Invitation advice

[mrissa]

How far in advance do you invite people to your parties? I don't want them to forget about it because I asked too early, but I also don't want people to make plans they otherwise wouldn't want to make (like getting tickets for a play that Saturday night when they just as easily could choose Friday).

I suppose I should say I don't want you to forget about it, rather than them, since you're invited. We have no crash space for out-of-towners (other than greykev), but if you're someone we know here, someone we'd like to know here, or someone we know/would like to know who would be in the area anyway, we'd love to see you there. Yes, we do mean you. It's June 12, around 6ish, dinnery foods but not a formal sit-down dinner. (Not a formal anything. Summer casual. Wear enough not to get arrested en route; otherwise, whatever you like.)

We're celebrating my latest book, Mark's acquisition, greykev's Master's degree, and anything else celebratory that comes up. You can tell me you're coming here or on e-mail, and if you need vegan or vegetarian food or anything else in particular, I'd like to have a head-count on that. I will have some vegan options, but the question will be how many. We're also very understanding about food allergies, since my mother has 'em.

If you'd like to come but don't yet know where we are, or have forgotten, let me know, and I'll e-mail or call you with directions, whichever is easier for you.

If you-all say this is too early for a party invite, I'll pop up and ask again.

Comments

[mmerriam.livejournal.com]

I would say that a one month notice, especially over the summer months, is a good thing. I'd send out a reminder at the one week mark. It sounds like fun, and congrats to you and everyone else on all the nifty stuff to celebrate!

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

"How far in advance do you invite people to your parties?"

We send out invitations out 2-3 weeks in advance, although we might check with difficult people earlier.

This is for major house parties, not dinner parties.

B

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

I think all of our friends and relations are difficult. I can't speak for more recent acquaintances.

[minnehaha.livejournal.com]

I strongly suspect that my schedule is more complicated, by far, than anyone else you know.

B

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

Oh, difficult schedules. Well, yes, you probably win on that one. I thought you meant difficult, y'know, ornery, that kind of thing.

Mark says you can differentiate between the sides of his family because one is ornery and the other merely hard to get along with. I don't think he specifies which is which, though.

[dd-b.livejournal.com]

It does depend on the party. Starting getting people to pencil in the date a year in advance isn't too early for a big wedding.

More than a week is a good idea if possible. More than a month is likely to get lost without repeats.

[keightyb.livejournal.com]

What's for dinner? Can I bring my terrible two? I would love to go camping somewhere up yonder, and maybe stop by... of course, I'll have to consult with the Head of the Household.

[mrissa.livejournal.com]

Children are always, always, always welcome at my house. With their appropriate parental units, of course -- last time we had a party, Siri Ann came tearing in the door shouting, "Marissa, Marissa, Mommy says me and Gavin [her little brother] are going to stay here with you forEVER!" Thanks, Heathah/Mommy. Anyway, I'd love to see you again, if you're not just teasing me. It'd be a blast. If you're going to come up to the area on a non-party weekend, let me know and we'll have supper or something. It's been too long.

Dinner will be skewers of various kinds on the grill, plus bread and salads, veggies, fruits, and desserts. So far we've settled on a soy-ginger-garlic marinade for beef/mushroom/pepper/tomato/onion skewers and a peanutty satay marinade for chicken/pepper skewers. Depending on how many people are coming, we may have something figured out with scallops and something figured out with andouille sausage/apples/maybe-sweet-potatoes. The only dessert I'm sure of so far is cocoa-spice cookies in the shape of moose and lemon sandwich shortbread cookies in the shape of suns. Oh, and I'm making those homemade mints, y'know? in almond and peppermint. And we have chocolate shot glasses.

I have time to figure out the rest later, right? I can get the rest of the desserts figured out if your HotH will be more convinced that way.

Woo Hoo!

[greykev.livejournal.com]

Looking foward to seeing you & meeting new folks!

-K