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Messed up my friends hen do

207 replies

CPRSavesLives · 20/01/2024 23:23

I'm feeling so shit right now, I could really do with some support.

My closest friend is getting married soon. I was invited to the hen do, and I really didnt want to go. I suffer from PTSD and anxiety, and struggle in strange places and with people i don't know. This party is a whole weekend at an air bnb miles away from home and the only people I know are the hen and her 17 year old daughter. I've been really struggling with my mental health recently and have taken a couple of overdoses of my medications recently, but I'm trying to get better. Even though I really didn't want to go, and I told my friend I was worried about it, she was fairly insistent that I came, and that I'd be fine.

She'd asked her daughter to organise the whole thing as a surprise, but unsurprisingly it was a bit of a tall order for a 17 year old to organise everything so I stepped up to help her. The bnb was booked fine, and I helped arrange the budget, book a takeaway for the Friday night, a bottomless brunch for the Saturday afternoon and a grazing platter for the Saturday evening. I wanted the whole thing to be really special for my friend, so I suggested we booked some kind of entertainment for the Saturday night, and found a company that offered drag Queens or Butlers in the buff. My friends daughter loved the idea of the Butlers so we booked 2 guys for 1 hour with the intention that they would serve drinks and pose for pictures.

Anyway all goes well and here we are on the Saturday night. 2 butlers turn up and it all starts fine, they are serving drinks and playing cheeky games, the bride is loving it and although it gets a bit risqué it's nothing too terrible and everyone seems to be having a good time. After they'd finished they get dressed and hang around for a little while sharing some food from the platter- all good. Once they'd gone everyone was chattering away about it all in a positive light. Then suddenly the mood turns. My friends daughter says she felt uncomfortable playing the games, says one of the Butlers made her feel uncomfortable and starts to blame her mum saying she was too busy having a good time to notice her own daughter wasn't enjoying herself. I didn't notice either, she was up joining in the ganes and seemed to be having a great time, but hey she says she was uncomfortable so that's what she was.

So now mum and daughter are having a bit of a row about it, other people are joining in too and its all getting heated. I wait for a quiet moment and say that actually it's my fault because I was the one who'd suggested it, found the company online and helped the daughter to book it. Ive never been on a hen do before so I guess I just thought it would be fun. My friend turns to me and actually yells at me to stay out of it, like really shouts right at me. I was so shocked I just got up and walked out of the room, upstairs to the room I'm sleeping in and thats where I am now. I can't stop crying, I'm so upset and I just want go home, but I can't because I've had a few drinks, and even if I hadn't, my car is blocked in. I'm also sharing a room (and bed) with a lady I've never met before so I can't even just cry and cry, I need to try and hide that I'm upset.

My friends daughter knocked on the door and asked if I wanted to come down for a drink and I said no thanks, maybe i should have but I just can't face it. I feel so awful about causing this row, even though its all over now and I can hear them all giggling downstairs, and I'm so devastated that my friend shouted at me in front of everyone. What can I do to stop feeling so upset? How can I make it up to my friend after ruining her do? And how can I put this out of my mind so I don't do anything silly over the next few days, I live on my own so have no one who can help keep me safe.

Feeling very vulnerable and alone right now.

OP posts:
PianoBobble · 20/01/2024 23:26

You didn’t cause the row?!

freeandfierce · 20/01/2024 23:29

You haven't done anything wrong, please don't blame yourself. Your friend has probably had a few so it more than likely fuelled by alcohol.

TeaKitten · 20/01/2024 23:32

You didn’t ruin anything. For one thing, nothing has been ruined, you just said you can hear giggling. For another, the daughter ruined it if anything, and then your friend. You’ve literally done nothing wrong.

HardcoreLadyType · 20/01/2024 23:34

You have posted twice. Report one of the threads to MNHQ, and ask for it to be taken down?

CPRSavesLives · 20/01/2024 23:35

I didn't know what thread to put it in, and I really needed someone to reply. Sorry

OP posts:
MolkosTeenageAngst · 20/01/2024 23:39

Your friend is drunk, don’t take her shouting to heart. Drunk people overreact. You are over reacting too. The do isn’t ruined, you’ve said yourself she is now downstairs giggling. It’s one argument between mum and her teenage daughter, they have moved past it and you will be able to as well. If you can’t face going back downstairs get yourself into bed and try to sleep, once you’re all sober in the morning I’ve no doubt this will all feel much better.

DragonCatcher · 20/01/2024 23:41

Well done for going to the hen do. I have a friend with social anxiety who really struggles in group settings so I'm assuming you've already been worried about the weekend without this incident happening.

The hen sounds dreadful. She's put you in an awful position.

If I was you I'd go to bed then I'd arrange leaving as soon as I was able to do so, asking people move their cars so I could get mine out. If that wasn't an option, I'd take a walk or taxi somewhere and turn back up when everyone had gone and take myself home. I wouldn't want to be around people that allow someone to shout in my face but not challenge her on it.

Floatinginatincan · 20/01/2024 23:42

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WhyAmINotCleaning · 20/01/2024 23:45

When you said you overdosed, did you mean deliberately? I think you should have said no, and stayed away. I also think you really begin to look after yourself and let your ungrateful friend rely on others for a while.

CPRSavesLives · 20/01/2024 23:46

I'm not drunk, I've probably had 4 or 5 small glasses of prossecco over maybe 5 hours. And I'm not sulking, I'm crying and trying to push dark thoughts out of my mind. I thought I might find a bit of support here, not a horrible comment that just makes me feel worse.

OP posts:
stonedaisy · 20/01/2024 23:47

I've have been in a situation a little bit similar to this, I fell out with the bride at her hen do.
I was in Cornwall and I had driven there so I left in the morning - absolutely no regrets.
Unless the bridge / mum apologises to you and means it, get going.

Astonetogo · 20/01/2024 23:47

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This. It was a storm in a teacup.
So far, you haven’t done anything to spoil the hen.
Hiding and crying in your room though is something that could potentially spoil it, depending on how everyone is taking it.

Go downstairs, make light of everything, laugh about it, give everyone a hug, then go back to bed and get some sleep ready for tomorrow.

I do know that organising hen do’s really take it out of you. Try to get some rest.

stonedaisy · 20/01/2024 23:47

Bride! Get going in the morning.. not tonight

CPRSavesLives · 20/01/2024 23:50

Yes a couple of times recently I've deliberately taken more than I should. I'm working on it with my psychologist and I guess I'm just a bit more vulnerable than I should be right now. You're probably right that I shouldn't have come, but for months now my friend has been making comments about how you know who really cares when they turn up for you etc etc and I honestly just thought I would manage it OK for her because I care about her and wanted to be there for her

OP posts:
Lurkingandlearning · 20/01/2024 23:53

You didn’t cause the row. Unless those people kick off all the time it was down to the booze.

I t was daft of the hen to ask a 17 year old to organise it. It was lazy of the other women to leave helping down to you considering you’d never even been to a hen do. Although it seems to me you did an outstanding job.

it was down to the hen to make sure her daughter was ok with the butler

Get some sleep, don’t mention it tomorrow and just get yourself home as soon as the person blocking you in can move their car. Keep it breezy and if asked why you’re going early, just say you’d assumed everyone would be and you’ve made plans you have to go back to. Thank them all for a lovely time and get out of there.

if it all calmed down again tonight it’ll probably be forgotten. But you have done nothing wrong.

and never be badgered into doing anything you really don’t want to do again. I’ve been in similar positions and it rarely goes well. I learned that if an honest explanation why my answer was no to an invitation or request wasn’t accepted and the badgering started, I’d say I would think about it and quickly follow that up with a pre existing commitment I’d forgotten.

i don’t like lying but if people don’t accept the truth with good grace then a lie will do

WandaWonder · 20/01/2024 23:54

Move on and just act as you would normally, do not make this all about you

WhyAmINotCleaning · 20/01/2024 23:55

CPRSavesLives · 20/01/2024 23:50

Yes a couple of times recently I've deliberately taken more than I should. I'm working on it with my psychologist and I guess I'm just a bit more vulnerable than I should be right now. You're probably right that I shouldn't have come, but for months now my friend has been making comments about how you know who really cares when they turn up for you etc etc and I honestly just thought I would manage it OK for her because I care about her and wanted to be there for her

That is admirable, but she hasn't shown that care back. Be a careful around her as people like that won't help your recovery.

CPRSavesLives · 21/01/2024 00:03

Thank you everyone. We have to be out of here by 10 tomorrow so I'm just going to get up at 9, act normal and get going. I'm not going to go down now because its obvious I've been crying and I'm also not certain I wouldn't start crying again if I did go down, amd I really dont want to make a drama. I'm just going to brush my teeth, take my meds and get some sleep, I'm sure I'll feel better tomorrow. Thanks for all the supportive comments, and the not so supportive ones too, my friend is really lovely, but she's a lot drunker that me so hopefully it'll have faded out of her memory by tomorrow. I'll also add tonight on my list of reasons why I dont go to hen dos!

Sorry for cross posting, I just really wanted someone to reply as I felt so alone.

OP posts:
Grimchmas · 21/01/2024 00:06

I how you get a decent night's sleep my lovely xxx

TheLogicalSong · 21/01/2024 00:07

It's a case of everyone was drinking and things got heated - it happens. You hired the entertainment in good faith, you are not responsible for their conduct.

Ifyoureacuntyoureacunt · 21/01/2024 00:11

You're a lovely friend mate x

MassiveOvaryaction · 21/01/2024 00:12

You didn't ruin it @CPRSavesLives Flowers

sockmuncher · 21/01/2024 00:19

I think a good night's sleep and a cry is really good therapy when you've had a hard day.
Have a really really good cry. If you need some privacy, lock yourself in a bathroom with the shower on.
You'll sleep like a baby and then make it your mission to leave as soon as possible tomorrow.
I can guarantee you everyone will have forgotten about it already. I'm sure the bride is feeling embarrassed.
You guys can sort things out when the hen is finished.

Go easy on yourself! You've done nothing wrong and I would be so pleased to have a friend like you.

VashtaNerada · 21/01/2024 00:20

When you’re struggling with mental health things can seem bigger than they are. I’d be embarrassed and upset if a friend shouted at me but I would also understand that she was probably stressed (and drunk) and didn’t really mean it. It sounds to me like you’ve done a good job of booking things. You can’t possibly please everyone. Hope you get a good night’s sleep x

Qualitystreet01 · 21/01/2024 00:20

Sounds like you did a great job in organising the hen party and you really showed up for your friend even though it was difficult for you. Please don’t feel like it was your fault. The bride owes you an apology for shouting, she should have come up and checked you were ok and not sent her daughter. She doesn’t sound like a good friend at all.
Watch a funny video or something to try and get your mind off it and then try and get some sleep. Go home early and do something nice for yourself tomorrow, you deserve it.