Tanya Swift with her maid of honour celebrating with confetti. Photo / Rosalie Willis
Tanya Swift with her maid of honour celebrating with confetti. Photo / Rosalie Willis
Tanya Swift's job is to put a smile on the face of Waikanae Lodge residents through her role as a diversional therapist.
But it was the residents who put a smile on Tanya's face on Monday, throwing her a hen's party before she gets married next week.
A Monday morningnormally involves a nail pampering session run by volunteers Joanne Ruscoe and Janet Statham who come in each week to pamper residents.
However, on Monday the room was decorated with balloons, rose petals, confetti, bride signs and had treats, cake, champagne (non-alcoholic) drunk from Royal Albert tea cups, and had all the residents dressed up with pink veils.
Waikanae Lodge residents enjoying attending their first hen's party. Photo / Rosalie Willis
"Many of the residents have never been to a hen's party before," Joanne said.
Janice and Brian Bregmen had 64 years of marriage advice to give. Photo / Rosalie Willis
"Hen's parties weren't around when they were young girls. They also come from an era where they didn't have additional income for things like this.
"It's also about getting people out of their rooms and mixing with others."
Despite the residents having never been to a hen's party before, they were not lacking in marriage advice, clocking up 1273 years of marriage between the 34 residents present.
"You name me one hen's party where that amount of advice is given.
