Hen Do Ideas That Aren't a Bottomless Brunch (We Love a Brunch, But Still)

The bottomless brunch. The life drawing class with the cheeky model. The cocktail making. The escape room where nobody actually escapes because someone is too nervous about their outfit to crawl through a tunnel.

We love all of it. We really do. But if you're reading this, you're probably the kind of maid of honour who wants to do something a little different. Something that feels like her. Something people are still talking about at the wedding.

Here are some genuinely brilliant hen do ideas — including one that we think might change how you think about the whole thing entirely.

The Classics (Briefly, Because They're Classics for a Reason)

Before we go rogue, it's worth saying: bottomless brunches exist because they work. Same with spa days, cocktail masterclasses, and boat parties. If your bride absolutely loves one of these things, do that thing. The best hen do is the one the bride actually wants.

But if you're looking for something more personal, more memorable, or more "us"... Read on.

Unique Hen Do Ideas Worth Considering

A private chef experience at home or in a rented house Hire a chef to come to you. Everyone in their comfiest clothes, no heels required, a beautiful meal, great wine, and the whole night to sit around the table without a DJ drowning out the conversation. Underrated.

A weekend away somewhere unexpected Margate, Whitby, Tenby, the Cotswolds. Somewhere with a bit of character. Rent a house, bring board games, cook together, walk somewhere beautiful. Surprisingly affordable split between a group and genuinely restorative.

A pottery or ceramics class Slightly less Demi Moore, significantly more Instagram. Everyone makes something, nobody's any good at it, it's chaotic and fun and you go home with something handmade.

A flower-arranging workshop Sounds fancier than it is. Most cities have these now, they're gorgeous, and everyone leaves with a bouquet. Very hen, very lovely.

A personalised board game night — and this is the one we really want to tell you about

The Hen Do That IS the Hen Do

Here's an idea that we've seen completely transform a hen do into something genuinely unforgettable.

Known & Loved is a personalised board game — but in the context of a hen do, it becomes something more than a gift. It becomes the whole evening.

Here's how it works: before the hen do, you (or the group together) answer questions about the bride. Her relationship with her partner — how they met, how long they've been together, that story about the first holiday. Her quirks, her opinions, her embarrassing moments. Her future in-laws' names. Her vows (well, what you imagine they'll say).

Known & Loved turns all of that into a fully personalised board game, with a special hen do version that includes partner-specific questions, bride-specific dares, and judge cards that only work when she's in the room.

You arrive at the venue, you lay the board on the table, and suddenly the whole hen do has a focus. Aunties who've never met the university friends are playing together. Her mum is absolutely certain she knows the answer to "describe her partner in one word" and she's wrong. The bride is simultaneously mortified and delighted by the dare she's just landed on.

No DJ required. No heels. No escape room tunnels. Just her people, a game built entirely around her, and an evening she'll never forget.

The best hen dos aren't the most elaborate ones. They're the ones that feel most like her. Start creating her hen do game at knownandloved.co.uk.