A Party & Paris

There are moments in your life that you want to make extra special, and major birthdays are one of those. My mother just turned 50 and said from the beginning of the year that she wanted a big birthday party with as much of her family there as possible.

My sisters and I, however, thought this was a terrible idea. My mother's family is a lot of drama, and we knew that even though it sounded good to her, she would regret it as soon as the party was over. And spending that much money on one night made no sense to us when a trip abroad would be the same amount and much more memorable.

So my sisters and I have spent the last few months simultaneously planning a French-themed dinner party and a trip to Paris. The dinner would be a surprise and have my mother's close friends and family here in NY as guests, but the trip would be the real gift.

Even though I knew it would all turn out at least okay if not great, it added a layer of stress to the last couple of months. My sisters and I were constantly arguing about what was and wasn't important, something being too expensive or taking too long, how our mother would feel about one detail over others. It didn't help matters that when things would not go as planned, one or the other would freak out and become a complete pain to deal with.

Well, the party was this past weekend and it was, for the most part, a success. The food was good, my mother felt special and didn't complain too much (our family is known for complaining, so it was inevitable), and she's excited for her trip to Paris this fall. As I expected, it wasn't anywhere near perfect, but it turned out well in the end. Now I just need a little break from my sisters and all will be right with the world...

Have you ever been stressed by planning a major event with other people?