Our lips are getting a lot of attention recently, with The Red Lippy Project taking place last Friday (you might have seen us all (guys included) on our Facebook page raising money for Cervical Cancer Screening by donning the best red lippy we could get our hands on) and now it’s the main event today, with it being National Kissing Day!

My plans for the day consist of setting up a £1 Kissing Booth and watching the tumbleweed roll on by, but a better way to make sure you’re set for the occasion (and can keep the love flowing) is with all the lip-inspired goodies you can get, showing that it doesn’t just end with some lipstick.

Below are some of Hen Heaven’s favourites:

At the Office…

Who knows, you might have an office crush and today might be your chance… Or you just want to dress up your desk and make things look a bit more exciting. Either way, here are a few ideas:

Lips Pencil Toppers – £3.00 (ASOS)

First off, a pair of little lippy office delights from ASOS is this lips pencil or pen topper. You don’t want your pen to dry out or your pencil to be lipless do you? Of course not – and seeing as you’re probably shopping with ASOS most weekends or even weekdays (aren’t we all) you might as well throw this £3 treat into your cart.

Lips Paper Clips – £3.50 (ASOS)

The same goes for these lips paper clips – the only problem with them is that I feel they’ve completely missed a trick by not calling them Paper Lips or Paper cLIPS… right?

Post-It Lips Shaped Notes – £2.26 (Staples)

So you’ve got your pencil topper, your paper cLIPS (I’m coining that) are holding your important documents together but wait, you just need to note something down really quick. Forget about those boring yellow squares, because now you can some great pink lip-shaped Post-It Notes.

At Home…

I’m not sure what your other half will think about this, but if you fancy dotting a few kisses throughout your interior design, these are probably the boldest ways to do it:

Lip Telephone £15-£100 (Various Outlets)

If you have a home office this could be just the thing for it – and it could even be something you’ve always wanted but have always forgotten to get… so let National Kissing Day be your reminder. Available in many different versions such as the classic, iconic red all the way to a pair of crystallised lips as found here.

Lip-Shaped Sofa £400+ (Various Outlets)

If you’re prepared to buy one of these, then you definitely are going all-out for National Kissing Day! Your front-room (do you really think he’d let you put it in there?) or spare room will be looking like a movie-set with a pouting sofa ready to swallow you up. Like the lip phone, you can get these from so many places and they all vary in price… just make sure it hasn’t got bad breath!

In Fashion…

H! Bag by Henry Holland (Now reduced to just £14)

Still in stock and saving you £11 from its original price is this absolute steal from Henry Holland. A striking bag that is perfect to add a burst of colour and playfulness to any outfit… or if you’re not that daring, as a relatively cheap little choice to keep in reserve for a fancy dress party (if you love this as an everyday item, I DID NOT mean to be harsh by saying it would work for fancy dress… I’m a guy, what do I know).

Lips Necklace – £5.99 (New Look)

If you’re searching for something a little more low key than a loud pink bag or a huge red lipped sofa, then this is probably going to be the accessory for you as this little pair of lips to hang around your neck is perfect for any day, not just tomorrow – as it isn’t as much of a statement as others but still looks great!

Aaaaaaaaand that about rounds it up for all the lips you can cover yourself, your house and your office in – so which of them will you choose – and who will you be kissing today? (Please come to my kissing booth located right in the centre of Brighton… thanks).

I’m sure there has been a moment in your life where you’ve been avec wine but sans bottle opener, which is about as frustrating as having a case of bottled beer and no bottle opener (I know this feeling all too well). So after discovering all manner of ways to open a beer bottle without the need for a bottle opener I thought there must be ways of opening a bottle of wine without a corkscrew.

Turns out there are, hurrah! So without further ado, here’s a handful of incredibly useful ways of opening a wine bottle without a corkscrew:

Against a tree

This seems to be the most common method, and would come in handy for those picnics and afternoons spent in the park. All you’ll need is a shoe (just find a guy) to place your bottle in, or a towel, scarf or something material to wrap your bottle in. Then you just need to start tapping the base of the bottle against a tree. Slowly but surely the force from striking the tree will edge the cork out of the neck of the bottle. Just keep an eye on the cork and when it’s far enough out for you to get a fair grip on you’re in business. If you’re not in a park but there is a solid wall nearby this will work just as well:

A Coat Hanger

Not that I’d condone it but if you fancy a quick tipple before you leave a hotel room (maybe you’re on a hen do, or a family holiday) just hope that the coat hangers are made of wire. If they are you’re in luck, just watch this video and in a matter of minutes you can be enjoying a nice glass of vino before you head out for a night on the tiles:

A Knife (Careful!)

Okay, I cannot stress enough how CAREFUL YOU MUST BE WITH THIS NEXT ONE. The following video shows how simple it is to pop open a bottle of your finest red or white with a knife. Just make sure that you never, ever, ever attempt this when you’ve been drinking. I wouldn’t even trust myself to try this one sober:

Spoon

One thing that you’ll almost always have to hand is a spoon of some kind, so knowing how to jimmy a cork out of a wine bottle using one is a fairly invaluable skill. Watch and learn from what I think is a couple of experts with a slightly obsessive fascination with Alan Rickman in Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves:

A Wooden Spoon

Finally, what I consider to be quite an ingenious method, a wooden spoon! It’s not the tidiest or easiest option but it is definitely useful to learn because you can find a wooden spoon in 99.99% of kitchens around the world. So now the wooden spoon has two uses, stirring and opening bottles of wine:

Hello Girlies!

It’s been awhile since I’ve posted a blog post, mainly because I’ve been over at our corporate events blog drumming up excitement for the up-coming festive season (talking about Christmas already – slightly depressing I know…) and also because I’ve been very busy with our PR coordinator [Lynsey] organising a special treat for all of you!

Unfortunately it didn’t involve Ryan Gosling topless in anyway (one day it’ll happen!) but it did involve my second favourite thing – cosmetics and not just any cosmetics but Benefit Cosmetics!

That’s right ladies; we here at Hen Heaven have joined forces with the lovely beauts at Benefit Cosmetics to offer you the chance to WIN the Perfect Party Night out in London for you and 3 friends!

The fabulous prize includes: -

• 1 night stay in a 4* hotel in London
•  A Benefit Cosmetics pamper party (the winner even receives a goody pack worth £100!)
• VIP entry into a top London nightclub
•  A cocktail master class for the winner & all her friends

Sounds good? Of course it does! Want to win? Of course you do! All you have to do is CLICK  ON THE BELOW BUTTON to get started!

Good luck girls! x

Calling all hens heading out on their hen parties between 31st May and 30th June 2013! We know this could be late notice but being a little spontaneous is good! Especially when you can gain £250 in return for being part of a new TV series surrounding hens which is set to air on a major TV channel.

How could you not be a little intrigued and want to capture all of the great memories and good times on a show you can save forever and share with the rest of the world? It sure beats making an album of photos on Facebook doesn’t it? We can’t provide all details away right here but the show is being produced by True North Productions and if you’re one to watch the credits of your favourite shows closely, you’ll know that these are the guys behind the huge MTV hit The Valley’s.

We know this one is gonna be good, so for your chance to be part of something big, get in touch with us as soon as possible and contact: marketing@theeventagroup.com where you will be sent further information… Speak to you soon!

Image source: Kamira / Shutterstock.com

This weekend saw one of the busiest weekends of the year for hen and stag dos up and down the country, and Brighton was definitely no exception. Thousands of hens and stags descended on the city for three glorious days of sun and fun, bringing in a predicted £1m in extra revenue!

The one and only Cat was asked to comment on the weekend, and she focused on the extra revenue and repeat business that these weekends can ultimately bring to cities that people visit for their hen or stag do.

The weather certainly fueled everyone’s good time vibes as we’ve had plenty of reports back from happy hens already, not just in Brighton but all over! Wherever you were in Brighton all manner of fancy dressed groups were out and about enjoying themselves and giving a fantastic send off to their friends.

Bank Holiday Monday saw groups recovering on the beach and soaking up the sunshine before they had to make their way back to various corners of the country. Ice cream and cold drink sales were up and businesses saw plenty of extra revenue.

This is only the beginning as well, with the wedding season starting we can expect plenty more stag and hen parties to be enjoying themselves all over the world for the next few months, so lets just hope the weather improves for everyone!

If you’re looking to book a hen party for your bestie why not start with our special offers? Great if you’re looking to put together something special on a budget. Find out more here.

Once upon a time brides would dress their bridesmaids in horrific creations, in an attempt to avoid being upstaged on their big day. Thankfully brides are now realising the importance of allowing their girls to put their best, most fashionable foot, forward.

Whilst the spotlight must always be on the Bride and Groom, this season sees the ever-versatile bridesmaid’s dress stepping into a spotlight of its own. With emphasis on flowing Grecian beauties, such as the Goddess Maxi dress from Coast; cinched waists, glamorous necklines and romantic twists, bridesmaids’ dresses are moving towards more elegant, flattering styles.

Strapless Dresses vs. Illusion Necklines

The strapless dress, a traditional favourite, has undergone a revamp this season. Illusion necklines allow for the impression of a strapless dress, but at the same time adding a little more glamour and elegance to a well-loved style. Taking inspiration from wedding gowns themselves, one-shoulder dress styles, such as the Maya Maxi, are a fresh and practical alternative to strapless.

L-R: Cindy Taffeta, Lori Lee Short Dress in Blue, Lori Lee Short Dress in Neutral & the Maya Maxi Dress from Coast-Stores.com

Garden Party Goddess

Scrumptious berry and macaroon tones take on a Greek Goddess persona with flowing and draped fabrics that highlight all the best features. Twists and pleats add interest to necklines and waists and allow the dress to float through the air. The cinched waste flatters most body shapes and with high-necklines and halter-necks making an appearance, the season, in true feminine style, has catered for everyone.

L-R: Elisa Short Dress, Shania Maxi Dress, Goddess Short Dress & Michigan Maxi Dress from Coast-Stores.com

Colour Infusion

With Emerald Green, Nectarine and Monaco Blue leading the way as ‘Colours of the Season’, dresses have returned to the truly beautiful and elegant creations they should be. Miss-matched Bridesmaids dresses are still in this season and with so many alternatives and remakes of the old classics; Bridesmaids can truly look their best, in styles that suit them best.

If you’re looking for bridesmaids dress inspiration, Coast offers a range of flattering styles in various colours and lengths to suit your bridesmaids shapes and styles.

Every weekend we not only send plenty of hen parties to Brighton for their hen weekends, but we also see them and many more in the city over the course of the weekend, all giving the hen . So we thought we’d give you a quick fire list of 10 reasons to come to Brighton for your hen weekend.

It’s by the sea

Visit in the summer months and you can chill on the beach with a drink, take a walk along the pier for an ice cream and soak up the sunshine. You can even walk out from some of the clubs down on the seafront and straight onto the beach in the early AM if you wanted to, which is easily doable in the summer months.

It’s cultured

No matter when you’re in Brighton you’ll always find plenty of colourful characters and a wide range of events and festivals in the different areas of Brighton. We’ve just seen the Great Escape Festival, and the Brighton Festival and Brighton Fringe Festival are currently in full swing.

Close to London

You can get a train direct from London in about an hour, and from other counties in two or three. The city is well connected by all forms of transport making it a relatively hassle-free destination for everyone.

Adonis Cabaret

One of our most popular activities for hen parties has to be the Adonis Cabaret, book this up and you’ll see why these guys and queens are so popular!

North Laine / The Lanes

The North Laines are a great place to shop, eat, drink and people watch, with loads of quaint little shops, cafes, pubs and restaurants. The Lanes are also worth seeking out. Brighton is also great for shopping if you’ve got the time as well!

Brighton Marina

Another place to shop and people watch, with even more places to eat and drink, or even catch a film or go bowling. You’ll find plenty of choice no matter what you want to do.

Brighton Wheel

Get a bird’s eye view of Brighton seafront and the pier on the Brighton Wheel, which was actually shipped over from South Africa following its use there for the World Cup!

The nightlife baby!

Brighton has enough bars, pubs and clubs that there is (supposedly) one for each day of the year. That’s one hell of a bar crawl!

The Architecture

Whether it’s the pier, it’s listed buildings and the buildings found down the North Laines, Brighton’s architecture lends to its charm and makes for some great photo opportunities. We’re all fantastic photographers now thanks to Instagram and the like!

It’s Hen Party Central

Put all this together and no wonder Brighton is one of the most popular hen party destinations in the UK, year after year. See what you could do on your hen weekend!

Some hens want the spas, others want the guys but have you ever dreamed of having a ‘fantasy rock concert’ hen party, with all your favourite bands playing the music you love, live, just for you and your friends?

How about strutting your stuff to The Rolling Stones, shaking your tail feather to The Beatles, singing along with Adele or showing off your killer dance floor moves to the Kings of Leon – all without buying a single ticket, travelling miles to a venue, or waiting for ages in the queue for the ladies loos!

Hiring a function band could be perfect for any group of girls out for a good time without the hassle struggling to get tickets, reluctant taxi drivers and restrictions on party numbers! All you need to provide is a venue for the band to play in, and that could be anywhere from a hotel function room to a marquee, a barn, a boat or even your own back garden. You can invite as many friends as you can fit in (legally), and they know it won’t cost them an arm and a leg once they arrive on sky-high club bar prices or taxis across town.

With a function band for hire, you can release your inner Dance Diva or Club Chick and hear the music you love the best. If you tell the function band well in advance the music you love, the bands that rock your world, they’ll usually create a show just for you with favourite songs and non-stop hits from start to finish.

Most entertainment agencies websites have full profiles of the bands with demo tracks, videos and pics of the lads (usually four lads and young fit lads at that…) so you can hear and see them in action. Fancy some giggles and a hassle free gig? This might just be a perfect accompaniment to your hen festivities.

This post was written by Alive Network (www.alivenetwork.com), which is the UK’s largest live music and entertainment service, with over 4000 experienced musicians, bands and groups on its books.

If you’ve booked a hen weekend then you’ll probably have one evening where you don’t have anything planned in the way of dining or late night entertainment. So what should you do with this ‘quiet night in’ then?

Staying in doesn’t mean that you’re being boring, or not taking advantage of your weekend to the full. No, in fact it can be quite the opposite. You don’t need to go out to have a great night, it’s all about the company you keep, and on your hen weekend you’ll have your best girls with you. Here are a few popular hen party ideas:

Takeaways

Girls gotta eat, and so a takeaway should be high up on the list of the evening’s priorities. If your hen group is big then you’ll be able to order from two or three different takeaways to ensure that everyone can order their favourite. Whether you like Chinese, Indian, Thai, Pizza, Burger & Chips, Kebabs or Fish & Chips you’ll be able to find something you like and from somewhere that will deliver almost all the way to your door. I say almost because you may have to go meet the delivery driver in the hotel lobby.

Being able to order takeaways online makes ordering food for large numbers much easier, as you no longer have to reel off an endless list to the person who had the misfortune to answer a call from a group of 20 wishing to order! Order online and you’ll find that keeping tabs on who has ordered what is much easier.

Movies

So you’re getting some food in, which means you now need something to do to accompany your takeaway, and what goes hand in hand with a takeaway? A movie! This may be dependent on your hotel room and if it offers a DVD player or not. Some hotel TVs may have them built in, or better still they may offer pay-per-view films through their TV system. There is nothing better than laughing uncontrollably at a film with your friends with a slice of pizza within arm’s reach.

You can always bring movies with you for the weekend, especially if you have a film in mind already. It is also worth asking ahead about the availability of a DVD player, if there isn’t one for you to use at the hotel then someone just needs to bring their laptop, then you’re set. You may even get lucky and have a TV in the hotel room that allows you to connect or even wirelessly stream your film from the computer to the TV. Job done.

Fun and games

Ok, so the food and pizza won’t take up your entire evening, so you’ll probably want to arrange a bit of fun for everyone to partake in. Let’s just make it clear that spin the bottle is out of the question, so what else to do? This is where it pays to plan ahead by bringing some games with you. One that is probably already popping into your minds is Twister, and why not? It is the ultimate drunken adult party game, and one that guaranteed to produce endless laughs for everyone.

These ideas should get you thinking about what your hen night in will entail, and I’m sure that your imagination will run wild with ideas and suggestions about how you can tszuj up your ‘quiet’ hen weekend evening!

So it’s Alcohol Awareness Month in America and we’re posting a few alcohol-related blogs throughout April. Last week was a quick overview of the month, and today we’re looking at how the UK’s Alcohol Awareness Week (AAW) tackled the issue in November last year.

The theme set for 2012’s AAW was ‘It’s time to talk about drinking’, which was chosen to allow people to talk about the many different aspects of alcohol and the consumption of, not just ‘how lashed were you last night?’ kind of conversations.

To accompany the campaign Alcohol Concern produced a small number of fact cards which were intended to make more people aware of some of the more eye opening alcohol facts. For instance, over 200,000 people come to work with a hangover every day. These facts were followed with the statement ‘Makes you think, doesn’t it?’

While there is no mistake that you can have a good time while drinking, there are far too few conversations about the health risks, stigmas and taboos that come with drinking and alcohol consumption. Many who consume alcohol aren’t sure how many units their favourite tipple contains; fortunately Alcohol Concern produced a ‘What’s in Your Drink?’ poster, which usefully displays the average unit count of popular alcohol beverages. Be sure to check it out to get a better idea of just how many units you could be consuming on a regular basis.

Some of you may have partaken in the Dryathalon throughout January, which came about as a result of AAW ’12. Anyone who signed up to involve themselves in the event through Alcohol Concern would’ve received tips and information about drinking, with suggestions on how to cut down your alcohol intake and the benefits that can have with your health, sleeping and also your general wellbeing.

As we said last week, you don’t need to cut it out, simply cut it down. Of course, you may not drink a lot of alcohol, in which case you’re probably doing ok. Still, it wouldn’t hurt to read into these things. In fact, Change 4 Life has a great booklet called ‘Don’t Let Drink Sneak Up on You: How to Catch it Out and Cut Back’, which you can read online here.

One of the main suggestions on this booklet is trying to allow yourself two alcohol-free days each week. Do you think this is acceptable, or do you think it doesn’t matter if you drink a moderate amount each day of the week?

For more information:

- http://www.alcoholconcern.org.uk/campaign/alcohol-awareness-week