Inviting people to your hen who are not invited to the wedding?

I had quite a small spa break hen-do, and invited a couple of people who weren't invited to the wedding. Although I couldn't fit them in to my limited numbers at the wedding, I wanted to enjoy something with them, so the hen-do seemed to be the perfect way to do that.

I don't think it's a bad thing- shows you're thinking of people

This is interesting. I would have defaulted to no, but I looked into this when Mr Ash wanted to invite heaps of people to his stag that weren't invited to the wedding. It's apparently OK to invite people to the hen that aren't invited to the wedding.

I don't think it's rude - I'm sure people will be happy to celebrate with you. A lot of people have small intimate weddings these days so it's not uncommon and most people understand!

I think because you're having such a small wedding its fine and people will want to celebrate with you the same as they will want to see your photos and hear all about it afterwards. Also if they don't feel like that then they will make an excuse and refuse your invite.

Yeah I agree, if you are having a very small wedding and they know they won't be invited because of that then it's fine to invite them if it's pitched as a big fun night out to celebrate your upcoming wedding

I think it's fine to invite someone to your hen but not your wedding. I'd go to a hen even if I wasn't invited, it's the making sure you have a good night out, and if your small wedding is really small like 12 people, you won't be inviting the blokes, that's 6, 2 will be mothers (hopefully) that's 4 including yourself so not a big deal at all.

I personally would feel really awkward inviting people to my hen that aren't invited to the wedding but I have been to hens where I haven't been invited to the wedding and it wasn't a big deal X

Normally I would say absolutely not, but since you are having an intimate wedding it might be okay (as long as your definition of intimate is like 20, not 100!). Just make sure the people you do invite will be understanding.

Thanks ladies for all the advice. MrsP that's awful!!! MrsSmith, I feel really awkward about it too, especially as the invites to the wedding havnt gone out yet and my sister wants to get a date organised for the hen ASAP as she has such a hectic calendar. Shes bugging me for a list of names for the hen and I know as soon as she starts contacting people they could be expecting an invite to the wedding to follow! On the other hand, if i keep the hen to just those coming to the wedding, it will only be me, my mum, mil, my sister, sil, my best friend and one other friend who doesn't know my best friend or my family. I dont have a great relationship with mil and sil or my own mum come to that so I think it will be awkward and not a party atmosphere so I'd rather not have a hen at all which seems a shame