DIY? Oh My!

Task: Putting on a fine dining experience for you parents 42nd wedding anniversary

Budget: Just what's in the house

Time Frame: One day or a few hours if you procrastinate!

Let's Go!

What you will need

A room (sun-room or otherwise that can be separated from the rest of the house)

Bed sheets (lot of bed sheets... preferably pretty and dark ones)

Candles

Table and chairs for 2

fine linens

Photos

Mini clothespins (or big ones it doesn't really matter)

Christmas lights

Essential oils or a nice smelling candle

French dining music

You choose the Sun room to host your dinner since it has French doors that can be shut and it's away from the center of the action aka the kitchen. Drape a sheet over the glass doors so no one can see what you are doing inside *evil laugh*. Secure sheet well so it doesn't fall down in the middle of dinner like 2 years ago! Make sure you can enter your room from another entrance (outside door, window, skylight) so the secrecy can be preserved.

Move in your table and chairs unless it's already in there since it's your mothers office! Before it was her office though, we used a round outdoor picnic table, minus the umbrella! If using an outdoor table or something you pulled from storage, make sure it is properly dusted and de-spiderfied before seating your guests.

Next proceed to cover all windows with sheets, making use of the curtain rods and a few spare tacks. Be careful not to put too much pressure on the flimsy curtain rods and therefore break them. *I am speaking from personal experience*. 

Plug in your lights and drape them over covered windows in a decorative fashion. I say plug them in first because once I had all my lights all perfectly draped and had to re-do them since they couldn't reach the plug and the only extension cord I could find was neon orange!

Shake out/iron your table cloth and any other decorative cloths you will be using and arrange them upon the table. Use the best china your house can offer for your place settings and include a bouquet of wildflowers or roses or sprigs of mint to dress up the table even more.

Now for that pesky skylight that is pouring light into your "romantic lighted" room. Gather a dark sheet, something heavy, but not too heavy, and head toward a window opening up onto the roof. This year  a stray piece of lattice worked wonders, but in the past a kiddie table has been used.

Warning: Proceed with caution!!!

Step 1

Try to open "safe roof entry" window. 

It is mysteriously jammed. 

Step 2

Open "not so safe roof entry" window and climb out.

Step 3

Proceed quickly to skylight because it is 4:00 in the afternoon and the roof is BURNING HOT!!!! Whilst hoping from one foot to another, place sheet over skylight and lattice over that. The wind is blowing up your sheet? No problem, re-enter house and dig out those replica swords your brother left behind and place on either end of flapping sheet. If you wish to risk burned feet you can pause for a dramatic rooftop  unsheathing and mock battle.

Lo and Behold, the lattice actually had a pretty cool effect through the window!

Now if you wish you can clothes-pin pictures all over the room on the lights for the occupants to peruse, make sure to include one of yourself as an adorable child, that technically counts since your dad is in the photo too... just off to the side!! I usually cover a white board with photos as well, which my dad likes to look through. Place your parent's wedding album in the center of the table for them to look over while they wait for their food.

Now to create your playlist! Choose soft, relaxing instrumental music as well as your mother's wedding march to start off with. Make sure to turn off your notifications BEFOREHAND or your parents will be in the middle of their dinner and hear "WE ARE FAMILY!" as your sister posts something on the family What's App account! 

This was my Mother's Wedding March!

Now for the food that your sister spent the better half of her day preparing!

Gluten free bread

Garlic Butter

Roasted Tomato and Mushroom Stuffed Chicken Breasts

Since I (Grace) was busy decorating, Katherine found a Pride and Prejudice audio book to keep her company!

Marinated Tomato Salad

Raspberry Sauce

We had mercy upon our Welsh Corgi, Teddy, and let him in from the heat outside!

And for the piece de resistance!!

And VOILA!!! There you go!

Happy Anniversary Mom and Dad!!

Love,

 Grace & Katherine