Mamma Mia hens party ideas
She’s watched it with the same friends more times than anyone’s counting, and everyone at her hens already knows the words. That’s the magic of a Mamma Mia hens: nobody has to learn a thing. Here’s the whole kit, from the dress code to the last song.
The short answer
Pick her version first: linen by day, a Greek-island long lunch in white and blue; sequins after dark, a Dynamos night of platforms and a dance class; or both. Then set one colour story for the dress code, send an invite with a song-title pun, put share plates down a long table, pour something blue, and save Dancing Queen for when everyone’s finally in the room.
Everything below is tagged, so you can take the half that’s hers.
LinenSequinsBoth
Two ways to do it
Every Mamma Mia hens is really one of two parties, and most organisers know which in about a second.
White linen, lemons on the table, share plates that keep arriving and a lunch that quietly becomes the whole afternoon. Her mum’s there, her nan might be, and everyone’s wearing something she’d happily wear again.
Platforms, flares and enough sequins to light the room on their own. A dance class, a rooftop, and the one song everybody’s been saving until the whole group’s finally together.
Real hens we’ve runLong lunches, rooftops, a round for the table and, eventually, the sequins.
Or both. Linen by day, sequins after dark.
Pack a second top and nobody will ask why.The dress code
Keep it to one colour story and two levels. Linen means white, sea blue and a touch of gold. Sequins means shine, flares and platforms. The bride goes all white either way, and everyone picks her level, so nobody goes further than she wants to and the group photo still looks planned.
Dress code for [Bride]’s hens: Mamma Mia, island edition. White, blue and a bit of gold. One piece is plenty, all in is encouraged. Comfy sandals, it’s a long lunch.
Dress code for [Bride]’s hens: Mamma Mia, Dynamos edition. Sequins, flares, platforms, the lot. One sparkly piece is plenty. Wear shoes you can actually dance in.
In real life
Denim, disco-ball earrings and a pair of blue hearts.
No costume bag in sight, and it still reads Mamma Mia from across the room. That’s the whole trick: one nod to Donna, then wear what you’d happily wear again.
One hero piece, one surprise accessory, and nothing that looks like it came in a costume bag. Pick a look for her, or send the group one each.
SaveAn ivory broderie or lace-trim mini dress with a dramatic hem, barely-there gold sandals and a sculptural pearl necklace. A beautiful bride option without a veil.
SaveA fitted denim waistcoat with a fluid white maxi skirt, tan platform sandals and a red scarf tied through her hair. It nods to Donna’s denim without dressing as Donna.
SaveA cobalt-and-white striped halter or scarf top, crisp white capri pants, red kitten heels and chunky gold earrings. Sharp, playful and unmistakably Mediterranean. Capris and scarf tops are right back, which is why this reads current, not costume.
SaveA lemon or tangerine satin bias-cut dress, flat embellished sandals, a woven bag and a silk scarf at the waist. Ideal for a long lunch that becomes dinner.
SaveA colourful crochet or open-knit co-ord over a tonal slip or swimsuit, with a shell pendant, leather slides and a bright scarf. Think afternoon swim, sunset drinks, then dancing. Colourful crochet and a big pendant keep it this year, not 1979.
SaveA liquid silver sequin mini with an oversized white linen shirt worn open, silver or clear heels and a small metallic bag. The linen stops the disco reference feeling like fancy dress.
More ways to set a dress code for any hens: what to wear on a hens night.
The invites
Three invites, ready to send. Type her details in once and watch the cards fill in, then download the one that’s her for the group chat, or copy the words into your own design.
[Bride] is saying
I do, I do, I do
and we’re taking her to the island first
[Date]
[Time and place]
Wear white, blue and a little gold
RSVP to [you, by date]
The Dynamos are
back together
one night only, for [Bride]
Sequins on. Platforms on.
Phones charged for the photos.
[Date]
[Time and place]
RSVP to [you, by date]
Voulez-vous?
[Bride]’s hens is on
Lunch in linen. Dancing in sequins.
[Date]
[Time and place]
Say oui to [you, by date]
Save the date, to copy: Save the date: [Bride]’s Mamma Mia hens, [date]. Start working on your harmonies.
The share table
Think long table, not canapés on trays. Share plates down the middle, lemons and olives between them, bread for the dips and something sweet at the end. It works as a spread at home, in a holiday house or to start the night, and it suits the linen version and the sequin one.
Olives, feta drizzled with honey and oregano, tzatziki, hummus, taramasalata, warm pita, cucumber and cherry tomatoes.
Spanakopita triangles, grilled halloumi with lemon, chicken or lamb souvlaki skewers and keftedes, the little Greek meatballs.
A Greek salad the way the islands do it: tomato, cucumber, red onion, olives and a slab of feta on top, no lettuce.
Baklava, loukoumades (honey doughnuts), a lemon cake and a plate of iced cookies in blue and white.
A long table means nobody’s balancing a plate on her knee, and the conversation goes all the way down to the far end.
Want a Greek moment? Raise a glass of ouzo. Add a splash of water and it turns cloudy, which is half the fun. Skip the plate smashing (no venue loves it) and throw petals over her as she walks in instead.
Blue glass, lemons, a tumble of bougainvillea and plates that don’t match too perfectly. Then let everyone reach across.
Fold them into little tents and put one in front of every plate.
The drinks
Four cocktails and two with no alcohol, all built to be made in a batch. Every recipe below is one serve; tell the counter how many are coming and it works out a round for the whole group, bottles included. Pour the zero-proof ones into the same glasses as everything else, so nobody’s fielding questions about what’s in hers.
A round for
people
Gin, lemon and Greek honey, with a sprig of thyme.
How: shake hard with ice, strain over fresh ice, thyme on top.
Zero-proof: swap the gin for cold chamomile tea.
The colour of the water in every photo.
How: build over ice, lemonade last.
Zero-proof: skip the vodka and use blue curaçao syrup, the non-alcoholic kind.
Pomegranate, lime and mint. No alcohol, all the colour.
How: build over ice, soda last.
Prosecco with pomegranate, and seeds that dance in the glass.
How: juice first, top with prosecco, drop in the seeds.
Zero-proof: top with non-alcoholic sparkling wine instead.
A pink jug for the table. One jug pours about eight.
How: stir everything but the soda; top with soda at the table.
Zero-proof: swap the rosé for cranberry juice and add an extra splash of soda.
Everything good about the first one, nothing in it.
How: shake the lemon and syrup with ice, strain, top with soda.
The games
Six games that only really work at a Mamma Mia hens. Singing is always optional, and the bride never has to perform to win. Tap a game for how to play it.
Her friends’ memories of her, and she guesses who wrote each one.
Any size20 minPrep: collect before the dayBoth
Make it work: collect them by message beforehand, so nobody’s writing on the night. She keeps the diary.
She had three possible dads. She gets three possible stories.
6 or more15 minPrep: brief three storytellersLinen
Make it work: best over lunch, when everyone’s at one table and can hear.
Describe the ABBA song title without a single word of it, or a note.
6 or more20 minPrep: write or print the cardsSequins
Make it work: pair someone who knows every word with someone who doesn’t. It’s funnier.
Twelve questions and a bonus. Whoever reads doesn’t need to have seen the film.
Any size, in two teams15 minBoth
Trios, one ABBA song each, ten minutes to rehearse.
9 or more30 minPrep: a speakerSequins
Make it work: any trio can hand the spotlight to a willing volunteer. Nobody performs who doesn’t want to.
The quiet one, for late in the night.
Any size10 minPrep: cards and a jarBoth
Want more? 23 hens party games, from sweet to cheeky.
The soundtrack
Everyone knows every song, so the only real question is when. Here’s the night in five acts, with songs from both films and the big one saved for when the whole group’s finally in the room.
The Dynamos running order
The long-lunch running order
Want the rest of the night beyond ABBA? The full hens party playlist.
The scene
Eight signs to print for the photo wall, and a table that looks like lunch at the villa. The photo wall is the one bit of styling that earns its keep: it’s where next year’s group chat photos get taken.
A blue tinsel curtain, two mirror balls hung at different heights, and white and blue balloons clustered at one corner. Tape the signs to paddle-pop sticks and leave them in a jar beside it.
A white linen runner, a bowl of lemons, olive branches, blue glassware and candles in jars. Pink paper bougainvillea if the real thing’s out of season.
Mirror balls down the middle, gold chargers, a scatter of sequins and one very serious disco ball over her seat.
A blue evil-eye charm tied to each napkin (the Greek one, for luck), a paper fan for the linen crowd, glitter for the sequin one.
SaveFrom our own groups
Every photo on this board comes from our own groups’ Mamma Mia celebrations: the bougainvillea down the long table, the drinks sign, the boas at the tinsel wall and the cake that finally said it out loud.
Linen and sequins, in real life. Steal whatever’s hers.
We already run this one
In Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane there’s a Mamma Mia hens you don’t have to build: Voulez-Vous Shes Saying I Do! It starts in a room that’s only yours, with a Mamma Mia themed dance class, and by the second chorus the friend who swore she can’t dance is dancing. Then the night keeps moving, and nobody’s standing on a corner checking a map. A bonus cocktail for her, of course.
You’re in the class with her, not holding everyone’s bags.
Every price is on her city’s page. Celebrating on the Gold Coast? It’s disco rather than ABBA: Disco Divas with bottomless bubbles or Surfers Disco. Perth or Adelaide? Start her Wishlist in Perth or Adelaide and tell us it’s a Mamma Mia hens.
“Thank you so much for the most amazing night at my sisters hens party!!! We all had so much fun and danced the night away. Apparently we were the most active and fun group the Venue have had in a long time!! Also, the dance work shop was amazing! Our host, Rebecca, was amazing and so much fun so please send on our thanks to her! Anyways thank you so much again for your services! I have been recommending you to friends who are getting married! Thank you so much again!! Melanie and Rebecca (hen) x”
Melanie M. · a Roaring Twenties dance-workshop night in Melbourne · Easy Weddings review · More reviews
Quick answers
Pick her version first: linen by day, a Greek-island long lunch in white and blue; sequins after dark, a Dynamos night of platforms and a dance class; or both. Then set one colour story for the dress code, send an invite with a song-title pun, put share plates down a long table, pour something blue, and save Dancing Queen for when everyone's finally in the room.
Pick one colour story and let everyone choose her level. Linen means white linen, sea blue and a little gold. Sequins means sequins, flares and platforms. The bride goes all white either way.
A Greek-island share table: olives, feta with honey, tzatziki and warm pita, spanakopita, halloumi and souvlaki skewers, a Greek salad with no lettuce, then baklava and honey doughnuts. Serve it down one long table rather than on trays.
Dancing Queen, saved for the moment the whole group's in the room. Then Mamma Mia, Waterloo, Gimme! Gimme! Gimme!, Voulez-Vous and Take a Chance on Me for the dance floor, and Thank You for the Music to finish.
Something blue for the island and something pink for the dance floor: Honey, Honey (gin, lemon and honey), Island Blue (vodka, blue curacao and lemonade), Super Trouper (prosecco and pomegranate) and a rose and watermelon jug. Each one has a zero-proof swap.
It's one of the easiest themes for it. Her mum, her cousins and her friends from work all know the songs, the linen version suits a daytime lunch, and nobody needs a costume to join in.
Yes. The dance class, the games and the singalong don't depend on a drink, and every cocktail on this page has a zero-proof version that goes in the same glass.
In Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane, My Ultimate Hens runs the whole night as the Voulez-Vous Shes Saying I Do! package, starting with a Mamma Mia themed dance class in a private room. The Gold Coast has disco packages, and in Perth and Adelaide you can start a Wishlist and ask for a Mamma Mia night.
Your move
The kit’s yours either way. When the whole room sings the last chorus at her, you’ll be right there next to her, not in a corridor on the phone.
My Ultimate Hens is a female-founded hens party company, running hens nights and weekends in six Australian cities since 2011. Read what organisers say · More hens party themes · All hens party ideas