August 17, 2008. Western Head, N.S. Organization.

Now the event is set. The dates and places and caterers booked. Now the time is 14 months before the celebration. The next step is to list the specific tasks to be done next, and make a file for each task. My list included the tent, port-a-potty,musicians, accomodations, e mail records, major vendors, wine,systems at home, invitations. I use the file folders becauses they are more portable and can be carried in the truck and my back pack, rather than using the computer. Then I deal with item in turn and make decisions and record the information in the file. For instance, we asked many folks in town about tents, and finally settled on the Company our of New Brunswick who installed the tents at the Privateers weekend in Liverpool July 1st. All the decisions were made by July, 2007. Back at work, I ordered the Save The Date card, to be sent out in the late Fall.

Before sending out the card I got on my cell phone to call many friends and relatives to give them some advance warning about our event, so the card would not come as a total surprise. I also asked my nephew, Norm, if he would make a very brief toast at the Saturday evening party. He is very busy, but he promised to come, especially as I gave hime 18 months warning.So now the event is planned and all we must do now is fill in all the blank spaces in the files. Ken and I met a man at the Lunenburg Craft Festival in August who is from a small Winery in Nova Scotia, so the next time we were in town, we drove over to his place to taste some wine. We did wonder whether tasting wine at eleven oclock in the morning was wise, but we ordered the wine, to be delivered in March. Another item filled into the folders. And on it went, one item at a time.

Eventually, everything was in place, and then all I had to do was relax and enjoy the party, all two weeks of the party. The trick to planning an event is to do it well ahead, and to leave nothing to chance. Every detail in place, from the number of napkins we might need to the size and number of the cutlery. Then, the week before, I contact all the players, to be sure all is well. It is really a piece of cake. But you must know right from the beginning just what you want the event to be like. If you do not have a firm image in your mind, other people will lead you here or there, based on their idea for your event. And that is the way to plan a 50Th Wedding Anniversary party.