5 Easy Hen's Party Games That Get Everyone Involved

The bride’s school friends have arrived, her workmates are pouring drinks and her sister is trying to remember everyone’s names.

A good hen’s party game helps break the ice. It gives people something to talk about and usually brings out a few stories along the way.

You don’t need a suitcase of props or a complicated set of rules. These five hen’s party games are easy to organise at home, at your accommodation or around a table before the next activity.

Choose one or two that suit your bride and leave plenty of time for catching up.

1. The Partner Quiz

This one takes a little preparation, but hearing the answers is half the fun.

You’ll need: Questions answered by the bride’s partner before the party, plus a copy for the organiser.

How to play: Ask the bride each question and see whether her answer matches her partner’s. Read their answer aloud afterwards, or arrange short video answers to play on the day.

Mix sweet questions with funny ones. Try:

• What was your first impression of each other?

• Who made the first move?

• What is her most-used phrase?

• What would she order for her last meal?

• Which household job does she avoid?

• Who takes longer to get ready?

• What is her dream holiday?

• What would she say is your most annoying habit?

Eight to ten questions is usually enough. Give her a point for each match, then let guests predict her final score.

Make it personal: Finish with a message from her partner about what they’re most looking forward to about married life. It’s a lovely way to end the game after all the teasing.

2. Find Someone Who…

If different friendship groups are meeting for the first time, this gives everyone a reason to introduce themselves.

You’ll need: A printed checklist and a pen for each guest.

How to play: Guests move around the group looking for someone who matches each statement. They write that person’s name beside it, using each guest only once if the group is large enough.

Your checklist could include someone who:

• Has known the bride for more than ten years.

• Has travelled overseas with her.

• Went to school with her.

• Has worked with her.

• Shares her birth month.

• Has a photo with her from before she met her partner.

• Has been on a road trip with her.

• Can tell you her usual coffee order.

The first person to complete the list wins, or set a ten-minute limit and see who finds the most matches.

Make it personal: Ask a few people to share the story behind their answer. That overseas holiday probably deserves an explanation.

3. What’s in Your Bag?

There is almost always one guest carrying something nobody expected.

You’ll need: A points list, paper and pens.

How to play: Read out a list of items and let guests award themselves points for anything they have in their bag.

For example:

Item	Points
Lip balm	1
Sunglasses	1
A reusable shopping bag	2
A snack	2
A phone charger	3
A receipt more than a month old	3
A spare pair of socks	5
Something with the bride’s name on it	10

The highest score wins.

Guests can find their own items and keep the rest of their bag to themselves. You only need to see the things they’re claiming points for.

Make it personal: Add bonus points for something connected to the bride, such as a photo together or an item she gave them.

4. Banned Words

This is an easy game to have running while everyone chats, eats and gets ready.

You’ll need: One peg, bracelet or token per person.

How to play: Choose two or three words that guests aren’t allowed to say. “Wedding”, “bride” and the partner’s name are good starting points because they’re surprisingly difficult to avoid.

Everyone starts with one token. If someone catches another guest saying a banned word, they can claim one of that person’s tokens. At the end of the round, the person with the most tokens wins. Keep the round to around 20–30 minutes so people can return to talking freely afterwards.

Make it personal: Include one phrase the bride says all the time. Check she’s happy to be included in the game before making it the word everyone is listening for.

5. Pitch the Bride’s Most Ridiculous Wedding

For a group that enjoys getting a little silly, this one works well in teams.

You’ll need: Paper, pens and a few prepared prompts.

How to play: Divide guests into small teams and give each team an unexpected wedding brief. They have five minutes to plan it, then one minute to pitch their ideas to the bride.

Possible briefs include:

• A wedding with a $100 budget.

• A wedding in a supermarket.

• A wedding entirely inspired by the bride’s favourite film.

• A wedding planned by her pet.

• A wedding where everything starts with the first letter of her name.

  
  

Each team must come up with a venue, an outfit, a menu and an entrance song.

The bride chooses the winner. Award a bonus point for the detail that feels most like something she would actually do.

Make it personal: Mix up the teams so her friends and family can pool what they know about her. Someone will know her dream dress; someone else will know she’d happily serve hot chips at the reception.

How Many Hen’s Party Games Do You Need?

For most celebrations, one or two is plenty.

Try a short icebreaker as guests arrive, then save another game for a natural gap later in the afternoon. You don’t need to fill every spare minute, especially if you’ve already booked lunch, a dance class or an evening activity.

Choose games that suit the bride’s personality. If she doesn’t enjoy being the centre of attention, a team game can be a better fit than a long quiz with everyone watching her.

Small prizes such as chocolates or a coffee voucher are more than enough. There’s no need to make every wrong answer a drinking penalty - points and a little friendly competition work perfectly well.

Add an Activity Everyone Can Share

Games are a fun way to get people talking. A group activity gives everyone something new to experience together, too.

If dancing is on your bride’s wish list, Dancing Hen’s Nights hosts mobile dance parties across the Gold Coast, Brisbane, Sunshine Coast and Byron Bay, with surrounding areas available by arrangement and Gold Coast studio options.

You can explore our Party Finder for a style that suits your group, then keep the rest of the afternoon simple: good food, a game or two and time with the people she loves.