To say the majority of us don’t enjoy hen weekends

[ShrunkInTheWashAgain]

It’s the forced fun, the excessive costs
bring back a simple night out on the town

or do you actually enjoy it ?

I’ve never been to one, except my own. Really close friend had hers abroad when my passport was held up in Home Office limbo for 9 months and I had a baby at the time who I couldn’t have left either.

My “hen do” was just a BBQ in my home country with some fancy sangria punch and we had a little sleepover. It was lovely and mostly for friends and family who wouldn’t be able to travel to the UK for my wedding.

i came across a Mother-hen do recently. Is this a new thing?!!!! It was the grooms mum having it.

Recently been to one, bloody awful. Grown women drunk and embarrassing. And only a few people doing all the cleaning (we rented a flat) whilst everyone else lazes around or turns a blind eye. Honestly feel like they're perfect for people who love to drink for fun...otherwise its pure hell.

I enjoy the ones with my actual friends. Those where I’m just a fringe friend I don’t enjoy and have turned them down since late 20s.

This is why I had a meal in a pub

I don’t do anything I don’t want to nowadays and always have a few excuses to fall back on.

Some have been better than others, but the majority have been hard work for one reason or another, whether that’s spending a whole weekend with people you have nothing in common with (if they are not mutual friends) to being forced to wear hideous outfits and go to shitty clubs.

I don't drink for medical reasons so I avoid whenever possible

I've enjoyed my friends hen do's. I hate weddings though. I've never really enjoyed one. No idea why as have been with my friends at most but something about the atmosphere of a wedding is so dull.

Everyone I know has multiple night trips away now and I hate it. 😩

Yes there has to be the work henny, the family henny and the friends' henny.

What a load of expensive shite

Yes omg! And now they’re having multiple baby showers 🤦🏼‍♀️

I can't believe there aren't more dramas set around them, as they must be a goldmine for both comedy and drama, pathos and bathos.

my gcse drama piece was set on a hen do 😂

I have never been to one of these ghastly expensive OTT Hen Weekends thank goodness, as I'm an old gimmer and they were not a thing when I was in my late teens/20s/30s when all my friends, family members, and colleagues were getting married. I couldn't think of anything worse to be honest, and am baffled that so many of them are abroad, and often cost close to a 4 figure sum including travel and accommodation. A night-time pub crawl in the local town is perfectly sufficient.

It's hard to limit them to a single night out now as so many people have friends and family all over the place, so you need to accommodate people travelling. A weekend makes sense. But I dislike it going beyond that into the 'week abroad in Fuengirola' expensive trip that uses leave and where people argue. Plus I don't do room sharing so anything where you can't go back to peace and quiet in a room by yourself when you're ready is not on.

I've never been on an entire hen weekend before, I've always declined when invited

It costs a fortune, I would rather be at home with my book and a mug of tea and I hate trying to make conversation with people I don't really know. I would make an exception for one of my best friends or a close family member (luckily I only have 2 close friends and one of them did a bog standard night out and none of my female family members are married/engaged yet!)

I like hen weekends as long as I'm with a group of mates rather than solo. I've been on some really good ones. But I like chatting to new people, drinking, games etc so usually as long as the people are good it's fun for me. Also love weddings 🤩 I can't stand baby showers and christenings personally, dull as fuck, not even much booze to improve it and I'm not fussed about babies. But I still go if it's close friends and whack on a fake smile.

I like them if it's a great group and I already know the bride has decent friends from her birthdays etc or because they're my friends too AND they're decently organized.

Been on so many. All very awkward and generally a hardship. I love a night out but definitely don't enjoy a weekend away with strangers being told what you have to do at every turn. I didn't have one when I was getting married to spare my friends from that hell.

Wow was expecting more of a mixed bag, what a relief most of us feel the same way.
bring back a nice simple night out in the town, nice meal few drinks maybe somewhere with some live music

You said it: forced fun. Bloody nightmare!!

Now that’s a hen do I’d attend!!

I love em if it’s a close friend. Ya miseries 😂

I love the idea of hen do’s more than the trip itself. I’ve been to a few and although I do get excited in the lead up to them, I’m always ready to come home at the end.

I think it’s a combination of cost (many brides / MOHs these days expect guests to spend hundreds, even if they can’t really afford it), forced fun, and spending an extended amount of time with people you don’t know that well. I can understand if you are part of wedding party but other than that, I don’t think anyone should be expected to attend, especially if it’s more than a one nighter.

Unfortunately hen parties these days seem to be more about good Instagram posts than good times!