My Hen Weekend

Yes, you are reading this right, instead of one girly afternoon or an evening hen-do, I had a whole hen weekend! Some time in July last year, I received a mystery letter. It contained a lovingly handmade invitation that looked like this:

The invitation contained this itinerary:

What (or who) I would likewise call extraordinary is my friend Christina, who organized all this for me. She also was the one who documented the complete weekend and gave me a photo album with all the pictures as a keepsake. Thank you and bless your soul, greatest friend on Earth!

To start it all of, we met for cocktails and nibbles at The Book Club. The evening was magic. I felt all cosy and fuzzy inside with my girlfriends around me. Not just because of the delicious drinks! 

Clockwise from top left: I & Susanna/Sarah & I/the cover of the photo album/Christina/I & Abi/Eva looking beautiful/Susanna, Christina, I, Abi, Sarah & Gila

On Saturday morning, I got to dress up and was summoned to the front door of Sketch. I was really hoping that we would actually go inside the restaurant, as I had been wanting to do that for ages, and we did! Christina had us all booked on a Chocolate Tour of Central London and it started of with a hot chocolate in Sketch's famous tea parlour. We then proceeded to visit several artisan chocolate shops in the area. We were given loads of samples to try in each one, so naturally we look a bit like, um, kids in the candy store in the following pictures... Oh, and of course every hen do needs a scantily clad man, so the girls made me stand next to the half-naked model in Abercrombie & Fitch on Savile Row.

Clockwise from top left: Christina, I, Gila in Prestat/me holding a Prestat heart/me holding a hot chocolate/Gila, Susanna & I in front of Godiva/me sampling a chocolate/Christina, Gila, Mr Half-Naked, I & Susi/Gila, I Susanna & Christina in Sketch

After starting to think that I had died and gone to chocolate heaven, I got whisked away in a black cab to another top-secret location. This turned out to be Bake-a-boo coffee shop in North London. And as if cupcakes and vintage tea sets wouldn't have made me happy enough, Christina had arranged for a few hours of crafting. We were just getting settled with our tea when a lady approached our table and introduced herself as Bee from Make Do Mend. And then she started unpacking a bag full of fabrics and threads and sewing notions. We made bunting, with each of my girls designing and embroidering one or two flags for me. This bunting had pride of place on the bridal table at the wedding and is now decorating my home.

Clockwise from top left: Susanna, Christina & I in the cab/that cupcake had my name on it/I & Abi smiley/I & Abi crafting/a random picture of  me sitting in Franklin D. Roosevelt's lap with Winston Churchill kissing my shoulder/afternoon tea cake stand/scones with cream & jam/my hen do sash/the Bake-a-boo tea menu

You can see more photos of my hens and me crafting on the Make Do Mend blog.

You think chocolate and crafting is quite a lot for one day? We did not stop there. On we went to the Adam & Eve for dinner. We got stuck in torrential rain trying to get there, but wine and comfort food quickly made us forget the getting wet. After dinner, we went on to a blues club for some light dancing. No photos exist of that, so you will have to take my word for it: we had a good time!

Clockwise from top left: me trying on a Boris bike for size/I, Christina & Gila in front of Bakea-a-boo/crafting stash/Susanna & I at dinner/I & Eva/RAIN

Finally, on Sunday, the girls threw me a picnic in Hyde Park. This was a lovely end to an amazing weekend and gave us the chance to reminisce. I even got pressies, and Christina had prepared a kind of Mr & Mrs quiz together with Marco, so that I had a lot of questions to answer about our relationship. I did not fare too badly, but learned a few new things about the man. Like that he knows my favourite dress, but not my moisturiser and that he fancies Isabella Rossellini...

Clockwise from top left: detail from photo album/sparkling brownies/Susanna, Abi & her little Sam, I & Eva/back flap of photo album/Eva, Abi, Christina with Sam & Susanna

This weekend was one of the best in my life and reminded me of how much I love my girlfriends and that they will always be there for me. I had such a good time and found it especially amazing that Christina went through so much trouble to arrange all the lovely treats. It was all so well coordinated and every single activity was all about the things I like. After one year, I am still grateful that these girls threw me such a marvellous bash, and I will never forget that they did this for me! ❤

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