It’s an honour to be given the task of organising a hen do for your friend. They’ve chosen you over all others because they trust you will do a good job.  However, it may be your first time with such a responsibility so there are a few tips from Redseven to help you on your way.

Plan

When it comes to organising hen weekends it’s important to get the planning stages right, and further, in the right order. There’s no point getting excited about going to Las Vegas, if you find out afterwards that the budget does not accommodate that kind of luxury, or vice versa, settling for Blackpool if the budget stretches to somewhere abroad.

• Talk to the bride-to-be – this is one of the most important steps to getting the hen party right. Discuss with her what ideas she already has, what she definitely doesn’t fancy and make sure you get the list of people she wants to invite. It also makes sense to talk to the bride-to-be’s closest friends as they may have different ideas. Plus, it will help you not to feel overwhelmed with the responsibility lying just with you. Be careful here though; only ask a couple of her closest friends otherwise you’ll end up in a situation with too many people wanting different things

• Decide on a budget – this needs to be discussed with the bride-to-be and possibly two other close friends so you can gauge a fair cost for everyone
• Choose a destination – this will be dependent on the budget as you may be able to go on a hen weekend abroad or you may feel more comfortable asking people to go somewhere in the UK
• Choose when to go – to be fair to everyone it’s best to choose a few possible dates. This ensures that as many people as possible have the opportunity to make it
• Choose activities – is the bride-to-be adventurous or laid back? It’s important to take into account what she likes to do on a normal weekend and not go overboard with activities just because it’s a hen party
• Get the plan together - either on Facebook or in an email, or better still let Redseven organise it all for you. With over 15 years experience they know the best hotels and activities in the UK and abroad and can book them in for you to save you the hassle

Invites

Once you’ve got a decent plan together, along with the list of important people from the bride-to-be in the planning stage, it’s time to send the invites out. Be focused here and make sure you don’t forget anyone from the list. There would be nothing worse than forgetting the mother in law or cousin!

• Send out invitations – here at Ballistic Blue  you can personalise your invites and order on line. There is lots of choice – for example, passport or boarding pass invites work well for hen weekends abroad
• Allow plenty of time for people to make the date by sending the invites out as early as possible. This will also give time for people to save money for the event or arrange a babysitter if need be
• Collect money - Organise a way of getting the money together. Redseven will collect the money for you so you don’t have to and further, you avoid the risk of people owing you money and not knowing when you’ll get it back since everyone pays individually

Enjoy

Most importantly make sure you have fun in the process and don’t stress too much. A hen party is a happy occasion, so it should be treated like one from start to finish!

Here at Ballistic Blue we believe we offer the best range of Stag and Hen invitations you will see anywhere. Whatever your Stag or Hen weekend involves, we have an invite to fit the bill. We particularly love the spoof boarding pass or passport for those of you who are heading abroad and there are great themed invitations for all sorts of activities from cocktail making, go karting, and spa days to 5 aside, paintballing and karaoke. Some are quite rude and should come with an over 18 warning but are guaranteed to raise a laugh. Others offer the chance to include some incriminating photos of the Hen or Stag for everyone’s amusement.

Why send Stag or Hen Invitations?

There are two main reasons why it is worthwhile sending out invitations. Firstly, a great invite gives the chance to really set the scene for the event and build up the excitement. Secondly, it is an opportunity to publish the relevant details. Apart from the obvious date, times and locations – it is good to include more information about the planned activities, the cost, dress code etc. Adding in a contact for RSVP and a date by which replies must be received can help prevent the last minute panics when the numbers attending change.

Why Ballistic Blue?

Our company has a great track record for service and quality and our designs are the best! Don’t just take our word for it – here are some recent reviews for Ballistic Blue from people who have used us for their Hen or Stag invitations.

‘Excellent service and easy to use. Recipients of invites commented on how cool they were.’

‘Had great reaction to the invites, shall definitely use this service again.’

‘Very fast delivery! Great quality! Everyone loved the invites!’

‘The invites were amazing, everyone thought they were quality.’

 ‘Amazing web site and excellent cards and designs. Everyone I have given an invite to has said how amazing they are!’

And to say thank you afterwards…

For Hens who want to thank those organising and attending their Hen weekend, there is a great selection of ‘Thank Yous’ where you can upload photos or give a link to a photo library. (We don’t think many Stags will be doing this – it’s a girl thing!)

You will also find invitations for pretty much any type of celebrations from engagement, wedding, christening and ‘milestone’ birthdays… but start by checking out the Stag and Hen invitations at

www.ballisticblue.com

Our Mailing List function allows you to have each invitation/card personalised with the names of your guests, saving you time and money. You don’t need to enter full address details if you do not want them, just the names if that is all you need.

View this short VIDEO to see a demonstration on how to use the mailing list.

Valentine’s day is fast approaching, we have a range of cards which you can edit and personalise for your loved one.

Also, see our range of personalised gifts - you could send a candle, a personalised bottle of wine/spirits or perhaps one of our other lovely products like a soft toy with a message on the jumper.

Don’t forget that you can get items sent either directly to the recipient, or delivered to your shipping address for you to give it in person.  Please make sure you allow enough time for your order to arrive to avoid disappointment…(Delivery Times)

After sleeping for more than a month since his last cultural adventure, Guernsey Tom was well prepared for another early morning start to beat the crowds at the Great Wall of China. The long drive offered him plenty of time for thought. “What if there is a no stuffed tomato policy like the Taj Mahal? Can you really see it from space?”  Given that he is only a stuffed tomato he sensibly opted to take the reassuringly Austrian built cable car to the top. He was fortunate enough to journey in the same car that John Major had used when visiting, kindly informed by a plaque within. Thanks to zero security Guernsey Tom rolled out of the John Major cable car and climbed a few steps before standing on the Great Wall of China…and it was great!

We love seeing the different ways in which customers use our products, this customer made their poster look lovely by putting it on an easel for their party, they added matching ribbon which finishes it off perfectly!

The goose is getting fat…

but in the meantime you can get organised with your Christmas cards, Christmas party invitations, New Year’s party invitations, personalised Gifts and much more.

If you are wanting to personalise your cards and invitations then a mailing list will be what you need, here is a short video which will help you. Help Video

One of our designers, Guernsey Tom, is off on his travels with a little friend, here is one of his updates to brighten a dull day…

Guernsey Tom made it all the way to the Taj Mahal as promised (see attached). He woke at sunrise and rolled down the street, round the back of the Taj Mahal to the riverside temple where one man and his just about able to float boat waited for a secluded viewing of the Taj Mahal.

Guernsey Tom was amazed that he could see one of the seven wonders of the world in such isolation despite it’s popularity. Fortunately, he was able to see the Taj from the river as passing through security into the actual grounds he was confiscated and temporarily stored in a locker along with his friends Guernsey playing cards. Sitting in the darkened drawer he thought it strange that an inanimate, harmless, cute and cuddly object such as himself was not allowed in when mr penknife entered without a problem!

Off to a national park today to try and spot a tiger. 

Until next time.

It may seem very early but we are already starting to see orders for Christmas Cards, Christmas Party Invitations, Business Party Christmas Invites and Personalised Gifts.

If you are feeling tempted to get organised and haven’t yet used our Mailing List function, take a look at this short video which will give you a quick demonstration as to how it works, if you take the time now this can save you time all year round for parties and events as well as your Christmas cards. Fill up your address book and then make relevant mailing lists. Once they are made they will stay in your Ballistic Blue account to be used time and time again.

Any excuse for a party…