Now that the wedding season is in full swing, brides-to-be up and down the country will be heading off to hen parties with Prosecco in one hand and L-plates round their necks. If you’re a bridesmaid and are looking for some fun ways to add sparkle to the party, look no further because we have 10 creative craft ideas using rhinestones.
1. Rhinestone gift bags
Use a rhinestone transfer to elevate a simple canvas bag, then fill it with gifts for the bride and hens. Popular gifts include sweets, temporary tattoos, glow sticks, face gems, paracetamol (for the next morning), eye masks etc. There are a great selection of wedding themed transfers out there, or choose a pretty floral design or even the initials of the guests to make it personalized.
2. Pearl headband for the bride
This is a lovely gift to give a bride to wear at her hen party, and you can get creative and make it yourself using sew on or flatback pearls. Simply buy a plain white or cream satin headband, then sew on some round pearls in white or ivory, don’t forget to use white thread! Sew on pearls of varying sizes to create a funky design.
3. Beaded wine glass charms
With so much Prosecco, Champagne and wine on offer at hen parties, it’s a good idea to mark your glasses. DIY and craft is so popular right now so why not make your own bespoke charms for the guests, it’s easy to thread bicone beads onto a wire ring, the beads give that extra touch of sparkle too. You can add other embellishments to the ring, a name tag, wire flowers, pearls etc or go simple with just the bicone beads in different colours. The bride will love the handmade aspect and it’s a useful keepsake for the hens too!
4. Wedding nail art
For a fun craft activity at the hen party, treat the hens to their very own salon experience, except this time, they can create the design themselves! There is a great selection of nail art crystals available for bridal nails, so take a selection of our favourite nail rhinestones, a bottle of nail glue and get creative! Check out our article on How to make your wedding nails sparkle, and take inspiration from our nail art ambassador Lisa Johnston. 
5. Embellished sliders for the bride
Something pretty and practical for the bride on her hen party AND the wedding day – a pair of beautifully embellished shoes will be a god send in the evening when her feet ache from dancing. A big trend in the past was crystal converse for weddings, these are still popular but now we are seeing comfort in footwear being taken to the next level. Try sliders, flip flops or even crystal crocs! We’ve used Zodiac rhinestones and white pearls to decorate these fabulous sliders – perfect for a bride!
6. Rhinestone tattoos
‘Team Bride’ or ‘Bride Squad’ temporary tattoos are always a hit on a hen party, but why not make yours a bit different by adding a flash of rhinestone sparkle? Gather the hens together, and once the tattoo has been applied, simply glue on one statement flatback crystal (or as many as you like) using body or eyelash glue. Make sure your glue is suitable to use on skin first.
7. Crystallised champagne flute
This makes a great gift for bridesmaids, mother of the bride, or anyone else in the bridal party, and is also a nice thing to have at the hen party for the bride; who doesn’t want to drink champagne out of their own rhinestone glass? For this flute we used gem tac glue, a rhinestone picker tool and Zodiac clear rhinestones to make the word ‘Bride’ on the outside of the glass. Simply print off a template and pop it inside to use as a guide.
8. Personalised tumblers
A nice touch on a hen party is to provide a keepsake for the girls, so these crystallised tumblers are a great idea. With everyone using their own re-usable coffee cups and water bottles, wouldn’t it be fab to have your name splashed across it in rhinestones! We used a Cricut machine to cut out the name in vinyl, then glue on some flatback crystals – it’s as easy as that! If you don’t have access to a cricut machine, you can easily draw the name in pencil.
9. Bridal hat
If you’re feeling really creative and want to make something extra special for your bride, a decorative bridal hat or tiara is simply stunning. Encrusted with rhinestones, pearls and embellishments, she will love posing for photos in her bespoke headwear. However, if you’re pushed for time or aren’t confident in your crafting skills, check out Jewel Britannia Hats, who goes the extra mile to create these stunning pieces.
10. Rhinestone sash
Every bride to be needs a sash on her hen night, but make your extra special by decorating it with rhinestones. We bought a plain ‘Bride to be’ sash on Ebay, then added some hotfix rhinestones using a hotfix applicator. If this is a one off project, you could iron on crystals using a household iron. Here, we’ve chosen flatback hotfix rhinestones in gold to compliment to font. She will love her elegant sparkly sash!
Elevate your bestie’s hen party by throwing in some glitz and glam, she and the hens will love the personal touch and you will have a blast trying out these fun sparkly projects too.
