A Hen Do for the Bride Who Doesn't Like Hen Dos
You don't have to wear a "bride" sash if you don't want to.
I'm currently sat on the train, leaving my hen weekend (or “bachelorette” to my US readers) and, slight hangover aside, my cup feels very full. The WhatsApp group is being flooded with pictures from the weekend, and my phone is pinging with messages of “that's the nicest hen do I've ever been on.”
And it was for me too. Because it was “me”, not a prescribed version of what a hen weekend should be (you’ll see a pattern here, from my recent legal ceremony, thoughts on bridal dressing, and — to come — our big day in Italy later this summer).
Honestly, the idea of having to wear a sash with “bride” written across it all weekend is my idea of a sartorial nightmare. Strippers and butlers in the buff make me cringe. I don't really think sitting around playing Mr and Mrs is fun for anyone. So when it came to my hen, I said to my sister (who so excellently organised it) that I don't want a “hen”, I just want a nice girls’ weekend away. [This is written with no shade to people who do enjoy these things, it’s just that I don’t.]
We gathered friends and family members from different parts of my life (most of them knew one or two other people, which actually worked really well as there were no ready-made groups or cliques) and booked a 500-year-old cottage in the Peak District, complete with low beams, big copper bath tubs, slightly creaky floorboards, and locally-made soaps and lotions that we couldn't stop talking about.
There was a courtyard right in the middle that became the meeting point for breakfasts, cups of tea that swiftly moved into cold glasses of Aperol spritz, and talking about all the things that women in their 30s talk about when they get together in a group: periods, fertility, family, careers, partners, what fake tan we’d applied before we got there (I'm team Tan-Luxe The Gradual all the way), what natural deodorant we like best (AKT for me, but Fussy got a lot of mentions from the group too), etc. etc.
The weather was a perfect 28°C and sunny. We packed our walking boots and hiked up Mam Tor, cooled off with a pint at the local beer garden, and hired a private chef to cook up an Italian feast as a little taste of things to come on the big day; bottles of Amie’s Carignan proving the perfect accompaniment (smooth, medium-bodied, with hints of blackberry and plum — and very quaffable).
What I packed: clothes and accessories
An old brown linen COS playsuit (similar one here in black and on sale) that kept me cool in the heat, was easy to travel in, and looked cute at the same time. Worn with light Studio Nicholson trainers and my much-worn cord necklace from Lines & Current.
My summer staple jersey slip dress from Raey, worn with slim leather Tkees flip-flops.
A short-sleeved shirt from Uniqlo, worn with my go-to striped boxer shorts from WNU (these are very similar) and fisherman sandals.
A black strapless, voluminous dress from Matteau that I bought in Sydney years ago (similar here, here, and here), worn with a Jenny Bird arm cuff*, BAR choker*, PDPAOLA ring* and the aforementioned flip-flops.
Walking gear. I bought some boots from Berghaus about 15 years ago that are still going strong (this pair looks similar), and wore an old Wood Wood cap, loose Sweaty Betty top I usually reserve for Pilates, and a pair of black shorts from So Elly that come in French Blue this season.
Vitamin A bikini top* and bottoms*, which was slightly over optimistic, what with there not being much in the way of bodies of water in the Peak District, so it stayed in the bag (looking forward to a beach day soon to give it a proper test drive).
What I packed: beauty
Aside from my usuals, these additions made it into my weekend bag…
ZIIP Halo*, the microcurrent facial toning device that helps with a little lift and glow (a great little cheat if you’ve had a wine too many the night before). You can get 10% off ZIIP with code ANGHARAD.
Merit The Uniform. Yes, the tinted SPF everyone’s been talking about. It's as good as they say it is and great in the heat if you don't want to wear full makeup. I have it in shade 24.
Merit Cabo lipstick, lightly dabbed on for a more muted effect.
Beauty Pie Le Smash Santal*. A new perfume for me and one that I'm loving. I don't like floral scents, and I think I must have a sensitive nose because anything too sweet makes me physically recoil. This is a unisex scent with sandalwood, Tonka bean, lavender and tea leaves. Perfect on a hot summer's day.
The rest of this post is for paid subscribers. Behind the paywall, you’ll find a link and the details of the cottage we booked, more on the chef we hired, and whether I'd book either of them again.