Some time after Christmas my maid of honour had enquired whether I would be ok with her arranging some sort of bridal shower. Hating the hordes of drunk brides-to-be who regularly roam Vienna with their trays encroaching on strangers to selling them Jägermeister while having to complete “funny” challenges such as shaving a man’s leg I reluctantly agreed, dearly hoping that day wasn’t going to be hell.

We settled on a Saturday in August, three weeks before the wedding, and I provided her with the email addresses of those I would like to party with.

Then nothing.

Whenever I asked she would cryptically reply that all was being arranged and that I shouldn’t be so nosy.

Two days before the day I was finally told where to meet them and to “wear something comfortable and bring a jacket”.

Good, I can do that.

We met at a railway station where I was put in a car and she drove me up Kahlenberg.

Before she parked, someone from the backseat blindfolded me with a scarf. They took me by the hands and led me somewhere up.

When they let me take off the blindfold, this is what I saw:

This and some of my oldest and closest (girl)friends who had come to celebrate the occasion and spend a whole Saturday afternon with me.

Result: A very happy me.

With the help of her husband and their friend (who happens to also be a chef) my best friend had prepared the most perfect picnic setting – with lanterns hanging from the huge lime tree, a table and benches, a big (and mostly vegan) buffet and enough mattresses to recline after our gorgeous meal.

The location is actually called “Am Himmel” – “At heaven” and you really have the most wonderful view across Vienna <3

We launched and watched the sun go down while chatting along on this picture perfect late summer day.

Of course I did have to solve some tasks like taking a group photo and completing 10 rounds of a jumping rope-game we used to play when we were little but they were 100 % pain-free (except for the jumping which used to be so much easier those 25 years ago).

At 10 pm the guys returned and we loaded everything into their cars. One of them actually fit the 5 (!) of us in and drove us to the first district where we enjoyed some gin and tonics before dropping one of us off at a dance club and then slowly starting our way home.