WeddingDates.ie

We have finally had a little taster of spring over the last few days with blue skies and sunshine (though it is still freezing cold!)  Well, we heard word here in WD HQ about a new workshop happening in West Cork this May called “Face into Summer”  Brides, to be….it’s time to look after Number One!  Why not treat yourself to a fun weekend with friends and learn something new!

Saturday workshop 10am – 5pm:

• Learning how to make beauty products from your Kitchen Cupboard and how to use essential oils
• Making a product yourself to take home & enjoy
• Tips on how to do the perfect Facial and look after your skin

The weekend includes two nights Bed & Breakfast, Saturday workshop, lunch on the Saturday, Bubbles Reception & Four Course Dinner in Druids Restaurant on Saturday night, followed by music in the Kingfisher Bar and costs only €135 per person!! Ideal for a girly break away or even a hen party idea…the hopping town of Clonakilty is nearby, so you can hit the tiles if you want after the workshop!

Sally Miller is a qualified Nurse Aroma Therapist and Massage Therapist. She has many years of experience in skin care and muscular problems. Sally has created her own range of Natural Cosmetics Collection. www.sallymiller.ie

To make a reservation contact The Celtic Ross Hotel a great West Cork Wedding Venue on 023 8848722 or email reservations@celticross.com

With the dreaded “recession” jetting off for Hen & Stag parties abroad is becoming rarer and rarer, so more people are looking around for fun and different activities in Irish towns and cities around the country. There are Greyhound Stadiums around the country and they are now actively promoting themselves as a Hen & Stag venue of choice.

They have full catering facilities and varied menus from €25 to €45 per head.

Many of the stadiums have links with local hotels to do package deals, which make things even easier to plan!  Here’s where you can head to:

• Shelbourne Park, Dublin
• Curraheen Park in Cork
• The Kingdom, Tralee, Co. Kerry
• Kilcohan Park, Waterford
• Mullingar Greyhound Stadium, Westmeath
• Dundalk Greyhound Stadium, Louth

More Infomation is available or book directly online on www.igb.ie, or alternatively call the national sales centre on 1890 269 969.

This months competition is courtesy of Boo TeeShirts - personalized t-shirts for hen parties.  You can win a custom designed t-shirt for the bride and 9 of her friends simply by telling us how your G2B proposed in the comments! (click on the link above to add a comment)  We will pick a winner and announce it in next months newsletter.  If you haven’t already signed up to get your monthly wedding fix, you can do so in the pink box on the right —–>>

This week I was invited to the launch of Kate Hyde’s new book “How To Hen Party“.  Kate is the woman behind the hugely successful site henparty.ie which you might have seen on last years Dragons Den series on RTE.  henparty.ie features loads of advice and ideas for hen nights as well as featured hotels and suppliers who will help make the hen night a success.  With ideas ranging from Poll Dancing to helicopter rides - there surely is something for everyone!  The site also includes an online shop where you can conveniently (and at a very affordable price) pick up all the necessary hen paraphernalia.

In the book “How To Hen Party“, Kate advises chief bridesmaids on the “Rules” of the Hen Party and how to make it a night that no one will forget - especially the Hen herself!

The book covers all the essentials including:

• Where to go, what to do and how to do it
• Games, themes, nice ideas and more
• Handling ‘Hen-zilla’
• Managing the money side of things
• Bringing back The Trousseau and the Kitchen Party

With many places now getting stricter on hens and stags, its great to highlight the towns and accomodation offerings that not only are hen-friendly, but openly welcome a gaggle of women away for a weekend!

One such place is The Surf Lodge in the magnificent Inchydoney Beach, near Clonakilty in West Cork.  A stunning part of the country, Inchydoney will make you feel a million miles from your hectic everyday life, yet still is only a 3 minute spin from Clon, a bustling little town well known for its ledgendary music bar DeBarra’s.

The “Hen House” sleeps 16 people, dormatory style and overlooks the blue flag beach.  There are plenty of activities to keep the hens entertained for the weekend including Whale Watching, Spa treatments in the nearby Hotel, Moonlight Kayaking and naturally enough, Surfing Lessons.  These packages can be added on from €35 - €65 per person.

For a weekend in Wild West Cork - why not check out their fabulous packages for Hens?

My cousin is getting married in June, and last weekend we decended on the town of Carlow for her hen party.  Girls came from all over Ireland (the bride is from Mayo but works in Kildare) and chose Carlow as a central location.  I was initially dubious I have to say (The Stag got to go to Liverpool!) but turned out to be a fanastic location! We stayed in the fabulous Golf Lodges at the Killerig Golf Resort 10kms outside of Carlow.  The lodges were a great option as we had a base for the weekend and were able to order in Chinese, cook our own food and of course, bring in plenty of our own drink!

Fancy Dress theme for the night was the 80’s and all of the girls put in a great effort!  We had lots of fun in the lodges doing our hair & make up and drinking Cosmopolitans!  It is a cheap alternative to going out, particularly if you are doing a 2 night hen.  The chief bridesmaid organised some hen-games which we had great gas doing and they were also a good ice-breaker as not everyone at the hen knew each other before hand.  One of the games was to split the group into 3 and each team had to design and dress one of the 3 bridesmaid ‘models’ using masking tape and toilet paper!  Vera Wang eat your heart out…

We hit the town on Saturday night, going out for a meal and then clubbing to the Foundry, one of the biggest nightclubs in Ireland.  As a student-town, there was plenty of buzz in the place and a choice between live band or DJ inside in the massive club.  Everywhere was very hen-friendly and I could highly recommend both the Killerig Golf Resort AND Carlow town as an ideal hen destination.

For DIY hen ideas and games (and of course to buy the hen paraphernalia), check out: www.hen-party.ie and to take the hassle out of organising the hen, have expert hen planner Jenni from www.poshfizz.com take over and possibly even organise some really ‘different’ hen ideas!

Tell us about your own hen experiences?  Any good games/locations you have been to?

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