To ask if I'm the only one who didn't .....

[HildaZelda]

..... have a hen when I got married? Back in the noughties so they were definitely a 'thing' at the time.
It was a combination of things really, different groups of friends, some who didn't get on with others, some that I knew would be last minute cancellations, my mother (before going NC) would have tutted at everything and sat there with a cat's bum face.

I don't for one moment regret not having one. Never did, and if I was ever getting married again, I still wouldn't.

Anyone else?

I sort of had one. And my husband sortof had a stag. But actually, we have the same friendship group, so we all went out together - dry slope toboganning and then out for dinner. Twas great.

I have been on 1 stag (incognito - we went paintballing and then to the pub) and 2 hens (one to the theatre and one out to dinner) so nothing extreme. Just friends getting together.

In the run-up to my wedding I went out for a meal with two women whose partners were away on my soon to be husband’s stag do. And I went out for another meal with a group of work colleagues, men and women. So not a classic ‘hen do’, not really my type of thing and I really don’t think they were such a ‘thing’ 18 years ago as now.

I didn't. I had a few friends over to my house for tea and cake one afternoon.

The time I could have got married I wouldn't have had a hen night. Not my style, I dont even drink alcohol,I'm not a sociable person and I think they're tacky,low class and the whole penis straws thing is horribly trashy. I was a goth at the time so doubly nope. I've always hugely disliked hen nights.

nanalisa60 Well that does sound like an epic night. Who wouldn't want to end their night at 5 am in pie and mash shop with their 4 besties. But I am curious? What is being blackened? I've never heard of it.

I didn't either. DH went to the races with his mates and I did keep meaning to have one too but just wasn't bothered!

For my hen do I had a few friends at the pub and my besties joined me in the club after. It was a fun night. I didn't have the tacky stuff or penis toys. Some hen dos seem to be an excuse to do a lot of shouting and pinching men's arses. My DH and a few of my friends didn't have hen dos as they think it's all a bit showy.

I had a separate evening out with DM MIL and SIL. I'm not going clubbing with my DM. Neither of us would enjoy that!

I had a hen night with some close friends. We went for a meal in a local bistro. My maid of honour organised the night and it was wonderful.

My wedding was a small (60 guests) affair in a local Church, followed by reception at a local a la carte restaurant for family and close friends. The evening do was opened up to work colleagues and friends, with a disco/buffet.

I absolutely loved my wedding day. It was everything I could have hoped for, without breaking the bank. I can't understand why couples, these days, have to have big, lavish affairs, abroad, that they will spend years repaying, especially when they have been living together for a few years and have children together.

I love to attend the, local, wedding of a young couple, just starting out, who have never lived together. Weddings are all about wishing a young couple well as they set up home and live together and enjoy happiness as they make their own family.

I have no interest in attending the luxurious wedding of a couple who have lived together for years and already have children together - especially if I have to fork out money to attend the hen weekend, abroad, or the bloody wedding itself in some costly, faraway land.

The simpler weddings have always been the most enjoyable occasions in my experience.

KC225

I’m originally from London but have lived In the north east of Scotland since my early 20’s. A blackening is a old Scottish tradition we’re your mates grab you a few weeks before your wedding and cover your in horrible black (they make it up in a buckets)stuff then drive you round town on the back of a truck. It was still a big thing when I got married 25 years ago!! It still happens but not many girls get done these days only the guys. I have seen poor men stripped down to there pants covered in mud oil and food and left tied to a lamp post while ther Mates are in a bar getting pissed. It can go on for the whole night poor guy or girls being taken round all the bars in the town covered in mess with there mates ringing a bell and being left outside the bar tied up while there mates get drunk. so that a blackening!!

I had a small daytime one..basically a picnic at a polo match and I bought the tickets. We then had a meal out in the evening. I had been on a few hen dos which cost an absolute bomb and I was very conscious I didn't want to do that to my friends. Plus DH and I had been together for 10 years by then so seemed kind of pointless.

DH didn't bother with a stag do.

I absolutely loathe all these trips abroad etc on top of going to wedding which costs a small fortune these days as it is!

Myself and my husband were guests at one wedding where it ended up costing us over 2k what with hen/stag do's, outfits, accommodation and then they wanted money for a gift 🙄🤦‍♀️

Never again.....

I didn’t in 2018 I went to a spa with my mum then just hung out with one friend at our local I just couldn’t be bothered with the whole thing my husband did have a stag though and lost friends over it...(they didn’t show up and he got mad and cut them out) that was the drama I couldn’t be bothered with 😂

I didn't have one. Went for a meal with my best friend, my mum and her best friend

I didn't have a hen do. I hated the idea. DH didn't have a stag do either

I didn’t. Married in 1983 and I’d never heard of one then. My sil had one when she married a few years later. We went to the pub for a very quiet evening

I didn’t want one. Family members insisted on one so I settled for an Ann summers party at my aunts house. It was ok, good laugh at times and my late gran who was 83 at the time joined in all the games which was really funny.

I did however bypass on having a party or a night out for my 30th like everyone was insisting on. Not my thing at all, and in a few years I will also be boycotting any type of 40th celebrations. I just hate being the centre of attention/ in the spotlight which I feel all these things are.

I didn't, I was married in 2007.

I had recently moved to Scotland (from Wales) be with my fiancé and came back for the wedding. Friend groups all seemed to be moving and changing and I just didn't do anything. Part of me wishes I had at least done something but I certainly wouldn't have wanted the type of event most people go for anyway (I do not drink for one). My husband also just had a meal out the night before the wedding.

We got married quickly though. Not a lot of money, bought our first house etc and I wasn't working as I had just moved, so it just wasn't a priority.

No hen here. Really not my thing - I'm not really sure I get the point of them and find them a bit tacky.

I also don't really get baby showers. I find them tedious!

DH did have a stag though. One of those horrid Eastern European cliché types. Grim.

Nope. Went away for the weekend to Somerset with my closest girlfriend. For her, she gave me four friends (work mostly so I didn’t know them) and I got them to a pub dinner one Friday evening.

If I ever get married I’d prefer not to have one.

I’ve only ever been invited to one but turned it down as it was a weekend away and it just sounded awful.

I didn’t. I’d have loved one but I had no friends to invite

In fact my wedding as a whole really brought home the fact that nobody could care less about me. I had no bridesmaids and I was alone all day until the 3pm ceremony.

Me and DH had a joint meal with our friends. We share a group of friends so would have wanted everyone at both. Just made sense. Plus neither of us go in for the tacky decorations/strippers etc that can often accompany hen/stag nights. Our wedding was abroad (for personal reasons) and there was only 6 guests. It was perfect for us. Been married almost 10 years.

Shared a hen day with a friend who was getting married just after me. We went for a walk and a picnic with a big group of mutual female friends. Everyone bought food and drink and we lay around on a sunny afternoon by a river. Then we caught a river taxi home. It was quiet and fun and I though it was perfect.

Didn't have one - didn't want one- never been to one. Been to lots of weddings though! Husband went out for a meal with his best man.

I'M sorry, but Im American. Can you please tell me what a "hen" is (I'M assuming you don't mean poultry)? Thank you. You guys have the best slang. FYI.