How much does average hen night cost?

WolfSong2000

Hey guys - just looking to get some feedback.

An old friend from school who I am friends with on facebook recently got in touch. She is apparently getting married and asked me if I wanted to attend her Hen night in London next year. I said yes, send me the details and have had an email come through stating the cost is £93. Is this normal? Apparently it involves a limo and a photo shoot, but to be honest if I had known it was this much in advance I probably would have declined. £50, yes, but close to £100.

To put it in context I've maybe seen this person in passing in town maybe 3-4 times over the last decade...last time we hung out properly was maybe 10-11 years ago.

If it was a close friend I'd be less unsettled about the cost, but I won't know anyone other than this girl and her sister who I also used to be friends with. On the other hand, it's been years since I was invited to a hen night, so maybe the cost isn't as exorbitant as it seems?

Bogof_Babe

What will you get for your £93? Is there a meal involved? Or is that extra? How far from London do you live? i.e. will you need to pay for a hotel and/or transport on top of the £93?

FreddieFrugal

Weird, you have to pay a fee upfront to go to a hen night?

Strange phenomenon. Not that I'd know what's normal for it as I'm a man.

To be honest, based on how you've phrased your post, it's clear that you don't want to go, too expensive and hardly know the person anymore.

So don't go.

WolfSong2000

Hi,

All I have been told is that there will be a limo to London and a photo shoot....trouble is, where this friend lives is over an hour from where I now live, so I would have to drive down, get a hotel in London and I am guessing pay for drinks/meal on top.

Will just feel very bad backing out now - I stupidly assumed it wouldn't be as expensive as it is, so feeling almost backed into a corner now

onlyroz

I've only been to one Hen thing, and that was a night in a posh hotel with a nice meal and spa treatment. I was asked to pay £100.

Beckyy

Is she inviting more people to bring the cost down for everyone maybe (based on you not being really close recently)?

If you don't want to go I would say just be honest, if you don't want to bring in the cost say you're not sure if you'll be able to get the time off work to stay over either side and don't want to spoil it for others by possibly having to back out close to the time.

Personally, I would only consider paying that amount if it was a very close friend/relative as the chances are that will only cover the limo and photoshoot in London. You'd be looking at transport, food/drink/accommodation on top of that also which won't be cheap.

WolfSong2000

The hen night is being organised by an external agency, so it looks like it's a set price. Date isn't until next may, though they're asking for a £30 deposit in the next few weeks, and friend is already chasing me to confirm.

Person_one

It's not a crazy price these days, but it's a lot more than I'd be willing to pay for a casual acquaintance! Are you even invited to the wedding?

Sharon87

Hen parties can be cheaper or more expensive than that, including food. I would say close to £100 for the activities and a meal, but more for a hotel.

I wouldn't pay that for an old school friend I haven't seen in years. Sounds like it's a cost cutting exercise to me!

WolfSong2000

No, not invited to wedding - excellent point. Beginning to dawn on me I was probably asked to bump up numbers. Will have to find a way to politely decline...maybe suggest taking friend out for a meal/drink locally instead.

Diamond_Orchid

I wouldn't pay that for a friend who was more of an acquaintance.

For one of my best buds at school I paid to fly out to Scotland for her hen and to stay in a hotel, plus I flew out a couple of weeks later for her wedding. Can't remember how much that was but doubt it was less than £300 once food, drink, transport etc factored in. Worth it for a good mate though.