Here at Topvintage the month of May is all about weddings and weddings go hand in hand with hen parties. After all, a hen do is still a very popular pre-wedding activity and once you’ve set a date and sent out the invites, you just know that your friends, family and co-workers are going to organise one for you. They all want to join you in celebrating your last days of ‘freedom’. I asked three Topvintage ladies all about their hen parties. Read their fun and fabulous stories!   

Sietske's hen do

Sietske is 33 and has enjoyed working at Topvintage for almost 10 years now. She is a member of the buying team and partly responsible for purchasing beauty items, accessories, gifts and legwear. On November 4th, 2022 she married Max, her partner of 15 years and the love of her life. They held a lavish wedding at a hotel in Southern Limburg (the Netherlands) with all their family and friends.

Did you know your hen do was being planned or was it a complete surprise?
“I did know that there was going to be a hen do. My friends, who were also the emcees at my wedding, did ask me beforehand whether I wanted a hen do. They also checked with me if there were things that I absolutely would not want to do. So, I did know something was going to happen, but I didn’t know what or when it was going to be.”

What was your hen do like? 
"I was having a quiet Saturday morning and was still in my pyjamas when the doorbell suddenly rang. There was no one at the door, but there was a letter with a rebus in it. I am a huge fan of games, so my friends really made the most of that. Normally I am quite quick at solving puzzles but I felt a little nervous so it took me longer to solve the rebus than it normally would. My husband was already getting messages that I was taking too long. When I finally solved the rebus, the ‘answer’ turned out to be an instruction that I had to get ready quickly and go over to a friend’s house, who also happens to be my neighbour. When I got there, all my girlfriends were there and they had prepared an amazing brunch with plenty of tasty treats and prosecco. Then we were ready for the rest of the day’s activities and I had to decipher them one puzzle at a time.

We then had a bit of scavenger hunt around the city, which took us to Nars for a make-up workshop (something I would definitely recommend) and here we were welcomed with luxurious pastries and some bubbly. This was so much fun and we learned a lot too! And another bonus: we all looked fabulous for the rest of the day. 

After the workshop they had arranged a private dining experience at one of my favourite restaurants and here we were served a delicious menu with paired wines. In the evening we all went out for some drinks and ended up lodging together. It really was a fun and fabulous day, and I didn’t have to do any weird or embarrassing things. My friends really planned a day doing things that I enjoy the most.”

What is your best memory of that special day?
“My best memory of that day is spending quality time with all of my friends. The happiness and appreciation I felt for the efforts made by everyone to plan everything and/or be there. This day was a testament to how well my friends know me, and I feel so blessed to have these girls in my life. We had a polaroid camera with us as well throughout the day, so I also have plenty of photos to remember this day by.”

Corine's hen do

Corine has been with Topvintage for 10 years and during that time she has held a number of different creative jobs. The past year her main focus has been everything relating to the new website. On August 25th, 2021 she married her husband, Chris. They held an intimate wedding in their own garden with family, friends and their three kids. It was in the aftermath of the Covid crisis: there was still a lot of uncertainty surrounding the planning of a big celebration. But they really wanted to get married that summer!

“I remember Chris sending me a message in early July: 'Hey, do you fancy getting married on August 25 because there is slot available on that day?' I simply answered: 'Yes!' We basically ended up planning the whole thing in just one week.”

Even though getting married was a big thing for them, they are actually really happy with the way things turned out. Being the centre of attention all day long and all the fuss that comes with it just isn’t what Corine and Chris wanted. Later that year, they made their shared dream come true by buying a retro camper van, which they completely refurbished. They love hitting the road and making memories together! They would still like to throw a festival-inspired party at some point, but then it would be more of a celebration of life and love in general rather than of their marriage specifically.

Did you know your hen do was being planned or was it a complete surprise?
“My hen do really was a massive surprise! Especially since our wedding was rather spontaneous and thereofore on short notice, so I didn’t expect my friends to organise anything. It was all big surprise to me!” 

What was your hen do like? 
“It was August 16 and I had planned a quiet Saturday with Chris, but then a friend sends me a message asking if I wanted to grab some lunch and I said yes. But as it turns out, it was all planned. Apparently, they had asked Chris to pack a bag for me with some (sports) clothing, a towel and some sunscreen. Once I was in the car I did get a little suspicious, I mean why would you drive this far for a bit of lunch? Then we stopped at a lake, at a specific location where you can do all kinds of outdoor sports. And I remember thinking: ‘YES, what a cool plan!’ When I got inside, I was showered in confetti by 15 of my girlfriends who were waiting for me, screaming and shouting. I was totally in shock and ready for whatever was going to happen. We started off with a relaxed picnic and some champaign. But I did notice that everyone was dressed in sportswear. Once we finished our food and drinks, we were taken to the other side of the lake. So exciting! We then participated in some physical games like bubble rugby, a sumo game and dodgebow (or archery dodgeball).  After our exertions we were rewarded with an open bar and a lavish barbecue and we were so ready for it! After we had our dinner, people could either have some cocktails and just relax or they could go crazy on a giant inflatable water park and let me tell you holding on to your bikini briefs was a skill in and of itself here. All in all we had a super active day and time really did fly while we were having a total blast!”

What is your best memory of that special day?
“My best memory would have to be that my friends organised all this behind my back, I’m so grateful to them! It was also one of the first big activities post Covid. The memories of this day are still hysterical! Also, I still have a ringing in my ear from all the screaming, and I love it!"

Petra's hen do

Petra is in charge of the day-to-day running of our Topvintage Store. She got married on October 15th, 1993. That’s almost 30 years ago! It was a romantic day with all the bells and whistles: a lavish lunch, a lovely wedding cake, a photo shoot, and an evening reception followed by a night of partying and dancing to the music of a live band. And the whole thing was held at a gorgeous venue in Rijckholt (Limburg, NL).

Did you know your hen do was being planned or was it a complete surprise?
“My hen do was a complete surprise! I was picked up by my girlfriends and my groom-to-be by his group of friends. So it was an all-day event for both of us.” 

What was your hen do like? 
“After my girlfriends picked me up, we went to Heerlen. When we got there, I had to put on a cow costume and hand out so-called ‘cow chocolate bars’ (a typical Dutch treat that features a blue cow on the packaging) to the single men we would encounter. Then the guy in question and I had to share the chocolate bar by eating it… mouth-to-mouth! My friends would then take pictures of me and the guys and these pictures along with names and phone numbers were put into a booklet. And to make things ‘worse’, there was a funfair on at the time and I had to go and sit in one of the kids rides dressed in my cow costume. We howled with laughter. Later that night we joined up with my husband and his friends. After a few drinks, I didn’t even notice the cow costume anymore and we simply had a fantastic night!”

What is your best memory of that special day?
“Getting all that attention of those single men of course. The joint party at the end really was memorable though. Especially the part where a friend took off with the peanut vending machine from the pub.”