Bachelor Party Friends Bail on Costs, Leaving Planners Stuck

A Dear Abby reader asked whether three bachelor party dropouts should help pay for nonrefundable bookings. Abby said both sides share fault.

• 12 men planned two nights in Boston, including a Bruins game.
• $565 per person was the total, including the groom's share.
• 3 men withdrew after the price was announced and refused installment plans.
• $200 each was requested; one paid, one paid half, one went silent.

Why it matters: Abby said the planners should have collected deposits before booking, as hotels and Airbnb do. She called the $200 request a fair compromise.

• She suggested the dropouts likely could not afford the trip.

How 3 sources split on this story

What’s next: Abby advised thanking the full payer and never raising the debt with the others again.

• A second letter, from a grandmother, drew advice to stop funding outings for an unfriendly granddaughter.
• Whether the remaining two men will pay anything further is unknown.