Inside: Honour Wainwright’s Très Chic Parisian Hen

By Honour Wainwright

For Honour Wainwright, Director of Marketing at Boodles, a simple countryside weekend was on the cards. Or so she thought. What unfolded instead was a whirlwind 36 hours in Paris, orchestrated to perfection by her closest friends. Think stripy tops, surprise rooftops, and rosé-fuelled laughter, all set against the sparkling city backdrop. A hen weekend filled with love, mischief and a lot of moustaches.

Why Paris?

I had absolutely no idea where we were going or what was planned. My three best friends, who’d taken on the task of organising the hen, FaceTimed me two nights before and very dramatically announced that there was one final, essential item I needed to pack: my passport. That completely threw me. I was convinced we were heading for a wholesome countryside weekend somewhere not far from London, complete with wellies, wine and maybe a hot tub at most.

I still didn’t know the destination the morning of the hen. The real moment of revelation came at 5:30am at Kings Cross St Pancras. I was half asleep, clutching a Pret coffee for dear life, when I spotted a group of 20 of my best friends all dressed as stereotypical Frenchmen — stripy tops, berets, and the most questionable stick-on moustaches you’ve ever seen. That’s when the penny finally dropped. It took a beret, 20 moustaches and a train station full of clues, but we were going to Paris.

Where we stayed

The funny thing is, I honestly couldn’t tell you where we stayed or the names of any of the restaurants at the time. I was a total sheep the entire weekend, blindly following my three event planners — also known as my bridesmaids — from one surprise to the next. I didn’t even think to ask where we were, I was too busy squealing with excitement and soaking up every moment with my favourite people.

But looking back through the itinerary they had so beautifully put together, I can now tell you we stayed at Hotel Rochechouart. It was the perfect boutique spot for a hen weekend. Super cute rooms, an excellent breakfast (always a win after a big night of rosé), and a rooftop bar with the most incredible 360-degree views. Sacré-Cœur to our right, the Eiffel Tower to our left. It felt like something out of a film.

What we did

After checking in, we wandered the streets of Paris before settling in the Jardin du Luxembourg for a picnic lunch and some classic hen do games. I love a bit of tacky hen paraphernalia. The paper plates and straws were all customised with pictures of me and Charlie plastered across them. Nothing says romance quite like sipping rosé through your fiancé’s face.

We played quite a few games, but some things are best left in Paris.

Later that evening, we met on the rooftop of our hotel — golden hour, 360-degree views, and all my girlfriends dressed head to toe in hot pink. We can’t seem to escape the Boodles brand colour. It was such a moment. We then headed to dinner at Mondaine de Paris, which I honestly can’t recommend enough. The food was unreal and there was a live cabaret show that performed around the tables. We ended up pushing the tables aside and dancing until the early hours.

The next morning, the itinerary had park yoga scheduled, but unsurprisingly, no one was particularly keen on a downward dog after the night before. Instead, we mooched about, did a bit of shopping, ate absolutely everything and soaked up the last of Paris before catching the Eurostar home with full hearts and very sore feet.

What we packed

All I’d been told in advance was to wear white all weekend and bring a pair of kitten heels for Saturday night. That had me — and all the girls — in stitches because I’m very much more of a trainers kind of gal. I was intrigued, and then it all made sense when I found out the amazing restaurant they had booked had a strict no-trainers policy.

Apparently, the group chat, which I wasn’t allowed in until the morning of, had gone into full meltdown over shoe choices. I was crying with laughter watching my usually low-maintenance girlfriends wobbling around Paris in their clip-clop heels. Serious commitment to the cause.

Every few hours they surprised me with a new accessory. A chic white beret, an unbelievably tacky sash, and of course the classic hen veil. The cherry on top was a beautiful bow from Gigi & Olive embroidered with ‘Mrs Coleman’, which I wore that evening until my sister-in-law confiscated it to save it for the wedding weekend. Sensible.

I rented all my outfits from Hurr, which was brilliant. I knew I’d have ended up buying endless themed outfits that I’d hopefully never wear again. I wore my Boodles Beach necklace all weekend, along with my Raindance ring, engagement ring and our new Play of Light earrings, which added a perfect pop of colour to the white looks.

Best moment of the hen weekend

I couldn’t possibly pick just one. The entire weekend was bursting with love and laughter. From the 5:30am surprise at Kings Cross, to the rooftop cocktails and chaotic dancing, to the games in the gardens, I don’t think I stopped smiling. Seeing all my friends from different parts of my life getting on so well was unbelievably special. It was more than I ever could have hoped for and I feel incredibly lucky to have such amazing people in my life.