Hen Budget?

I would have loved to have gone abroad for a weekend, but as most friends have kids, I just could'nt justify the money they would have ended up spending. Even a night away within the UK costs alot:

Cost of driving to venue (or train etc), parking charges, hotel cost, dress up outfit if there is one, drinks/dinner out, nightclub entry, taxis, etc etc. When you add up the cost of also going to the actual wedding, I think it rude for some brides to expect people to pay upwards of £200 for 1 night out.

Have you asked your friends, BM, family what the norm for girls to spend in your area is?

I am the same never been to a hen and certainly never organised one. I got in touch with my close friends put some ideas to them via a private facebook group and we all decided between us,

We are having two nights in London Friday to Sunday. The hotel is £62pp with breakfast. The bus return from here is £14 pp but I have a girl flying in and four others from elsewhere. I still have to plan the rest of the trip but I don't imagine it will be too outrageous. A show one night and the other a meal and cocktails I think

Just speak to your ladies and see what you all agree

I think I am going to just have a meal then drinks in town, so really it's up to my hens how much the want to spend. They can choose which part of the evening to come to if they didn't want a full night. I would estimate at least 30quid for food plus taxi fares to and from town. I wanted to hire a limo to drive us to various bars but it would put the price up way too much and I don't want the girls to have to shell out too much!

For cheap ideas for your London trip, we went to Brighton and did a treasure hunt, split into groups and people had to do things like take pic of someone with name tag (shop or bar assistant) of grooms name, pic of group having brides favourite shot, find someone that looks like bride/groom and have pic, you could localise it to touristy area, say covent garden, at ours if you saw the bride with another group you had to steal her and buy her a shot, she was plastered! If you google hen do treasure hunt you get loads of ideas! And can be as cheap as you want it to be!

Are there any themes you were close to selecting but didn’t, if yes why? I was quite close to going for a black and white themed wedding, classic style. But as we had a day time ceremony I felt a natural theme suited a little better. I do also have an eye for tiffany colour themes too. What about www.eastbridal.com?

Thanks for the feedback girls - I don't drink and my mum (67yrs old) wants to come so clubbing/bars is out of the picture.

Majority of my hens are local so hopefully that'll reduce the travelling costs and i'm thinking maybe doing a spa day (found one for £35 each) and then a bit of a girlie sleepover at mine afterwards to help keep costs down more.

Initially wanted to do a 1 night stay at a spa hotel with 2 treatments, dinner and breakfast included but that was £89 so i'm thinking the day option is more affordable

Hopefully looking at the comments this should be okay cost wise but i'll have to talk to everyone I was going to invite and see what the outcome is!

Ah spa and sleepover sounds lovely to me!

We're going to Blackpool for the weekend:

return train is £28pp

2 night hotel stay is £25pp

pleasure beach wristband is £22pp

cabaret show with dinner is £30pp

So £105pp in total not including breakfast, lunch, one night dinner, and drinks.

I'm gOing to the grand national-can't wait!!! Working out about £160 each but all the hens were really up for it and excited x

Yes, I agree with you.