Hen Weekend crafting walking and boring

What a very strange mix of activities! At least it doesn’t sound like one of those where the bride to be and her mates stagger about under the influence wearing too little clothes and too much pink! Or maybe you will be macrameing (is that even a word?) the fishnet tights??

Just say no? say you're looking forward to the actual wedding but can't make the hen but hope she has a wonderful time?

Sounds like fun to me

Macrame is making things like plant pot hangers from string. Everyone had spider plants hanging from them back in the 80's

Ok I am 50 but what’s macrame? Thought that was a joke from the secret policeman’s other ball!

No just no

My hen do was afternoon tea at my friend’s house, kindly provided by her mother. It was giggly and fun even alcohol free!
DD went on one in Ibiza which was expensive but quite enjoyable. Only problem was the couple broke up and the wedding never happened.?
And in answer to OP, it sounds like you have had a lucky escape!

I would not spend that much money on a hen night, it is unfair to all other would be guests.

My daughter and some friends went out for a spar session and a nice meal at sensible prices and just enjoyed it.

The only hen do I've ever been on was horrendous - just the bride, matron of honour (who was a man) and the girlfriend of my son's friend. We all sat around wishing we were anywhere but there and got back to her house to find the stag do had been the same culminating in the groom passing out in his plate of curry - everything else about that wedding is best forgotten!

Went to my DDs, which was very civilised, meal in a nice restaurant with some of her closest friends, in a side room, never had one myself and wouldn't want to go on a crafting weekend! Spa possibly!

We once went on a short cruise. There was a large party of girls obviously on a hen weekend. All dressed all the time as sailors. The bride wore a pink sash ,as well ,with her status emblazoned on it. So did her Mum. They were having a lovely inebriated time, and raised quite a few eyebrows with their loud behaviour.

I think you may not be the only one to cry off. My DD had 2 hen parties and I and her Ss-in-L , M-in-L, granny etc were all invited to the second one which was a civilised meal in a nice restaurant. Plenty of prosecco and giggles but no sharing rooms. I possibly paid for it but it was such fun I can't remember. Another time my DS was invited to be best man in Thailand on Christmas eve - at his own expense. He declined.

What happened to a meal and a few drinks in your own home town like we use to do years ago.
Sometimes mum and future MIL came as well!!! lol.

I just like the idea of them crafting, making macrame, wearing pink sparkly wigs.

ahhh nope, we are very distinct sets of friends, her being the intended of my friend, so it doesnt work that way!

I wouldn't go, either. Not my sort of thing at all, especially having to share a room!
Why have hen dos become so extravagant and expensive? And stag dos, come to that. So many people complain about being expected to shell out ££££, and often give up days of precious leave, too.

High time IMO there was a backlash, which will only come from more people not being afraid to say, sorry, but no.

Horses for courses. I would love the crafting but sharing a room/bathroom with strangers - noooooooo. Fair enough to
Pass on that imo

That is my idea of hell on earth and forking out hundreds of pounds for the experience

Sounds like expensive hell to me. It seems to me that if you're already paying to go to the wedding then you could reasonably excuse yourself from an expensive hen do.

My DIL invited me on her hen party which was many miles away in a faded, jaded seaside town. I was going to be the driver for the weekend taking her friends and her. All of our family cried off for one reason or another and then so did her friends. I didn't feel able to drop out even though I couldn't think of anything worse especially as her mother absolutely hated me. It was awful. We stayed in a hostel type place which was just the pits. It was smelly, shabby and the food they served was all out of date.
Her mother was an entirely selfish woman who wouldn't let my DIL do anything she wanted to without making the most awful fuss. We arrived on Friday night and by Saturday lunchtime, my DIL was in tears wanting to go home and wishing I was her mother. It was horrendous and I made up my mind I would never go back to that place and I would avoid anything to do with her mother again. As we lived 400 miles apart it was very easy!

What everyone else has said. It's a presumption to expect people to splash out on an event of this type that's quite niche and not for everyone. Why can't people just have the wedding and have done with it, God knows that can be more than enough in some cases, without stretching the damn thing into a series of associated celebrations. As for sharing a bedroom or bathroom, no thanks!

Why does anybody want to do that? True, I am among the top category of introverts but perhaps I can understand hen partying like I can understand dogs smelling each others bottoms

Not in a million years

I went to DD’s.
It consisted of cakes, tea and prosecco in her very small back garden with 5 of her friends and I felt very flattered to be invited.
I am like you maggie and would never decline an invitation!

Teetime echoed my sentiments exactly. I think these brides nowadays are quite selfish expecting guests to spend large amounts of money for the privilege of attending their nuptials.

My philosophy is similar to dogsmother’s. If I’m invited to a party, I go. Life’s too short to sit at home. The crafting doesn’t appeal to me either, but with a few glasses of fizz and some good company, it could turn out to be a weekend you’ll regret missing out on. But then, sharing a room wouldn’t bother me in the slightest.