposable cameras is completely different — those pictures can be framed and added to a scrapbook or photo album to be flicked through over the years.
Thank you cards
Hen parties are a lot of fun, but they also involve people taking time out — and possibly travelling — to celebrate. One of the best ways you can show all of your friends and family that you appreciate their effort is with a good old-fashioned thank you card.
Write a personalised message in each one so your guests will cherish them. The lead-up to getting married is a great time to consider the people in your life and look back on all the great memories you've made with them. So, take full advantage by letting everyone know you're happy to have them in your life.
What should your hen party goodie bags look like?
First impressions count, so you'll want to ensure your hen do guests are wowed from the minute they catch a glimpse of their goodie bags. This means you'll need to make sure they have an eye-catching design. You'll also have to decide what you would like your bags to be made from. Here, we're going to be discussing two of the best and most eco-friendly hen party bag ideas: paper bags and canvas totes.
Paper hen do goodie bags
If you're simply going to be handing out your goodie bags before everyone goes home, paper bags will do the job perfectly. You can pick up plenty of different sizes, so you should have no trouble finding those that are going to accommodate all of your treats.
You can also decorate paper goodie bags however you like. If everyone's bags are going to differ slightly, why not paint your guests' names on the side of each one with glitter? Or, if they're going to be identical, you could simply add "Team Bride" or "Bride Tribe". Stamps are also great for decorating paper bags — especially if you've got a lot of them to embellish and time is of the essence.
Just remember that paper bags aren't particularly hardwearing, so they aren't the best choice if your party are going to be carrying them around for any length of time. If you're going to be handing them out ahead of the festivities, or you're going away for the weekend, canvas totes might be more suitable.
Canvas tote hen do goodie bags
If you would like your hen party bags to be a bit more hardwearing, some canvas totes will fit the bill perfectly. They have the added benefit of being reusable, which makes them eco-friendly, too. Just make sure you decorate them in a way that is going to encourage your partygoers to actually make use of their new bags long after the festivities are over.
One of the ways in which you can do this is by having them printed with a more general quote about love and friendship, rather than the usual "Team Bride" or "Katie's Hen Do 2020". This will still be in keeping with the theme, but it will ensure your bags are far less likely to be left at the bottom of people's wardrobes and never used again.
Here at Custom Planet, we offer a wide range of tote and canvas bags that can be printed with a logo or phrase of your choice. There’s also a range of colours to choose from, so you have plenty of freedom to create the perfect hen party bags to suit your needs and style.
Whether you're planning your own hen do or are organising one for a loved one, we hope we've given you some great hen party gift bag filler ideas. Of course, they're certainly not a necessity, but they can be a lot of fun and your guests are bound to love them. So, if your budget comfortably stretches that far, we'd highly recommend treating everyone to some of the bits and bobs we've mentioned.
And don't forget that we offer a complete custom clothing service. So, if you would like anything printed or embroidered ahead of your party, we'll be able to help you out.
