Why Paris?
Well, one of the main reasons was… I just love Paris. I go as often as I can, for work and for pleasure. My bridesmaids and I wanted a weekend away together, and Paris is such an accessible option close to home that still feels like a different world – the Eurostar makes it so convenient. Paris has such a magical air about it for me; I have so many wonderful memories there, and now I have even more. I love being able to walk down a street, see a particular restaurant or café and be reminded of a specific time or occasion – having those triggers all around me is something I treasure.
Where we stayed
We stayed at Hôtel Grand Cœur Latin, a cool, stylishly decorated little gem in the heart of the 5th arrondissement.
What we did
We ate, drank and laughed endlessly – and took a lot of photos. There were just four of us: me and my three bridesmaids, Imogen, Hiroe and Lelanie. They planned the most wonderful, thoughtful itinerary filled with things they knew I’d love. Hiroe, who is a graphic designer, even created an interactive map for the weekend, complete with clickable icons marking our restaurant reservations, drinks stops and photo locations scouted near each booking. The whole thing exceeded my expectations. It felt so special, and I’m so grateful for the enormous effort they all went to.
Where we ate
On the first day we had lunch at Le Compass, a classic Parisian bistro – the perfect spot for people watching. That evening we had dinner at a brasserie and drinks at the atmospheric Le Fumoir. On the second morning we strolled through Saint-Germain, stopping for coffee and croissants, followed by lunch at the stunning Café de l’Homme, then lobster pasta and chocolate soufflé for dinner at the legendary Lapérouse. Creative cocktails at Grouvie came next, and we ended the night on the patio of Café de Buci until the small hours. On day three: breakfast at Les Deux Magots, lunch at Gigi, drinks at The Ritz, dinner at Coco, more drinks at Les Antiquaires and a 1:30am McDonald’s. On the final day, coffee and croissants in the Latin Quarter, lunch at Maison Boudon, a visit to chocolate mousse bar Chapon, then back to Les Antiquaires for oysters and a cheeseboard before catching the train home.
What we packed
I packed an all-white wardrobe, naturally. My favourite look was a white lace sheer bustier dress from Helsa, worn over nude shorts, paired with sparkling Manolo Hangisi heels and a bag shaped like a tiered wedding cake. We also had one silly night where my three bridesmaids dressed as French artists in stripy t-shirts and red berets – I, of course, wore white.
Best moment of the hen weekend
Too many to count. I loved the four of us sitting on the terrace of Café de Buci at 2am, laughing and talking nonsense. But I’ll also never forget being bundled into one of the hotel rooms at the end of a night, watching The Sound of Music on an iPad with a Filet-O-Fish in hand – reaching that point in the evening where absolutely everything is hysterically funny. I think we just about finished our performance of ‘Sixteen Going on Seventeen’ before I had to give up and go to bed. It was glorious.
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