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Hen do dilemma

182 replies

Anonymoususe · 24/04/2024 08:11

Invited to friends hen do about 6 months ago, paid my part and not heard anything since?! Also have not received an invitation to the wedding, and the hen do is coming up soon. Have messaged bride asking when the wedding is but no reply. Starting to think I’m not actually invited to the wedding 😂 it’s all very odd. Would I be unreasonable to not attend the hen if I’m not actually invited to the wedding? It hasn’t cost a lot so far, but would involve overnight hotel, travel, drinks food etc worked out it would cost a minimum of £250 for one night. It would would dictate the whole weekend & we don’t get very much time together as a family. Also a cost that I can’t hugely afford at the moment! Obviously I may still be invited, but it is strange to not have had an invite yet right? And no reply from bride? DH thinks I’m overthinking it and should still go even if I / we are not invited to wedding. It would be nice to celebrate with her, and I will be fine with no invite if it’s just a case of having a small wedding due to cost (weddings can be ridiculously expensive) but would like her to explain that to me. At the moment I’m just making a whole lot of assumptions! Have tried asking about wedding planning etc and organising catch ups but it’s all been very vague and slow responses on her part.

OP posts:
Anonymoususe · 24/04/2024 10:22

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The original point is would I be unreasonable not to attend the hen do, if in fact it turns out I’m not invited to the wedding in any way. Why would the hen organiser have any idea about whether or not I’m invited to the wedding

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podcastrunner · 24/04/2024 10:20

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Mix56 · 24/04/2024 10:16

Simply ring & speak to the organiser & the bride.
Just say you need confirmation one way or the other.

Anonymoususe · 24/04/2024 10:16

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I know one other person. If you would take the time to read the thread, you would know this. Although I’m not sure why it would be so hard to believe that I not know anyone else, if that were the case

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burnoutbabe · 24/04/2024 10:15

I would drop out and lose the £50. the hen/bride clearly isn't that fussed about your attendence that you need worry that you not going will ruin stuff.

if you go, i think you will feel like a spare part. AND make it akward when no invite is forthcoming and everyone else talking about the wedding.

drop out with a polite "issue with childcare" message, they of course can keep the £50.

mindutopia · 24/04/2024 10:15

For the hen do, contact the organiser and ask her to clarify the plans and say that you haven't heard anything and will need to pull out if you aren't able to make your arrangements soon. You have very likely missed the point when you could get travel/accommodation arranged at a reasonable rate. It will be quite expensive doing it such short notice. Say that if she can't clarify details, you will need to have your £50 refunded.

As for the wedding, when is it meant to be? It's traditional to send out invites 6 weeks before the wedding, though some people send them sooner or send a save the date. So if you've been given a date/location, then the invite itself may not actually come until much closer to the wedding.

podcastrunner · 24/04/2024 10:15

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podcastrunner · 24/04/2024 10:13

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Anonymoususe · 24/04/2024 10:11

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No. This was done via a private message. I assume a generic message was sent out to different people. I gave the organiser my number at the time when I paid & said which but I was coming to, incase there was to be any group chats, but never got added to anything

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podcastrunner · 24/04/2024 10:09

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cheddercherry · 24/04/2024 10:09

You need to contact the person you paid and say you need that £50 back since your invite hasn’t arrived and there was clearly a mix up. It doesn’t seem like you are invited and maybe shouldn’t have been invited in the first place so you are totally within your right to have your money back and I’d go in firmly with this.

Anonymoususe · 24/04/2024 10:08

No I do not like drama @Lampslights , quite the opposite. I am autistic so do struggle with social norms. I’ve not been to many weddings and this is the first of my friends who has had a traditional wedding, I don’t really know what is normal to expect and find it very awkward to keep asking if I’m invited or not as it feels embarrassing to me.

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podcastrunner · 24/04/2024 10:05

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Lampslights · 24/04/2024 09:56

Anonymoususe · 24/04/2024 09:40

The only thing I can think is that maybe I wasn’t supposed to be invited to the hen do originally. But then why would the bride say to expect a wedding invite soon? Unless wedding costs became too much and she had to make decisions about who to invite. Happy to take that on the chin but disappointing not to be told.

Do you maybe like a bit of drama? Just call the hen organiser.

Redherringgull · 24/04/2024 09:54

So much hoo-ha can be avoided by simply having a conversation. Get in touch with the hen organiser, or anybody who is going to the hen. Your friend who is in the same position as you should do the same.

Stop assuming and find out what's going on !

SleepingStandingUp · 24/04/2024 09:52

Message hen organiser. Find out what's happening. You're leaving it late to sort accomodation as it is so you need to do this urgently. Then make a decision.

How close a friend is bride? Do you see her often etc? Surely the wedding is on the next month or so? Do you even have availability on your diary for a last minute wedding? I think you either accept you're not invited and decide on hen do accordingly, or message her directly and say hey you said about a wedding invite a while ago, we've your hen do on x date so I'm just trying to ascertain if we're still invited as I've been trying to keep my diary flexible awaiting a date. Understand of circs have changed, just want to be clear etc.

JumpyString · 24/04/2024 09:51

That's really annoying. Can you phone the bride and speak to her?

milesmachine · 24/04/2024 09:49

OP I know you've contacted the bride but have you contacted the hen organiser to ask what the plan is?

exomoon · 24/04/2024 09:48

If she doesn't respond, tell her I assume I'm no longer invited to the hen and wedding and please refund £50.

Newnamesameoldlurker · 24/04/2024 09:47

This is bizarre - how stressful for you OP when it's ten days away! I would get very firm with the hen organiser now. Say (in a polite way) you'd like a plan or your money back. Keep us updated!

Haydenn · 24/04/2024 09:42

Depends on the wedding a bit. If it’s a function for 70 people then you are right to then bow out of the hen, if the wedding is 10 family members at a registry office then I think you should take a second thought about then hen do.

If you can’t afford it that is different though

Anonymoususe · 24/04/2024 09:40

The only thing I can think is that maybe I wasn’t supposed to be invited to the hen do originally. But then why would the bride say to expect a wedding invite soon? Unless wedding costs became too much and she had to make decisions about who to invite. Happy to take that on the chin but disappointing not to be told.

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0verandoveragain · 24/04/2024 09:39

How close of a friend are you? How often do you speak?

Anonymoususe · 24/04/2024 09:36

I’ve paid £50 for the hen do. Wouldn’t be the worst thing in the world if I lost that money. It’s just strange that I don’t know what’s going on with the wedding, and disappointing if anything

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Grumppy · 24/04/2024 09:30

Do people do this - invite lots of friends to the hen do but no wedding invite?? Thats odd imo

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