I’ve provided my life drawing services to hen parties and birthday celebrations since 2011. Each year presents exciting firsts as well as a set of challenges. It’s the time of the year when you start reflecting on 2018. Here are some of my highlights and lowlights for this year.
Highlights
Hen Party in Paris
This was the first time I’ve been booked for a hen party in France. Initially, I didn’t think it would take place as the logistics weren’t ideal. The group was from New York and were spending the weekend in Paris.
I was honoured for a group to pay for me to travel so extensively to entertain them, especially since they had also come across the Atlantic!
The journey wasn’t plain sailing, but it was all worth it. I met six gorgeous and friendly ladies in a rather special building in a fabulous city.
You can read more about that adventure in Paris from a previous blog.
I’ve now been booked for another hen party in Paris in April 2019.
Chilled out 40th Birthday
My last booking for 2018 was an intimate birthday party near Abingdon in Oxfordshire. A week or so before the event, organiser Charlotte, told me that it was for her own birthday.
The booking was for late Sunday afternoon, and on my arrival, I found out that the ladies had an afternoon tea.
The event and the ladies were really laid back and friendly. The young daughter of one of the participants had been told to stay upstairs while I was there, but sneaked downstairs at one point. In the end, she joined us and started drawing me. Nudity is not an issue for children, but adults that turn it into one. This was however a situation where the appropriateness of my poses was of the upmost importance.
Kensington Hen Party Group
This was a small hen party held late on a Saturday night in Kensington in London. The organiser wanted to start off with the famous scene from Titanic. I took up Rose’s (Kate Winslet’s character if you didn’t know) pose as the Bride to Be walked in.
The session was laid back, relaxed and very enjoyable. Even though we didn’t start until close to 10pm and had a three-hour journey home afterwards, I had no hurry to leave.
The late-night activity finished with some body painting with UV paints. The end result was really striking.
Snow in March
Two days after he worst snow in over 20 years fell, I had a hen party booking in Solihull. Most roads were unpassable because of a few feet of snow. It was looking unlikely that I would be able to fulfil the booking. I had to somehow find a way of getting there.
I tried to get my car out of the snow and onto the road on Saturday morning, but the wheels were turning on the spot. I managed to find lots of salt and grit and finally got the car moving and on the main road. I probably shouldn’t have even considered a two-hour journey to Solihull, but I did and I went.
I was so glad I went to entertain you the group. They were appreciative of my commitment, so it was worth the effort.
On my journey home, the snow started again, and I did think that I wouldn’t make it home that evening. Luckily, it all worked out in our favour.
Lowlights
Cancellations
There’s been three hen party cancellations this year. Two have been because the wedding had been called off, whilst the other involved a very delicate family issue. As you can appreciate, I don’t delve or question what I’m told. To be honest, I didn’t want pry or know any more than necessary. I’m sorry to have lost the bookings, but I’m also sorry to hear unfortunate situations with the groups.
The Shropshire Road to Nowhere
There was another cancellation during the summer, but not the same. This cancellation happened minutes before I arrived at the venue. The mother of the Bride had taken a stand and wouldn’t allow any life drawing. Please click to read some more about the experience.
Corporate or independant services?
An enquiry came from a group that happened to be five miles away from me. The organiser was keen to book me and I gave her my best rate because of my proximity to them. She said that she’d speak to others in the group and come back to book me. They had decided on hiring both nude waiter and life model from the same company which as miles away from us. I don’t know the quality of the people or services that they got. It’s a pity that groups book from corporate hen party companies rather than people who offer specialised services like my own. End of rant!
And on to 2019..
I’ve had more bookings already for next year that I’d usually have for December. I’ve you feel my services would work for a hen party or birthday celebration that you’re organising, please get in touch.
In the meantime, Merry Christmas to you all!
