The Party

  Something that my sister in law and I do frequently is to design and host fabulous parties. So a year ago, we started working on our In-Laws 40th Anniversary party. Together, with out husbands, and their sister, we created a spectacular event.

The theme was "40": 40th Anniversary, 40 people invited, 1940's State Fair theme, complete with handpainted signs, vintage photo booth, BBQ Chicken, corn on the cob, roasted potatoes, corn dogs, cake, cobblers, Glass Bottle Soda, One cent candy station, and a specially crafted sweet wine that we affectionately named "First 40". 

 FRIDAY: The Night Before the Party

Then Mother Nature struck.  High Winds of 70mph, Thunder, Lightening, Hail, and reports of Tornadoes. High Voltage Lines in the front yard. Power outages all over the county. We had planned on having the party at the Arthurdale Heritage Society, which is gorgeous, vintage, fitting perfectly for the "feel" we were trying to reach. We visited the building early on Saturday morning, but it too had no power. Radio Stations reported that it could take as long as 3-5 days to restore power. We cancelled the reservation for a full refund. 

 

THE CONTINGENCY PLAN

We couldn't cancel the party. Too many people had traveled from  other states to attend, so a change of venue was needed. My in-laws have a beautiful massive back porch. We gathered all the tables and chairs that we could from 4 homes; called, texted and emailed our guests about the change, and went to work. All in all, despite the heat, we had a wonderful time. We used a generator to power the slideshow, and everyone had fun eating good food, drinking wonderful wine, soda and lime water. And most of all, our parents, whether by marriage or by blood, were able to feel special, a day all their own, and hopefully know how much we love them. Which is alot. Enjoy the photos!

Beth