How To Throw A Good Party, Part 4

We're having a party tomorrow night.  (If you've ever been to my house before, you're invited.   I must have muffed some of the email invites, because some people didn't get them.  Just come on over.) 

We sent the invite out electronically 15 days ago, and followed it up with re-sends to the people whose email addresses bounced or who I realized I omitted from the list.  We printed some up and handed them out to people who we don't have email addresses for.  No postal mail for us.  I have received 61 "yes" RSVPs so far, but there are some uncounted numbers -- people who haven't answered yet, people who will bring friends, people who are cagey about committing but will probably show up.  Probably about 15 percent of those who RSVP won't actually come.  60 seems like a reasonable number to plan for.

The mix of people as it's shaping up so far is good.  I have last year's party debrief, which is a helpful resource for figuring out quantities of booze and food.  The object this year will be to have fewer leftovers.  I'll go shopping this evening or tomorrow morning for food and drink.  What people will bring for food is a wild card, although what they'll bring for drink is fairly predictable. 

Music will be thorny because my digital music player is on the fritz, but I'm picking up my new iPod later today and hopefully will have figured out how to get it to play on my stereo by tomorrow night.  It is rumored this year that we'll have a group of people who will bring music and will want to tango, so we'll have to figure out where to make a dance floor.  Our house is way, way too small for 60 people.  They won't all be here at the same time.  And it will feel full and cozy.   

At this point in the planning I know it won't be a bust of a party.  The people who are coming will make it a success.  It's all logistics now: get the house ready, figure out a place where coats can go (60 coats! Where?), fret about whether there will be enough food and drink, move the breakables, make a music playlist, get out the serving trays and the paper napkins. 

Comments

[Nicole]

Have fun at your party, I hope the tango section works out. I wonder if you could park your cars outside and use the garage as a dance floor? I've been to parties where we've done that and it's worked out nicely.

Ballroom dancing has gained popularity lately and I LOVE it!