AUTHOR: BEC OF 'FOR EVERY HEN' Imagine, for just one moment… you’re engaged (woohoo!), you’ve chosen your bridal party, and the wedding planning has well and truly begun. Everything is slowly coming together, with your special date fast approaching. And whilst you’ve been busying yourself with a ridiculously long list of tasks that go hand-in-hand with organizing such a large event, those beautiful bridesmaids of yours have been secretly planning something too. A special celebration for your beautiful self! One last hurrah where you can celebrate your final days as a ‘single’ lady whilst surrounded by close friends and family. Which begs the question… how do you want to spend your ‘final fling before the ring’? Hen’s party, bridal shower or kitchen tea? But to answer this question, you first need to know: what IS the difference between bridal shower and bachelorette party? Is a kitchen tea and bridal shower the same thing? To help, we discuss the three different options below! 
What is a Kitchen Tea?WHAT DO YOU DO AT A KITCHEN TEA? Generally held during the day, a‘Kitchen Tea’ is a fairly relaxed occasion whereby the bride’s closest friends and family (including the groom’s family) gather to share advice regarding the kitchen, enjoy some refreshments, dig in to some light meals and/or high tea, and play a couple of sweet games. It is also commonplace for guests to bring along small gifts suitable for the kitchen (a way to help the happy couple set up their marital home). WHO SCORES AN INVITE? This type of celebration is perfect for those who wish to include the generations in their special day; with grandmothers, aunts, parents and younger family members all finding a Kitchen Tea welcoming and enjoyable. And whilst this type of event was traditionally reserved for female friends and family only, the guest list is entirely up to the host (meaning close male friend/s and family members are more than welcome to take part in the day if you wish!). WHERE DO YOU CELEBRATE? When it comes to location, the beauty of hosting a Kitchen Tea is that there are an abundance of options! As long as the venue is somewhere you feel comfortable celebrating, giggling and telling stories, there is no reason you can’t celebrate there. Whether this be a café, restaurant, house or even a picnic in the park/at the beach depends on your budget and the style of party you’re after.
FUN KITCHEN TEA GAME IDEA:
A sweet, fun and useful Kitchen Tea activity involves asking each guest to write down their favourite recipe prior to the event; bringing it along with them on the actual day. When everyone has arrived, collect the recipes and stick them into a scrapbook. Leave this on a ‘guest book’ table alongside a Polaroid camera and some pens. This gives guests’ the chance to add photos of themselves with the bride-to-be, extra notes, etc. next to their recipe contribution. Memories of the day will come flooding back every time the bride uses this book to create masterpieces in the kitchen! You can find more fun kitchen tea game ideas by clicking here. 
What is a Bridal Shower (or Wedding Shower)?WHAT DO YOU DO AT A BRIDAL SHOWER? Held during the day, a ‘Bridal Shower’ is basically a relaxed celebration with your closest friends and family members (including the groom’s family). Similar to the Kitchen Tea, light meals or high tea is enjoyed, refreshments are served, a few fun games are played, and advice regarding marriage and/or the home is shared. Guests’ may also take this opportunity to ‘shower’ the bride-to-be with gifts (hence the name!). However, unlike the ‘Kitchen Tea’ where gifts are reserved for the kitchen only, offers received at a Bridal Shower can be used anywhere in the home. WHO SCORES AN INVITE? Once again, this is a fantastic way to celebrate with grandmothers, aunts, parents and younger family members. Traditionally, it is a female-only event; however as mentioned earlier, it is entirely up to you who makes the final guest list! WHERE DO YOU CELEBRATE? Whether Bridal Showers are held at the maid of honour’s house or a favourite café down the road, it’s bound to be a good time! As with the Kitchen tea, just make sure the chosen venue is somewhere you feel comfortable sharing stories, having a laugh and letting loose (just a little bit!).
FUN BRIDAL SHOWER GAME IDEA:
This is a favourite of ours because it’s a fun activity and beautiful keepsake all in one! To play, simply ask each guest to write down their favourite memory involving the bride-to-be onto a piece of paper. Collect each memory and, one-by-one, read them aloud to the group. The bride-to-be must then try and guess who each memory belongs to (she may even like to tell the back story if it’s a good one!). After the shower, stick each of the memories into a scrapbook or photo album – a lovely souvenir from a wonderful day! Click here to find more fun bridal shower games. 
What is a Hen's Party (or Bachelorette Party)?WHAT IS A HEN'S PARTY? In complete contrast to the relaxed family affairs mentioned above, a ‘Hens Party’ is often quite the adventure! Generally beginning with some drinks, nibbles and ice-breaker games, the hens soon move on to an activity or two. Depending on the bride-to-be and her wishes (it’s always a good idea to find out what type of celebration she’s after before planning anything!), these activities could be anything from a group dance class to a strip show. By the time the pre-planned shenanigans have finished, expect guests to be well and truly in party mode! It’s not uncommon for celebrations to continue well into the small hours of the morning. WHO SCORES AN INVITE? As a hens party can be quite revealing at times, the bride-to-be must feel comfortable with those in attendance. Therefore, inviting close friends and, if the hen doesn’t get embarrassed easily, family, is a safe bet. This is definitely not the type of event for youngsters (and grandmothers may not appreciate an invite either!). That being said, a hens party doesn’t have to be all cheek. Many brides are opting for classy celebrations these days – no peckers in site – making them more accommodating to other attendees! >>> RELATED ARTICLE: IMPORTANT INVITE DETAILS YOU CAN'T MISS! <<< WHERE DO YOU CELEBRATE? When it comes to location, hen’s parties differ greatly. Almost always they begin at a particular meeting point (such as a house, hotel room or restaurant). This provides time for guests to arrive, get to know one another, and have a few drinks/nibbles before anything too crazy kicks off. Where to next depends on what has been planned. Travel to activities is quite common; however with so many mobile entertainment options available these days, hen parties at home (or at one particular venue) are becoming more and more popular.
FUN HEN/BACHELORETTE GAME IDEA:
‘Before’ and ‘After’ photos make for some hilarious keepsakes of the night. Simply take a picture of each guest as they arrive (looking Ah-mazing!), holing a blackboard or sign that says ‘Before’. Take another photo as guests’ leave (this time holding a board or sign that says ‘After’). Stick each guests’ before and after photo next to each other in a book and challenge your hen to NOT smile when she looks back at it! For a huge list of hen party games (sweet, cheeky and everything in between!), click here. 
Bridal Shower Vs. Bachelorette - What Now?
If you’re not sure what type of celebration your beautiful bride-to-be is after, definitely ask her! If a particular style jumps out at her, let the bridesmaids know as soon as possible and plan accordingly. This will not only mean that you can organize something truly special, but will also ensure that the guest of honour doesn’t end up getting whisked away on a hen’s party when what she really wanted was a bridal shower (or vice versa).
To help with your planning journey, check out the 'Party Planning Tips' page by clicking here! Articles Related to Pre-Wedding Celebrations
Concluding on Bridal Shower Vs. Bachelorette Party Events
Whether you end up organizing a casual high tea, a cheeky night on the town, or a little bit of both, it’s sure to be an event to remember! Why? Because when someone is surrounded by all of their incredible friends at the same time, fun and laughs WILL be had – no matter where you are or what you’re doing!
If you have anything else to add, please don't hesitate to share your thoughts in the comments section below (or via our socials: AUS Facebook Group | Worldwide Facebook Group | Pinterest). Cheers to an AMAZING celebration, no matter the style! Much love, keep smiling - Bec x 
P.S. THE BELOW IMAGE IS PERFECT FOR PINTEREST... GO ON & SHARE THIS BRIDAL SHOWER VS BACHELORETTE PARTY INFO - YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO! :-)
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