What's the max you would spend (as a guest) on attending a hen party?

[henpartybudget22]

Not sure what is a reasonable amount these days - I'm thinking £100, but concerned I'm being tight. The wedding itself is a destination one in Europe, so have already paid a fair amount on travel and hotel.

The last 3 I went to cost £300-500 each for a weekend, activities and food.

Hmmm depends on the friendship but £250.
it’s not just for the bride it’s a weekend (usually) away from ‘mom can you help me wipe the poo?’ PRICELESS!

For a hen do no more than £200 all in.

Depends what it is. I’d happily go on a weekend away, but fortunate finances allow it. If it didn’t I’d cut my cloth accordingly

£20.

Depends who it is. I spent about £350 on a weekend away for a good friend's hen and was happy to do so.

Probably between 300 and 400.

If it was one of my 2 or 3 best friends (and pre-kids when I had more money) and was for a weekend away, I might pay £500.

For a slightly less known friend probably more like £100 or less. Or work colleague £50 for night out.

It’s a pretty personal decision based on what you can afford and how well you know the person I guess.

So I was going to say £100 - maybe thats why I dont get invited on nights out anymore 🤣🤣

I wouldn't go on the overnight kind or on an activity; nor would I buy a themed t-shirt or any of that nonsense. I'd budget for the cost of a meal (including sharing the cost of hen's meal) and drinks only. That's all mine consisted of and everyone seemed to enjoy it.

£200 ish depending on what it is, that’s assuming it’s a 2 night.

£100 , I wouldn't travel abroad for a hen do, I think it's pretty unreasonable for someone to expect people to do so unless it's literally their best friend or sister x

Wow, I need to up my budget then! 😂

Bride is a close friend, but wedding has cost £500 so far so I was hoping hen-do would be more reasonable I suppose?

Maybe £20+ drinks

If the wedding is abroad I would not be impressed with an expensive hen do.
I think a night out would be more appropriate and I’d be hoping it would be £100 or less.

I paid £275 for a weekend away With activities transport and food. I actually didn’t end up going so a night out probably would have made it up to £325

£100 won't get you very far these days. The latest one I have been invited to is £300 Hotel and activities, so that doesn't include drinks either.

£150. And I wouldn't be prepared to take annual leave to go away for it.

Hopefully brides will start to notice there is a cost of living crisis on.

Thanks all. It is looking like an Airbnb weekend away so likely minimum £250.

I think they're taking the mick expecting you to fork out on an expensive hen do on top of a destination wedding. I'd say £100 is more than reasonable if you're paying to attend the wedding too.

My hen party invites dried up about a decade ago but I was regularly used to sinking about 500 quid for them. For a few years there was a hen or wedding every month (it seemed like that anyway). I do remember moaning about the neverending costs a bit. I'd no children and earned a good salary back then though.

A few years passed and the invitations became christening invitations then they dried up too - the big gathering never seemed to happen for the second or third child.

I know it's the standard on Mumsnet to avoid hen parties but honestly some (not all!) of those weekends made treasured memories - a gang of friends in a house dancing, drinking and cooking and laughing.

With the benefit of hindsight though I would not feel obligated to accept all invitations now. Many of them were awful, a big gang (20+) of women from different groups all thrown in together in a hotel navigating each other. They rarely gelled, the big event feel always seemed to stress the bride to be, add in instance amounts of alcohol and the whole thing because a stressful chaotic mess.

I wouldnt go full stop.

£100. Consequently I never go to any. Happy days.

Mine was just a lunch (planned by my bridesmaids) but when we got there I realised the set menu was £50 a head and was horrified that people were spending so much on lunch, although they all knew in advance and had agreed to come. I snuck off and paid for all the Prosecco to try and offset their costs a bit.

When it comes to how much I'd spend it'd depend entirely on who the bride was and what the plan was, I'm not especially hard up but at my great age I don't want to spend masses on things I don't think are good value or won't enjoy. I'd be happy with £100 or thereabouts on a nice dinner and drinks, more for a hotel stay/spa day or whatever but I wouldn't spend a tenner on a crappy themed t-shirt, or make any contribution to a stripper.

Definitely a really good point @Sickofcoughing. I'm friends with about 50% of those likely to come.