Big "Little" Events

I’ve organized and orchestrated a lot of big events in my life including Grand Civil War Balls for two to three hundred people, some complete with white linen table clothes and silver punch bowls. But some of my smaller events have been every bit as meaningful and memorable. For my youngest daughter’s 16^th birthday, I started out with the question, “What is your vision for your party?” She wanted an elegant al fresco dinner party with a group of her dearest friends. And then came the detail questions. “How does one become elegant?” Clearly, facial masks and cucumber slices would be needed. And as a party favor, each girl received a pair of jeweled bobby pins to place in her hair. And, of course, food is very important. “How many courses should we prepare?”

The party went off perfectly. We had special guests (my daughter’s older siblings) who played the parts of the server and maitre d’. All the food was lovingly homemade by my daughter’s busy parents in the kitchen. We all wanted to give my daughter the gift of an amazing memory that she will keep all of her life. There were only eight guests at the party, but it was a Big Event!