Hen party cocktail class

What it is

A hen party (or bachelorette) where everyone learns to shake cocktails. Hire a mobile bartender to run the class, or lead it yourself with recipe cards and a few shakers. It works as a full evening or a fun start before going out.

Plan ahead

• Three to four weeks before: confirm guests and collect a contribution if sharing costs. Book a bartender if using one.
• One week before: buy shakers (one per 3-4 guests), jiggers, strainers, glasses and the spirits, mixers and garnishes.
• The day before: make sugar syrup (equal parts sugar and hot water), juice limes and lemons, and print recipe cards.

Set the scene

A cocktail station on a kitchen island or table, with ice buckets, shakers, fruit and a menu chalkboard. Rose gold or the wedding colours for balloons. A photo booth with a frame and props.

The three cocktails

1. Pornstar Martini: 50ml vanilla vodka, 25ml passion fruit liqueur, 25ml passion fruit purée, 15ml lime, 10ml sugar syrup. Shake hard with ice, strain into a coupe, half a passion fruit on top and a shot of prosecco on the side.
2. Espresso Martini: 50ml vodka, 25ml coffee liqueur, 25ml fresh espresso, 10ml sugar syrup. Shake very hard to get the foam. Garnish with 3 coffee beans.
3. Mojito: muddle 8 mint leaves with 25ml lime and 15ml sugar syrup, add 50ml white rum and crushed ice, top with soda water. Make an alcohol-free version of each for non-drinkers.

Games

• Mr and Mrs: ask the groom 15 questions beforehand on video; the hen guesses his answers. Wrong answers get a forfeit.
• Mixology challenge: teams invent a cocktail named after the couple. The hen picks the winner.

Food and drink

• Sharing boards, sliders, pizzas or a grazing table
• Plenty of water and soft drinks

Tips

• Set a pace: one cocktail per 30-40 minutes.
• Agree on any secret parts of the night with the hen’s partner (and the hen) in advance - keep it fun for her, not embarrassing.