Of course every bride wants a wonderful hen do, but in the end it’s the people who make the party, not the place you hold it. And that means you don’t have to shell out a fortune travelling to exotic destinations for lavish long weeks or weekends.

Whisper it quietly, but over-the-top hen parties are beginning to be regarded as not only embarrassingly ostentatious, but also extremely stressful to plan and deeply inconsiderate of those friends who are a bit strapped for cash and either have to break the bank to attend or simply not go.

So what do you do if a simple night out at the local pub doesn’t really appeal.

We asked the penny saving experts at Promotionalcodes.org.uk how brides and their besties could save a fortune, do something different and still have great fun and they came up with 10 fabulous ideas for home hen parties – where you can push the boat out a bit (because you’re not spending a fortune on travel and hotels) and spoil yourselves.

And here they are:

Treasure hunt

The teambuilding, competitive nature of treasure hunts means everyone will get involved and have some fun. Split into teams and make up some great clues – the more memories, and inside jokes the better. The luxury of personalised treasure hunts is that they can be individual and sentimental by iloring to fit the bride to be and her pals.

Dinner party

Think canapes and Champagne followed by a delicious three course meal cooked by a hired chef. The dress code could be smart cocktail dresses, roaring Twenties etc. And in between courses guests can play board games or personalised hen party games such as the Mr and Mrs Quiz, bridal bingo and a bride trivia quiz.

Festival fun

Create a mini festival either inside or outside the home. Decorate the space with hay bales, bunting, picnic blankets and speakers and get a killer playlist on the go with plenty of the bride-to-be’s favourite tunes. Be sure to provide hens with flowery headbands and make it clear that the dress code is festival, so wellies and flip flops are a must.

Summer BBQ

If the weather is looking up, host a summer BBQ – buy in lots of different meats, get others on hand to cook (the hen party will be too busy eating and having fun). Decorate the garden with pretty tea lights, plenty of chairs and bean bags. Get giant versions of games such as Jenga, chess, draughts and even table tennis to keep everyone entertained.

Spa day at home

Don the dressing gowns, cut cucumber slices and get the facemasks in.  Hire beauty therapists to have pamper stations in the home offering different treatments such as massages, manicures, pedicures and facials. It’s a great way to relax, recuperate and beautify.

Cheese and wine night

Cheese and wine nights are a great way to entertain guests with a touch of class. Make sure the dress code is smart, hire a wine connoisseur and get some rustic boards and cheese knives. Do some research into wine and cheese pairing and be sure not to scrimp on the goods – with everyone chipping in it’s important to get quality cheeses and wines so people can have the best experience.

Cocktail classes

Hire a mixologist to hold cocktail mixing classes at home – the cocktail sampling will be a brilliant prelude to a night out so it’s a good idea to turn up ready to hit the town. The hen party can even make their own personalised cocktails for each other and name them.

Afternoon tea

Band together or hire a caterer to provide an epic afternoon tea – this can be tailored to the bride-to-be’s favourite things and it’s a nice sociable dining experience which gets people talking whilst they sample different items and admire the decorations and theme. Board games can be played and champagne can be sipped for a humble afternoon hen do.

Pyjama party

A good old-fashioned pyjama party will get everyone in the mood to have some childish fun. Get into comfy clothes, get the blow-up beds together, sort out a movie line up and get popcorn and Champagne on the go. Hen party games such as ‘truth or dare’ and ‘drink if…’ will go down a treat at a sleepover hen.

Casino night in

Get the casino glad rags on and get rolling dices. You can hire different casino stations such as poker, roulette and even a slot machine in the home. Hire a casino chaperone to teach everyone how it works. The atmosphere will be thick with excitement and competition. For an even better experience hire a waiter to serve drinks while everyone plays games.

And….enjoy!