Party Planning

This Saturday is the Annual Independence Day Party at Castle Curley. Even though I’ve done very little prep work for it, about fifteen years’ experience has shown that I could run this party in my sleep. I’m not worried; I expect to have a lovely time; and Brian, Prince Mekhi and I are planning on going somewhere fun on Sunday.

Next year’s party, however, will be quite different. In 2016, Brian (aka the World’s Greatest Husband (WGH)) and I will celebrate our silver wedding anniversary: 25 years of wedded bliss. The WGH and I want to have a big party, inviting as many people as possible, especially those from our wedding. Planning more than a year in advance means I won’t have to worry about the cost too much because we can save up money between now and then. No, the big problem is the party/wedding anniversary industry.

Google “Silver 25th Anniversary” and you will find a lot of beautiful, elegant crap; especially if you click on “Images.” Then ask yourself: does this reflect Brian and Lori? The answer is a roaring “NO!” When we’ve actually done something special for our wedding anniversaries in years prior (typically, Thanksgiving is a more important holiday at Castle Curley), it’s been going to a “Weird Al” Yankovic concert for our third anniversary; going to a Packers Tailgate Party for our fifteenth anniversary; or going to the Parthenon on State Street for gyros on any anniversary because we did that late on our wedding night after we checked in to our hotel. We had a party for our tenth anniversary at a park shelter in Madison, but otherwise, we have celebrated our anniversary in non-traditional ways.

As I started thinking of our Silver Party and our unique nature, I looked to many party sites for ideas. Maybe a Tolkien–Hobbit–Lord of the Rings theme? The WGH loves these books and I thought maybe guests could dress up as their favorite characters. Brian nixed the idea and rightly.

So, I thought of other ideas: a big tent with lots of lighting to play games all day and well into the night. Cakes from Carl shaped and decorated like some of our favorite games: Dungeons and Dragons, Settlers of Catan, Munchkin, Mansions of Madness, and (of course) Cards Against Humanity. Perhaps gyros for lunch (see above, re: Parthenon on our wedding night), and a pig-roast for supper.

Yes, I want a few elegant touches such as some Silver/25th Anniversary balloons and decorations. I really wanted Jordan almonds at our wedding, but they weren’t in the budget; so I’ll probably have them as party favors. For overall theme, however, I’m drawn more to Think Geek than Party City or even Oriental Trading Company.

When the WGH and I married in 1991, I looked through tons of invitation books and again thought they were all crap. Thank the Gods that I have graphic arts skills, so I designed our wedding invites and RSVPs. Now I’ll probably have to do the same with our Silver Anniversary Party.

In the meantime, have a fun and safe Independence Day this weekend; and if you want an invite to the Curley Silver Anniversary Party in 2016, e-mail me with your contact info: lorianncurley at gmail dot com.

Pog ma thoin!
-Lori

Me: “Are you as happy as I am?”
WGH: “I don’t know; I’m not married to me.”