Group of people having fun at music concert
Celebrations can become costly (Picture: Getty Images)

Your phone pings, and you see the notification sure to strike fear into the heart of any woman: you’ve been added to a hen do group.

Soon, the ‘hey ladies!’ messages start streaming in. At first, it’s suggested dates and cities, but then the inevitable happens – it’s time to starting handing over the cash.

Anyone who has been on a hen do will know they’re expensive, and new research from Aviva makes for some stomach-churning reading.

The insurance company surveyed 1000 people who attended stag or hen weekends that were not their own and found that men spend £920 on average for their friends’ send off, while women pay £652 for hen dos.

Considering most hen and stag do celebrations see you heading off to a city for two nights to hang out with a bunch of people you sort-of know, that feels like a lot.

Not only that, but if you’re going further afield and leaving the UK, you’re looking at forking out more than £1000.

How much have you spent on a hen or stag celebration weekend?Comment Now

Research also found that a third of people surveyed previously declined an invitation, with 79% of cases citing expenses as the main reasons.

Others gave different excuses to their host as they didn’t want to admit they couldn’t go due to the high cost of attending the celebration.

How much is the average cost per person of a stag or hen event in the UK and abroad?

Accommodation:£151 (UK), £228 (abroad)

Food and drink: £112 (UK), £200 (abroad)

Transport:£85 (UK), £184 (abroad)

Gifts: £99 (UK), £157 (abroad)

Fancy dress: £105 (UK), £126 (abroad)

Activities:£116 (UK), £171 (abroad)

Other expenditure: £111 (UK), £142 (abroad)

Total:£779 (UK), £1,208 (abroad)

‘There comes a point in life where stag and hen weekends seem to come thick and fast,’ said Kelly Whittington, specialty claims director at Aviva.

‘It’s great to celebrate with the bride or groom to-be, but it can also be a costly time, particularly if there are a number of weddings on the horizon.’

Deals of the day

‘While we understand the desire to save, if people are looking to cut costs, we’d strongly recommend that travel insurance isn’t the place to skimp, especially if they are going abroad.’

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