When I had my hen do, I wanted something low cost that all my friends and family could come to. I had been on many a hen do and found that I had to budget for the meal out, the outfit, the transportation, then the night out around the town afterwards; something at each time I could not really afford. I tried to put myself in the shoes of my friends who are on small budgets so I could have fun with them at my party while still being affordable.
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Some brides however want a more upscale do in the name of their ‘last night of freedom’ and that’s fine, if that’s that you want to do, Just be mindful that some of your friends and family might not be able to make it or that people will be unhappy when they arrive over the astronomical cost of being there.
It is arguable that this is a night to remember and people should make the effort to ensure it’s one that you can talk about for the rest of your married life- for good reasons- after all; you are only going to do it once- hopefully!
Most hens and stags don’t have their dos at home, with some even venturing across seas and consequently, the spend per person has risen by 42% for a hen and 26% for a stag since 2004.
The average cost to attend a hen do now is £160, compared to just £107 back in 2004, which is not likely an amount of cash you will have just lying around the house ready to be spent on booze and learner plates.
With the recession in full swing it seems that brides to be are not toning down their celebrations but cranking them up.
Stags, however leave hens standing when it comes to spend with a 13% increase from 2012-2013.
If you Google 'ideas for hen and stag dos', there are some extreme choices out there- shooting, zombie apocalypse, spa days and cocktail making sessions- all which come with a big price tag. Most brides want to outdo their predecessors too, with something different to what their friends have done, so they don’t feel like they are just repeating a night out they have already had.
Viki Sanders, Travel Expert at Red7, said: “We’ve seen some huge changes in the things stags and hens ask for on their ‘last night of freedom’, from the length of their stay to where they go. Many now stay overnight or go abroad for a few days, rather than the traditional night out on the town.
To make things worse, some hens and stags want two parties- one home and one away- one in and one out- one with a particular set of friends and one with another. So not only has the cost gone up- but times that by two because the celebrations no longer stop after just one night- stag and hens dos are now stretching out to whole weekends.
“We’ve seen a huge increase in bookings for less conventional experiences, such as spa trips, dance lessons and cocktail-making classes, and the average event now lasts just under two nights – more than double that of 2004.”
Newlywed Jessica McDonnell, 23, from Huddersfield, opted for a pole fit master class on her hen do: “I shied away from the traditional hen party as I'm not a heavy drinker and wanted something that incorporated my own personality. It was a great way to introduce the girls to one of my favorite pastimes and, as it was completely different, it felt more memorable. The plan is to only have one hen party and so I wanted to do something with my friends that I wouldn’t usually have the opportunity to do.”
I agree with Jessica that it’s good excuse to have the chance to do something that you might not have got the opportunity to before and show your hens a part of your life that they might not be familiar with.
For those who are not into their drinking and nights out it can be a great way to get inventive with your activity choices. All I would say is if you were in the shoes of your fellow hens how much would you want to spend if the roles were reversed?