5 reasons why a jewellery making workshop is the perfect idea for a creative alternative hen do

Are you looking for a classier alternative to the traditional hen do? Maybe you’re after a cool and quirky idea that will delight your hens? Read on to find out why a wax carving jewellery workshop could be the perfect laidback creative fun for your hen party.

My jewellery making classes focus on the ancient art of wax carving. It’s a beautifully relaxing and almost meditative technique that allows you to create pieces of jewellery with more volume and texture than when using sheet or wire. It’s ideal for making both flowing organic designs and angular geometric shapes. Best of all, it’s easy to do without the need for complicated tools and equipment. Once you get into the flow, I promise you’ll be hooked!

During a jewellery workshop, you’ll use wax and a rage of simple tools to create your own unique ring or pendant design which will then be cast in silver. For a small extra charge you can even choose to have your finished piece yellow or rose gold plated. The jewellery classes typically last 2-2.5 hours and it takes around 3 weeks to get your finished ring or pendant back and polished up then posted out to you in a pretty Fairtrade cotton pouch.

Sounds pretty good, hey?! If you need more convincing then here are my 5 reasons why a jewellery making class is a brilliant suggestion for those looking for alternative hen party ideas…

1) It’s lots of fun, without being tacky

If you’re looking for an unusual hen party idea that’s special and memorable for both the bride to be and guests then a jewellery workshop is the perfect solution. You’ll get to spend some quality time with your girl gang doing something fun, crafty and relaxing…what could be better?! I’ll even provide a glass of prosecco (or non-alcoholic alternative) for you to enjoy as you make your jewellery to really get those creative juices flowing

2) It works brilliantly for a mix of ages

It can be a challenge to find a suitable activity for a mixed age hen party group that keeps everyone happy. If your guests include the bride’s younger sister, her friends, her mum and her grandma then it’s not always easy to find a hen party idea that works for them all. A jewellery making hen party is great for this scenario as it’s suitable for anyone aged 16 over….after all there really is no age limit on creativity!

3) You will learn a new technique and make something beautiful to treasure forever

How many hen dos have you been to where you’ve learned a new skill to boot? Not many I’m guessing? With a jewellery making hen party you’ll learn how to create your own unique ring or pendant design using the ancient technique of wax carving. You could even wear your finished piece to the wedding…Heck, after this you might even decide you want to take up jewellery making as a hobby (warning: it IS addictive!!)

And don’t worry if you think you’re not creative enough. You really don’t need any previous experience as I’ll be on hand to help guide you through the process from start to finish. I’ve helped hundreds of people (many who thought they weren’t creative) to make something beautiful that they’re really proud of.

Above: Jewellery making workshop in progress

4) It needs very little organisation from you

If you're feeling overwhelmed by everything you need to organise for your hen do then don't worry - all you need for a jewellery workshop is a venue with tables and chairs for us to work at and I’ll bring the rest. All materials, tools, tuition, the casting of your piece in silver, finishing & polishing and return postage to you are included in a cost of the jewellery workshop. I’ll also bring some prosecco, non-alcoholic fizz and biscuits to keep us going throughout the session!

5) It’s flexible to fit around your needs and requirements

A jewellery making class is super flexible and can fit around your other hen party plans. Whether it’s daytime or evening, at home or at another venue of your choice, I can accommodate from 6 to 12 people in a session and we can work around your timetable.

If after reading all of that then a jewellery workshop hen sounds like your thing, you can either make a group booking for one of my current jewellery making classes in Bristol (see upcoming dates here) or we can work together to create a bespoke hen party event that’s tailored to your requirements.

If you’re not based in Bristol or the surrounding area, but would like to enquiry about a bespoke jewellery making hen party then please do get in touch as I’m happy to travel a little further afield for one-off events. If you’d like to see some examples of what previous jewellery class participants have made then you can check out the photos on my jewellery workshops page or take a look at my Pinterest board which is packed with glorious inspo.

Elin Horgan designs and creates handmade jewellery in her Bristol studio. Elin’s beautifully simple handmade jewellery is carefully crafted and designed to be worn every day. You can read more about Elin’s work and the ethos behind her understated jewellery brand on her About Elin Horgan Jewellery page.

If you’d like to enquire about a specific product or discuss a custom piece of jewellery, please have a look at the Bespoke Handmade Jewellery page or email info@elinhorgan.com