Interview: Meet A Hen Party Planner
If you’ve spent some time organising a hen do for one of your best mates then it won’t have passed you by just how much work is involved in creating the perfect send-off into married life for your pal.
Whether it’s coordinating calendars, deciding on a location or planning the activities, throwing a good hen party takes a lot of organisation!
Thankfully, there are people who are experts in hen party planning who can lend you a hand with some of the details.
We thought it would be interesting to talk to one of these hen party planners to get the inside line on what it takes to put together a great hen party.
Today we’re chatting to Lesley Henderson who runs a hen party and events business in Edinburgh.
Read on to hear insights from Lesley on her hidden gems in Edinburgh, LGBTQ-friendly event planning and her predictions for how the pandemic will affect hen parties in the long term.
Plan The Hen: Hi Lesley, thanks for giving us this insight into what it’s like to be a hen party planner!
Please tell us a bit about your business
Lesley Henderson: Hi! Thank you for this opportunity, I appreciate you reaching out.
I own Hen-Do and I coordinate Hen parties & weekend events in Edinburgh using a tailored service for an outstanding day to remember. I have a list of activities people can choose from and I work with groups or couples until they have a package suited for them.
PTH: Sounds like a really fun job, but it must also be a lot of hard work! How did you get started in the hen party & event planning industry?
LH: I’ve planned events for over 15 years coordinating a mixture of corporate and commercial which I’ve absolutely loved but last year, I decided it was time to put my own stamp on things and go for it with my own venture.
PTH: That’s great that you decided to follow your passion. Can you tell us about the process you go through when planning a hen party for someone?
LH: I work alongside the lead booker from start to finish and make sure everything is how they imagine it will be to save any disappointments. I’ll meet them on the day, run through everything and then they’re free to have fun!
Every party is so different because everyone wants something individual to them but top priority is making sure my customers feel looked after.
Lesley Henderson – Hen DO Events Edinburgh
PTH: It must be brilliant for your clients to be able to benefit from your experience and creative ideas. What’s your favourite kind of hen party to organise for a bride?
LH: One where they give me free rein on design. It’s good to let my imagination go wild sometimes.
PTH: Definitely, the more unique the better when it comes to hen parties!
We’d love to hear your hidden gems for anyone visiting Edinburgh. Where is the place that most visitors miss?
LH: Most people usually miss the castle or the gothic side of Edinburgh but for hidden gems, The Shore area has some lovely places to eat & drink with a food market at the weekends.
Dean Village is gorgeous for a scenic walk and Hoot The Redeemer is ideal for cocktails and surroundings a little bit different.
PTH: We saw that you recently did some training and became an LGTBQ certified wedding supplier. That sounds like a really interesting and important course for anyone in the wedding industry.
Can you share your biggest takeaway from the course?
LH: It was a great course and really kind of them to offer this. For me, it re-enforced the importance of giving everyone a space in the world and more importantly, the wedding industry.
The LGTBQ community has been left out in the past and it’s great to see the industry being more accepting recently. Everyone deserves to celebrate their love for each other, regardless of orientation.
PTH: We’ve seen lots of beautiful at-home hen party set ups you’ve done, including this beautiful setting you shared on Instagram:
How do you think the Covid-19 and the lockdown will affect hen parties and events in the long term and do you think there will be a move to simpler, or more hen parties at home?
LH: Thank you! Yes, unfortunately I think events in general will be affected for a long time but this is also a great opportunity to try something you wouldn’t have considered previously and be creative with the spaces we have to use until everything opens back up fully.
I think this year has reminded us life is too short not to try all the things and to have some fun while we still can.
Thank you so much for taking the time to give us an insight into the exciting world of hen party and event planning, Lesley, we really appreciate it!
If you want to find out more about Lesley’s business or think you might benefit from more of her wisdom when organising a hen party, go and give her a follow on Facebook and Instagram.
If you’re planning a hen party in the Scottish capital, then don’t miss our recommendations for the best hen party accommodation in Edinburgh!
