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There is a lot to consider – and book – when planning a hen party. If you have been chosen as maid of honour you probably know the bride-to-be pretty well. But, while coordinating the girls and activities might cause you a headache, deciding what to do shouldn’t.

If your bestie is a foodie, then you will want a hen party that will tickle her taste buds. Although she might be happy with dinner in a fancy restaurant, it’s her last official weekend with her friends before she becomes a married woman – so you want it to be extra special.

Here are a few ideas to give you some food for thought, literally:

1. Dinner Party

How about a dinner party with a difference? Hire a large self-catering house in the country that will sleep all of you – that way everyone can have a few glasses of wine and not worry about driving! Once you have chosen the perfect accommodation, organise the dinner party. You might want to turn it into a ‘Bake Off’ / ‘Come Dine With Me’ style competition and get everyone involved in the preparation. You could also set a theme – perhaps a murder mystery or simply black-tie.     

2. Afternoon Tea River Cruise

Afternoon tea is perfect for foodies and where better to do it than on the river? Enjoying scones and jam as you float peacefully down the tranquil British waterways is perfect. These are often themed – you could become Alice for the day and go down the rabbit hole on an ‘Alice in Wonderland’ afternoon tea, following Lewis Carroll’s route along the Thames as you devour ‘Eat Me’ cakes and ‘Drink Me’ tea.

3. Cooking Class

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If you are going to eat good food you need to learn how to cook it first. There is a wide range of cookery classes to choose from to suit the taste of every future bride. You could learn how to make sushi, Indian, bread, Japanese, Thai – whatever you fancy. Once you have the skills to create food from one of these delicious cuisines you can then enjoy eating it!

4. Chocolate Making Party

Does the bride-to-be have a sweet tooth? Then you could all become chocolatiers and head to a chocolate making class for a couple of hours. These classes enable you to learn about the history of this sweet treat, make you own and, of course, try them afterwards and take some away for later. 

5. Wine Tasting

Do you know your Pinot from you Merlot? Wine tasting is a great way to bond with the whole hen party – and could take place right here in the UK or could be part of a weekend away in Europe. Head to a vineyard and explore it while tasting the various wines on offer followed by lunch to soak it all up.

6. Food Festival

There are food festivals across the country – and throughout the year – and what could be better for a foodie than a celebration of, well, food? You could go to the Food and Drink Festival in St Ives, which takes place in May. This year the festival saw guest appearances from the likes of food writer Gizzi Erskine, 2013 Bake Off winner Frances Quinn and 2016 MasterChef champion Jane Devonshire. Not only do you get to enjoy a weekend of food you can do so by the beach in one of Britain’s warmer climates. 

7. Cocktail Masterclass 

Would you like to learn how to make a Piña colada or a Mojito? How about a Daiquiri or a Long Island Iced Tea?  A cocktail masterclass will give you an introduction to the tools used to create them as well as the history, followed by a hands-on opportunity to get behind the bars and shake up the colourful drinks yourself and then drink them afterwards! Let’s face it, every foodie needs something tasty to wash it all down with, right?

8. Dinner with a Difference 

You could, of course, just go out for dinner. But, think outside the box and look for somewhere a little different. Why not book a table at Circus – this restaurant and cocktail bar is situated in London’s West End where, as you dig into pan-Asian inspired meal, you will be entertained by various surprise cabaret and circus acts. Or, what about Archipelago? Here you can try the likes of kangaroo, wildebeest, python carpaccio or pan-fried crickets.

Your best friend will love the hen party no matter what you do, but centering it around food will definitely be the icing on the cake!