FJ readers share how much they’ve spent on a hen’s party

“It wasn’t justified but that’s hens’ politics for you.”

The average Australian wedding reportedly cost $35,315 in 2025. For those of us who remain unmarried, that feels like an impossibly steep cost. But when you take into account the dress, venue, food, flowers, the cake… It’s not entirely surprising.

What can come as more of a surprise is the cost of a hen’s. Also referred to as a bachelorette party, it’s traditionally a separate celebration for the bride-to-be and all their nearest and dearest. At its most debaucherous, it might involve strippers and penis straws; at its most wholesome, it might be a weekend away with arts, crafts and a stop-in at a winery.

Want to read more about how others navigate the world? Head to our Life section.

Because the spectrum for a hen’s party is so broad, the cost per head can be hard to predict. Some might be the equivalent of a nice dinner out, others might set guests back a few weeks’ pay. There’s really no telling. Keen to see how much other people have shelled out on a hen’s, we put the call out to FJ readers.

Paloma, 33, she/her

I think $350 was the most I’ve spent on a hen’s and it was for a friend that I’m not actually very close with. There was also an extra $100 or so in the evening after the formal celebrations had wrapped. We stopped by a bottle shop and I wanted to get a nice bottle and some extra drinks for the hen. It was a fun day but in retrospect, I probably should have declined. That’s a good few weeks of saving!

For what we got across the day, including return long-distance bus rides, a bougie lunch, nice drinks and a hotel for the hen, it was justified. But I do think bridesmaids have a responsibility to be mindful of the budget for all guests, not everyone can afford $350!

Kylie, 28, she/her

I spent $220 on a hen’s party and this covered food and drinks at home, a silent disco, games and a boat ride. The unexpected costs included drinks at the bar when we went out and dinner. Honestly, none of it was justified. I hated every minute and didn’t want to attend. I was made to go because it was my boyfriend’s sister, and I was considered a close relative. In my opinion, hens and weddings are performative.

Rachel, 29, she/her

I spent approximately $500. This covered an Airbnb for two nights, transport out of Melbourne, a trip to a spa and food for two nights. It was worth it, but could also have been cheaper. The food cost felt over-the-top for what it was. I wish people organising a hen’s party would check everyone’s budget and get an okay on the costs before spending as it can get pretty stressful.

Annabelle, 24, she/they

I spent about $500, and mind you, I wasn’t a bridesmaid or anything, just a guest. It covered a weekend away, meals, drinks and snacks, plus a sit-down lunch. When I break it down, everything felt like good value. But $500 is a lot to spend on anything. For most people, $500 means budgeting for a few weeks or having to go without certain things. I wouldn’t expect the bride to cover it but it’s just a lot of money.

Achan, 27, they/them

I spent $600 to take out my small bridal party for my own wedding. It was four people total, and we went out for a fancy dinner and some cocktails. We each got the tasting menu and drinks, so $150 each wasn’t too bad.

I almost didn’t have a bachelorette party, it seemed like such a waste when we were already paying so much for the wedding and honeymoon. Our wedding was really small and it was comparatively cheap but we were paying for everything ourselves. We essentially had a cocktail party with 40 people and courthouse ceremony and it was still about $15,000 plus another $10,000 for the honeymoon. I wasn’t prepared to pay much more for a bachelorette and I didn’t want to make my bridal party to pay for a party so close to the wedding when they all had to travel for it anyway.

Bethany, 33, she/her

The most recent hen’s I went to was $250 per head. However, some people didn’t adhere to the RSVP dates, so we got stung with covering their part, and I ended up spending $650. It wasn’t justified but that’s hens politics for you.

Nat, 29, she/her

I paid around $250 for two nights away. We were lucky that one of the other bridesmaid’s had a family holiday house, so our only major costs were a fancy dinner out, a spa, drinks and then food for everyone to cook with. We paid for most things up front, and there was the option to grab a coffee in the morning and things like that, so it didn’t come as too much of a surprise.

The all-up cost felt fair to me. It was still a big expense but we had at least two months notice. We were also really lucky to save on the accomodation – that’s always what gets you. It also felt really special being all together celebrating our gorgeous friend for the whole weekend, I’d do it again in a heartbeat.

For more on hen’s party costs, try this.