Hen Do T-Shirts: Designs the Bride Will Actually Love
By The Velocity Wear Team
Hen party t-shirts get about thirteen hundred UK searches a month, and the style has changed. Pink slogan tees are still around, but plenty of hens now want something the bride would happily wear again: soft colours, tidy embroidery, a nice font. Here's how to plan them.
Is our minimum right for your hen?
We make shirts in runs of 20 or more per design. A hen party of ten won't hit that, and a local personalisation shop will serve you better. Where we fit well: big hen weekends, hens combined with the wider wedding party, or a bridal party ordering shirts for several events. We'd rather be upfront.
Style directions
Classy
A soft cream, sage or blush tee with a small embroidered word on the chest: Bride, Bridesmaid, Hen. A script font in tonal thread. The bride's shirt in white or with a gold detail. These photograph beautifully and get worn afterwards.
Fun
A mock tour shirt with the weekend's destinations, a Bride Squad football shirt with nicknames and the wedding date as the number, or a retro holiday-style graphic.
Cheeky
There's room for a laugh, but keep it light. If the weekend involves a nice restaurant, a spa or the bride's mum, anything too crude might make someone uncomfortable. And some venues won't let groups in with offensive slogans.
Names on the back
Names or roles on the back, like Maid of Honour, Mother of the Bride, Chief Planner, make the shirts personal. Collect them in one list with sizes and check the spelling carefully. Nothing sours a group photo like the maid of honour's name spelt wrong.
Fit and sizing
Mixed-age groups have mixed preferences. Some want a fitted tee, others a relaxed one. If you can, offer a relaxed unisex fit, which suits most people and is kinder to anyone self-conscious. Share measurements in centimetres and let each person pick.
Colours that photograph well
Soft neutrals and pastels look great in natural light and don't clash with holiday backdrops. Black is practical for a night out. White shows everything. If you want the bride to stand out, put her in a different colour or add a small gold or sparkle detail.
Timing
Allow at least four weeks: 10 to 15 working days of production after artwork approval, plus delivery and a buffer. Hen season peaks in spring and summer.
Think beyond the weekend
If you're ordering 20 or more anyway, think about what else the shirts could do. Some bridal parties get matching tees for the morning of the wedding, when everyone's having hair and make-up done, and the photos from that morning are often favourites. Others do a soft sweatshirt for the bride with her new surname on the back. Planning one design that works for the hen and the wedding morning makes the order go further and gives the bride something she'll keep.
Spa and daytime hens
Spa days, afternoon tea and cocktail classes suit a softer, classier shirt or sweatshirt rather than a loud slogan. Embroidered details photograph beautifully in daytime settings.
Keepsakes
Many brides keep their hen shirt as a memento. Consider a slightly nicer shirt for the bride.
Get started
Mock up your design in the design studio, check per-person costs on the calculator, and see our custom t-shirts. For something cosier, our sweatshirts guide has ideas.
