Sometimes things (parties) don’t exactly turn out like you expect . . .
When I graduated from high school, Smitty and I had a joint party at my granny’s house. Before the ceremony, we twisted red and white streamers all over Granny’s deck. It was so festive. And then . . . it rained. So not only was my hair super frizzy for all the obligatory photos, but our decorations were ruined. (And Granny’s deck was pink. Apparently the ink from the red streamers ran.)
A couple years later I planned a big surprise party for my parents’ 25th anniversary. Which, for reasons that are better left un-blogged, made my mom mad. That was not a fun party.
At my wedding reception my new husband didn’t want to dance with me after our first dance, and almost every one of my college friends left early to go party at their hotel. And every single photo of Mark and me cutting the cake also featured our photographer’s wife, who was showing us how to cut perfectly proportioned pieces.
My first fundraising event was a huge success and hundreds of people attended, which you would think would be a great thing. Unless you know just how small our event space was and how loud, crowded and hot it would get in there before the night was over.
The next year, we planned accordingly and rented an enormous space – only to have a LOT fewer people show up. As a critical volunteer pointed out, it seemed like we were in an empty airplane hangar with all that extra space!
Hours before the surprise party I’d spent months planning for my husband’s 30th birthday, his dad brought a puppy to our house. For Mark. To keep. We then proceeded to have a rip-roaring, headache-inducing fight because We Did Not Need a Dog! I was tempted to call the whole thing (the party, that is) off, but instead managed to get him there on time with only slightly puffy eyes and a something-is-off smile to show for the fight.
Because I delivered Annalyn seven weeks early, one of my baby showers was held after she was born and just one day after I was released from the hospital. I hobbled in, wearing [basically] pajamas and glasses and slightly high on pain meds. And when one of my friends (who will remain nameless) arrived, she walked up, gave me a hug and said, “When are you due?” I said, “Ummmm . . . you didn’t get the email, then???”
At Annalyn’s third birthday party we reserved a shelter at the park. As we were frantically unloading the car with food and decorations, I noticed something colorful on one of the picnic tables. I walked over to see it and OH MY. It was graffiti. In the naked woman variety. (Thankfully I had kraft paper to cover the tables, but still. Ick.)
Then there was the time I invited 27 people to a party and only three showed up. (Three awesome people. But you understand my sadness, right?)
That’s just nine examples of parties or events not exactly going according to plan, despite my best control-freak perfectionist efforts. I’d like to say I handled every situation with calm and a sense of humor, but, well, that wouldn’t exactly be true.
Still, I’ve learned a lot from those events (and, *sigh*, more) – and I’ve written an ebook about it. Plan a Fabulous Party {without losing your mind} is part how-to and part manifesto, a guide to planning a party that not only delights your guests but also allows you to enjoy yourself throughout the process.
Sometimes things don’t go according to plan. Okay, let’s be real. A LOT of times, things don’t go according to plan! One of the things I recommend in my book is that you attempt to think ahead of any possible pitfalls. (Possible party pitfalls – say THAT five times fast!) But making a comprehensive list of potential disasters is impossible. Who knows what wrench will be thrown into your next event!
Short of predicting the future, the true key to avoiding party day meltdowns is to do a little bit of thinking ahead of time but be ready – even if just mentally – to handle the things that come up with style, not stress!
Plan a Fabulous Party addresses this and so much more – plus some of my brave, party-planning friends were kind enough to share their own party disasters with us! Today’s list of party flops is more than the training ground I endured (just for you, my friends!) in preparation for writing this book. It’s also an incomplete Top Ten Tuesday list – and I’d love to round it out with some help from you.
Have you ever planned a party that didn’t exactly turn out right?
Woo Hoo! How exciting! I have TWO birthday parties to throw this month!
Everytime I hold a “shop at home” party, whether candles, storage containers or purses, I only have 2 or 3 guests show up: even though I invited more than 20! One time, I had invited nearly 30 friends and NO ONE showed up! I only have parties once or twice a year now.
Too funny . . . I might have given up after one or two of these situations. I tend to keep it really low-key. We did just have a Halloween party and everyone said they would come (kind of the opposite of your #9) – 20 expected, only 17 ended up coming. Way too many for this little house.
I have had many a party and many a party NOT turn out. I clearly remember at my wedding {which was outside, in Texas, IN JULY – clearly we are not the smartest people}, my husband’s aunt spilling red wine on my wedding dress. Which is always an awesome introduction to the family {especially when said aunt was slight plastered and extremely UNapologetic}.
I’ve so been there – more than 10 times. Can’t wait to see the book!
Woohoo! on the ebook! You should feel very proud. My worst party moment was making a beautiful two tiered ocean themed birthday cake for my four year old and then watching it crumble in slow motion in my lap as we drove to the party site. I was so shocked I couldn’t even speak. Luckily, i had made ocean themed cookies, so we grabbed a walmart cake and stuck the cookies all around it and the birthday boy was still happy.
Congrats on the book! For my 30th birthday we planned a combo housewarming/birthday, invited 50 people and had a great turn out. Unfortunately, my neighbors had a party the same night, with a horrible DJ blasting music all night long and 2-3 times the number of people we had over. We couldn’t be out in our back yard and just crammed into the house shutting up all the doors and windows just to carry on conversation.
We haven’t had another birthday party for me at home, they have someone in their family with a close birthday and have had a party every year with the same tons of people and loud music. So I get to go out for my birthday!
Well, I suppose that’s a win-win if you like to go out! :)
I feel like I was just reading my autobiography!
I loved reading this! I used to be the party-throwing queen of the family (as I approach 50, I’m not feeling the need as much) and my list of flubs is at least as long as yours. Good luck with the new book!
Thanks, Stacy!
Are you kidding? THAT’S exactly why I hate to have people over. Something always goes wrong! Thanks for posting about your experiences–makes me feel better. ;-)
That’s just it, though – something probably will always go wrong, but if we can learn to roll with the punches, it makes having people over a lot less scary! :)
You are totally speaking my language here!! I love parties and event planning!!!! But I’m also a perfectionist and a control freak, and have definitely had my share of parties not at all going according to plan. Grrrrrr. It can be maddening.
But we definitely have to take what we learn from it and do what we can to adjust future parties in hopes that it’ll work out better. It still never does end up perfectly does it? I think that’s one of those “perfectionism” factors… our bar is set so high that more often than not, it’ll never go completely as planned because it’s too unrealistic. It can’t be perfect. Because human beings are invited and sadly, we are not perfect (GAH!). Sad, isn’t it? I CANNOT WAIT for the parties in heaven, woohooooooo!!!!! :) Perfection guaranteed!
Also… we probably could stand to take our expectations down a notch and find better ways to plan them so that we can survive this life still intact. ;) GREAT e-book by the way, that’s SO cool!!!
You’re so right – it’s all about expectations. And no, nothing can be perfect, so we might as well get over it!
Congratulations! What an accomplishment to publish your first book!
I’m new to your blog and have certainly enjoyed the recent posts. How exciting that a book of yours is now coming out!
Best wishes to you (and to your future parties.)
Thank you so much, Robin! I’m glad you found me, and I look forward to getting to know you!