Cost of hen do

I think that sounds reasonable as it includes accomodation. You may find that not everyone can afford it though, and I wouldn't be offended if they said so.

I am having a similarly priced do, not everyone can come due to cost, but there will be 8 of us (which is actually the kind of numbers I wanted- didn't want a massive gaggle of girls).

I do think it seems quite expensive when you have train fairs and then drinks in the night club on top, plus if you are going for 2 nights there is also 2 breakfasts, lunch and another evening meal to factor in. My suggestion would be since you live close enough to get there inth morning just stay for one night, should make it cheaper plus lots less hidden costs

It seems fairly reasonable, for what you get. It's just whether 6 months is enough notice? I booked mine 1 year in advance, it was £166 and have got 4 mums coming. We've got a similar package minus the dancing, and the company I booked with offer a payment plan so all my hens could pay £17 a month, which is more manageable. Have you asked if your friends can afford that? xx

My best friend got married in December 2009 and we went out in London, paid £200 for hotel for two nights, a spa treatment, a meal out and entry into 2 night clubs on fri and sat night...I thought this was fairly reasonable, although tbh the hotel was 5* by London standards, in that it was in Kensington and it didn't have any visible mould anywhere...the first club was good but the second one was a night at Carwash with 'Red Hot Hunks in Trunks' and a finger buffet...there was too much skin on show to make eating with your hands a pleasant experience really.

All in all, good value I'd say as you seem to be getting much more for your money than we did, and we all thought we had got a good deal (although I have to say, the package deal things aren't really my thing, I can still concede that we got value for money overall).

As long as you're giving them plenty of notice (6 months is definitely long enough!) I don't think that's too much to ask. Especially if they've already said they're happy to have a weekend away cos they tend not to be that cheap anyway!

I know people who will happily spend over £100 on a night out on drink alone but couldn't make the stag my H planned originally (weekend in Whitby) because they were 'skint' so he canceled that idea and just had a very very drunken night out where we live.. and came home covered head to toe in treacle lol

Your weekend sounds a lot of fun and as you say, heavy drinking is optional so you're not expecting them to spend the same again on drink but learning to make delicious cocktails is never gonna be a bad thing - or making a fool of yourself dancing to Beyonce for that matter!!

Thanks for the comments ladies

I should have added it also includes full breakfast for both days.

I could give them more than 6 months notice as it would be March. Just thought if I do it too far in advance people may forget. I believe this company offers the instalment plan too.

6 months should be enough, I just know my friends and family so wanted plenty of notice! Plus wanted it sorted. I've got 16 coming so the price didn't put anyone off x

Could i ask what company your going with? I like the idea of instalments.. that would make it much more affordable for my girls .. TIA

Red Seven Leisure but I know there are a few more companies, if you google it x

Including an evening meal as well as the rest I think that's a great price - I've normally paid that for accommodation, activities, taxis and breakfast on hen dos then dinner and drinks on top x

Hey that is roughly the cost I am looking at for my hen weekend and the ladies seem happy with that amount!

Some of them have kids and three are coming from overseas so will have flights too! xx

Mine is silly priced, but that said I am having mine on different levels so that if someone cannot afford the whole thing, they can just come to the evening part or just the spa part etc!

My Mum and my best friend and my Mums best friend who is also my close friends are staying at the Ritz with me for two nights, first day is tea at the Ritz followed by drinks on the thames, then the following day we are going to the Sanctuary Spa in Covent Garden and then on to dinner and a club where I have booked a booth with chapagne and cocktails shaped as mad hatter hats with food platters and confetti etc.

For the 4 of us staying all weekend, it's gonna be £700 plus for the weekend plus cabs (I actually live in London, so it's only a few quid for cabs)

They wanted to do it, and it was a joint plan. But for the other girls, of which there are 15, they are meeting us at the spa and then coming to the club. Some who are not in work are even just meeting us at the club!

If you give people options, they then don't feel pressured into doing something they cannot afford.

I think it all sounds fabulous, why not ask your hens their thoughts and then it can always be tweaked accordingly. Some people may just do one night, things like that.

I would say start spekaing to your hens now, just to see if they like the idea of monthly installments, then it wouldnt feel like they have to pay a big chunk at once. My hen will be in April next year, and my CBM is already starting to organise things ?

I love the dance routine class, if you do it you could then perform it at the evening reception and surprise eevryone ?

WSS! I think it's quite expensive, especially when you factor in further drinks, food, travel etc. The cost of actually attending the wedding will also push overall costs up.

Cannot understand how people afford this when so many of us are struggling in this recession!

I have emailed them a few of them to get an idea on if it's something they can afford.The plus side is as its Brighton there are lots of choices of where to eat. We could just go to a whetherspoons type place for dinner on the other evening. It won't cost them a lot to get to the wedding as its local for everyone, although I see what you mean in terms of gettign something to wear and if they decide to get us a gift etc. The hen do would 3 months before the wedding

I will wait and see what they come back with. Before OH proposed I had said that I wanted to do a weekend away for my 30th and they were all up for it. So will see

My BMS have thought about money.....and informed me this week that my hen weekend next year will cost pp approx £160.....this includes accomodation, food, some drink, daytime activity and night time activity.. they also have set up a payment plan for everyone so they have a year to save, meaning nobody will be sent an invite 2mths before with a 'and you need to get £100 to us by next week!' type of thing in it!!

the more time people have to save i think the more appreciative theyl bee!

If they already said they're up for a weekend away then I don't think it's that bad, plus it's a double celebration, you could have been naughty and decided to have a Hen do and a big 30th. If any of them seem a bit iffy on the costs you could try saying to them you'd rather have them at your hen and wedding than them buy you a gift? Not sure how you word that but I know I'd rather people turned up and helped me celebrate than spend money on a gift and not afford to come!

This was my thinking. If I start to get prices and decide by say June/ July the latest then they still have 8 months to pay and could pay maybe £20 a month or something. My CBM (sister) is going through a lot of stress at the moment so am going to do this stage of the planning myself and then closer to the time hand over to her.

How many nights is yours Flow?

I agree.

I decided not to travel for my hen night as I didn't want to 'burden' people with the cost. I know that some of my friends wouldn't be able to afford to go away for a couple of nights and I didn't want them to either miss out or make themselves skint to come.

Luckily, I live in the exact place where the OP is going to so I know it is easy for me not to travel as there is so much to do here.

Hiya, I've just come back from Brighton for my friends hen weekend and it was a blast. It was about £225 and we were told about 8 months in advance and paid it off in installments to the girl who was organising the weekend. Think it's totally down to what you and your friends can afford. Have a chat with them and see what they say.

I went to my friends Hen do and she had the same idea of letting people pick and choose which parts they attend. She did a its knockout day, followed by dinner and a night out. Some people just came for the day, some came for the evening and some did the whole thing. It worked really well and suited everybody so this is what I will do for mine. She done hers though an event company too

?So far 3 of the 5 have said they are up for it. One said she thinks it's a good idea to join them so they dont have to pay out on 2 things so close together.

I gave my hens 9 months notice, organised it through an events company so had the option of paying installements we paid £160 for 2 nights accomodation in 5 star apartements belly dancing and cocktail making, a 3 course meal and free entry into certain clubs - the fact that we are staying in apartments means that we can do a bit of a shop on wine, pizza stuff for breakfast which means we dont need to eat out and it also means we have somwhere nice to chill, watch a bit of TV, almost like a home from home.

just the one, but two days of fun

Well that entirely depends on how long you have been saving for your hen do, how much you earn and how much your friends have saved really!

Not everyone stuggles in recession and those of us that do, can save if given enough time.

For example, I have been saving for 2 and a half years for my hen do.

I could not agree more.

Why should friends have to save for months to be able to afford an expensive hen do?! Yes, they are given the option to attend, but perhaps they feel obliged to.

I have been to 3 of my close hen weekends in the last few years, generally if it consists of a weekend away I have had alot of notice compared to hen nights where its been a night out local, and I have managed to go to all. However I have never felt obliged to go. If I thought I couldnt afford it I would simply say I couldnt afford it. Its down to every individual and what they want out of it. Alot of us are greatful of a weekend away with the girls and these weekends are generally special and memorable.

I don't think you would feel completely comfortable about turning around and saying 'I can't afford your hen do'. You say alot of us are grateful for weekends away. Personally I'd prefer not to have to forego a proper summer holiday!

In all fairness everyone is different, and I had a few girls tell me they couldn’t afford to come on mine, they didn’t seem to have any quarms in saying so so I can only speak from my own personal experience, I also know that all the people that are coming on my hen do are not sacrificing other things such as holidays in order to be on my hen because they feel obliged. In terms of me saying that allot of us are grateful of a girly weekend away again only through my own experience. I cant generalise it but just go back to the fact that everyone is different. If you can afford to go on a hen great, if you cant then you cant. Simple as that.

Not if you're a bridesmaid, or your OH is an usher or the best man! Not really an option then, lack of funds or otherwise.