Planning guide
How to get the most from this tool
What this packing list is for
This hen party packing list focuses on what adults forget — not everyday weekend basics. We will not tell you to pack socks or trousers. Think ID for clubs, the right shoes for your activities, portable chargers, sashes, games printouts, hangover kit and house logistics.
Start with where you are staying. A hen party house needs a different checklist from a hotel: verify towels and linen, then plan kitchen staples and a shop run for the group.
We do not ask how many nights you are staying — you know how much underwear to bring. For a three-night hen weekend or longer, plan a mid-week supermarket top-up if the kitchen is running low.
Hen party props and easy-to-forget kit
Everyone should think about sashes, a veil for the bride, printed game cards and a hangover kit. If several people pack the same thing, that is fine — better than nobody does.
- Photo ID, cash for taxis and a portable charger for nights out.
- Pain relief, electrolytes, plasters and antacids as standard hangover kit.
- Printed hen party games or a link everyone can open at the house.
- House decorations for hen-party houses — plus Blu Tack to hang them. Sellotape peels paint and hosts may deduct it from your damage deposit.
- Matching sunglasses or LED accessories if you want group photos.
Shoes and outfits by activity
Pick your planned activities in the tool and it surfaces footwear people actually forget: flats or trainers for city walking, heels or going-out shoes for a night out, trainers for games or outdoor activities. For full guest vs bride dress codes, see our hen party outfits guide.
- City break: comfortable flats beat sore feet between bars and brunch spots.
- Night out or fancy dinner: pack the shoes you intend to dance in.
- Games, cocktail classes or hiking: trainers or boots you do not mind getting messy.
Self-catered hen house: check then shop
Message the host before you shop. Confirm towels, bed linen, hairdryer, dishwasher tablets, coffee setup (machine type, pods, cafetière), TV setup (HDMI or Netflix / smart apps) and any welcome supplies.
- Kitchen run: milk, tea, coffee, sugar, butter, bread and arrival snacks.
- Bulk buys for big groups: kitchen roll, extra loo roll, bin bags, washing-up liquid.
- Longer stays: plan a bigger supermarket shop mid-weekend.
- Decorations if you want the house to feel hen-ready — bring Blu Tack, not Sellotape (tape peels paint and can come off your deposit).
When to share this with the group
Copy the list into WhatsApp a week before travel so everyone packs the same easy-to-forget items. Pair it with the budget and itinerary tools once those are agreed.
Example output (default settings)
This is what the tool produces before you change anything. Adjust the settings below to match your group.
Sample packing list: Hen party house (self-catered), City break, Summer (June-August). 38 items included.
Outfits and layers
Activity-specific shoes and layers — we assume you can pack your own clothes
- Comfortable flats or trainers for city walking
- Light layer for unpredictable UK evenings
Toiletries worth packing
The bits you forget when you are packing in a rush
- Dry shampoo
- Straighteners or curlers (if the house has no spare)
Hen party props and kit
Sashes, games, house decorations and photo kit for the group
- Hen party sash for the bride (essential)
- Sashes for the group (essential)
- Veil or tiara for the bride (essential)
- Matching sunglasses for group photos
- Printed hen party games or question cards (essential)
- House decorations — banner, balloons, bunting or table styling
- Blu Tack for hanging decorations (avoid Sellotape — it peels paint and can come off your damage deposit)
Easy to forget
ID, chargers, cash and hangover kit
- Photo ID (passport or driving licence) (essential)
- Cash for taxis and venues that do not take cards (essential)
- Phone charger (essential)
- Portable phone charger (essential)
- Reusable water bottle
- Prescription medication (essential)
- Pain relief (ibuprofen and paracetamol) (essential)
- Plasters and blister plasters
- Antacids or heartburn tablets
- Electrolyte sachets for the morning after (essential)
- Accommodation address, key code and host contact (essential)
- Portable speaker for the house
- HDMI cable if you plan to plug in a laptop for playlists or a photo slideshow
Check with the property
Confirm what the hen house already provides before you duplicate or miss things
- Confirm towels and bed linen are provided
- Confirm hairdryer at the property
- Confirm iron and ironing board
- Ask whether dishwasher tablets are provided
- Ask what starter supplies the host includes (tea, coffee, loo roll)
- Ask about coffee setup (machine type, pods, cafetière)
- Ask about the TV — HDMI for a laptop, or Netflix / smart apps on the TV
Kitchen, larder and shop run
Self-catered house staples for a big group arrival
- Tea, coffee, sugar and milk for the group
- Compatible coffee pods or ground coffee for the house machine
- Bread, butter and snacks for the arrival night
- Kitchen roll and extra loo roll for a big group
- Washing-up liquid and dishwasher tablets (if not provided)
- Bin bags
- Prosecco or welcome drinks for the first night
Quick tips before you start
- Select your planned activities — that is how we surface trainers, heels and other easy-to-forget footwear.
- Staying in a hen house? Message the host about towels, bed linen, dishwasher tablets and coffee setup before you shop.
- Hanging banners or balloons? Pack Blu Tack — Sellotape peels paint and can be deducted from your damage deposit.
- Copy the list into WhatsApp so everyone sees the same easy-to-forget items — not just a link.
- Bring a portable phone charger. A dead phone on a night out is miserable.
- Cash still matters for taxis and late-night venues that do not take cards.
