We brag about knowing how to produce the swankiest of parties with the very best decor, execute the perfect napkin fold, and make the best gourmet pizza imaginable. Truth be told, most of us have a gang of "party war stories" about things like being asked to throw together a large party or wedding reception - booked at the last minute, mind you (in 7 days) - and trying to get everything to come together, flawlessly.
Then, for us to talk about what went wrong at any of the parties that we've ever catered or planned is just so... so... not who many of us are. But sooner or later, those who aren't willing to admit any faults get caught.
Each one of the following stories is true and something I experienced or saw first-hand, or heard from someone who experienced it first-hand.
Sharing the reality of what sometimes happens - and how it was dealt with - can be instructive for novice and intermediate level do-it-yourself caterers and party planners/event planners. It's helpful to not feel like you're the "only one". And it's equally helpful to remember that if something goes wrong that we can get up, move forward, and do it again and win again - feeling stronger for having hung in there.
THE WRONG PARTY
A party buddy of mine that works at a company located in another state told me about one of her surprise birthday party ideas that went terribly awry, that they'd planned and prepped for, for weeks. This was her pet project. She's wooed this client for weeks. He was a new client that she really wanted to impress. He owned one of the most profitable companies in her area, which could potentially bring big dollars to the company that she worked for.
The day of the party came, but eventually she felt really heartbroken and sick. The trucks were packed and rolled away without a hitch. But as soon as the set-up began, everything went very wrong. "What's with all of these bright colored flowers?", she asked in a complete panic. "Where are the elegant floral centerpieces made of antique cream colored roses, muted blue-gray hydrangea, the loose flowers and lemon leaves for decorating?", she asked the floral drop-off team. "Oh my God, oh my God", is what she told me she was thinking. She ran to the rental guys nearly in tears, screaming, "These napkins are the wrong color, and where are the rented china, silverware and wine and water glasses?". She yelled to everyone to "Halt what you're doing!". The room came to a complete standstill. All eyes were on her. She flopped down on the floor, pulled out her cell phone and called the office. When they answered the phone, tears began to stream down her face and she saw her job flashing away before her very eyes as she explained as calmly as she could her dilemma. You do know what happened, don't you?
A baby shower event date, that was scheduled to happen in two weeks, was somehow mixed up and delivered to her rich clients wife's surprise birthday party. Talk about a nightmare! Luckily, the guy ended up calming down and being cool about it - after he was apologized to profusely, and promised a huge, huge discount on his next party. To have to come to the conclusion that you've screwed everything up, really badly, in a big fat, irreversible, super expensive way - and so much so that the chorus of the song "You're No Good" by Linda Rondstadt plays over and over in your head, all you know and can see for the future is that this a disaster that you'll have to explain many times over, whether you like it or not.
So after my poor friend and her client talked about how to handle what happened, she and the kitchen crew and waitstaff, scrounged up some appetizers and with permission dipped into the clients personal champagne stash for his guests, who then waited to jump out and surprise his wife, the birthday girl. Meanwhile, my friend remembered that her client had mentioned a particular restaurant that he liked, so she called the restaurant, begging for a favor. And thankfully, she got it. So, shortly after his wife arrived and greeted everyone, they left, making a trek their favorite restaurant for her birthday dinner. His wife was none the wiser; she never saw the tent and all of the wrong party accoutrement that was placed at the back of their house. Because when they returned from her birthday celebration - everything was gone.
Believe it or not, you do get to the other side. My friend did. It's been years since it happened, so she laughs and makes fun of herself about it now. But when it happens and you're in the throes of it, it seems career-obliterating and like social suicide. But as with life, even party life does go on.
THE WRONG DATE
No catering company, or party planning or event planning company, lacks some type of anecdote about the importance of double and triple-checking a party date. One would like to think that this is the last thing that could ever foul up things, but it has happened. A big West Coast party company booked a party with a client and to this day, I'm not sure who screwed up the party date - the client or the party company. Neither one of them was lucky in this case.
This was a party booked by the owner of one of the three biggest talent agencies in Hollywood, which were all referred to as "The Big Three". I'm talking big money, big client roster, and a big ego-filled talent agencies - all vying to steal the biggest stars in the world from each other. Big time money madness, I tell you.
Unfortunately, it's like this Murhpy's Law, "You're not planning (catering) a party unless something strange or bad happens", that caused the aforementioned party company to lose their hotshot client - and for years. Thank goodness this particular company is still known for being the best of the best. Because the embarrassment is lived down and no longer recalled by anyone except the embarrassed. Anyone else that knew about it stopped shaking their head and chuckling about it a long time ago. You have to know that, still, there's no such thing as checking and re-checking a party date too many times.
A UNIQUE RESULT
Sometimes what starts out as a mistake can end up looking like a winner. Certainly, you don't want to have a crappy party (or wedding reception location, or whatever) that would make your guests feel uncomfortable and cause you to look incompetent. If you can't get the right party themes to the right party or have your party date set on the right day (which would probably never happen to you, not unless you own or work for a party business), how could anyone trust you to plan or have a party?
Sometimes a negative party situation can become a humorous party situation. And sometimes not. Sometime after I started producing parties I took a job that I didn't like from the onset as a catering supervisor at a college. Several of the workers had testy, unenthusiastic attitudes and others were lazy. One person unashamedly sucked their thumb, for real. On top of that, there were workers who wouldn't show up for work, which meant that everyone else had to do their job. I'd call to find out what happened and if anything was wrong, and either their telephone was disconnected or they would answer and whine as they would tell me their "story" about what happened and why. And that wasn't funny to me. That place had to go. So I quit.
THERE'S HOPE... IF YOU'VE FALLEN, YOU CAN GET UP
Not even the most seasoned party professional is immune to problems and big errors. When you find yourself facing the misfortune of getting things wrong, know that you're "not the only one", like I said before.
Quite honestly, sometimes it's your mistakes that will lead you to an outcome that might be better than you feel you deserve, and make you an even better catering or party planning enthusiast. And even when that doesn't happen, your mistakes will usually provide a lesson or two that might be painful, but you'll be grateful you learned.
The trick is to walk into all of your party plans with a Murphy's Law type attitude. You do this and you'll come away from dealing with any party problems you've encountered better than before you went in.
Did anything eventful or zany happen to you when you planned your party?
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