We were going to celebrate my husband’s 40th birthday but my daughter woke up pretty sick so we had to cancel. I don’t even need to say how frustrating that was for us but we also feel super bad for all the guests getting such late notice. Thankfully, they are all friends and most have kids so everyone understands. Plus, in covid times, it’s always better to be extra careful about viruses. It all points to a common cold but we took her to urgent care to get tested just in case.
So what do we need to do in those situations? There are so many things to take care of when you need to cancel an event at the last minute. I’ve put together a list of what to be mindful of in those situations:
Guests
First thing you need to do is let all your guests know as soon as you make the decision. We need to be respectful of people’s time and give them a chance to make other plans. Especially if your party was going to be at lunch or dinner. Guests were probably not concerned about putting a meal together at home. So make sure they get your message.
Cake and sweets
In my case, I decided to bake the cake. Luckily, I baked both layers the day before so they were very fresh. I did some research and it seems like the sponges can be frozen for later consumption so I wrapped them separately in plastic film and foil and put them in the fridge first. Then I moved them to the freezer.
Considering we will still have the party, just had to postpone it, my plan is to get those layers of the freezer the day before and let them thaw properly so that I can still use them. Otherwise, I can either go with a store-bought cake or choose to bake them again. Still not sure if I want to go through it all again. Same for the sweets. We froze some of them and ate a few for consolation. But I will need to check them for taste and texture before serving them next week and have some time set out to make them again if necessary.
Food
It will depend a lot on your menu to know if you’ll be able to use the party food still. Our party was going to be a snack party. I had ordered some typical Brazillian savory snacks that I could not cancel in time to get a refund so they went straight to the freezer as soon as they were delivered. I was going to put together a cheese board but hadn’t opened the cheeses and the parma packages so they’ll just wait another week in the fridge. But if you were planning a more perishable and fresh menu, you can consider distributing it to friends and neighbors or donating it to a shelter or home for the elderly.
Drinks
Contrary to the urban legend, you can take your cooled drinks out of the fridge. It won’t spoil. So no need to stress or feel like you need to spend a week drinking beer everyday (but, by all means, go ahead if you want to do that).
Just take the drinks out to free up space in your fridge and use it whenever you want within expiration. Having said that, if you do have spare space, keep it cold since beer lasts longer if stored cold.
Decorations
Advice: keep receipts for decorations and disposable tableware until you’ve finished the party. And open packages as you need them and as close to the party time as possible. Same goes for party favors. This way you can return what you didn’t use and get a refund to reduce your financial loss. I was in the middle of blowing up balloons and putting together an arc when my daughter woke up crying and coughing on Friday night. But I’m still hopeful they will be usable next weekend. I’ve left them in our spare bedroom with the door closed. Otherwise, I’ll just give them to my daughter to play with during the week. The flowers I had bought might resist too, so I’ll keep them in water and watch them until Thursday to decide if I’ll need to buy new ones.
At the end of the day, having to cancel anything at the last minute is never fun but don’t let that take the joy out of celebrating for you and your family. Take your time to feel frustrated but after that just move one and start planning again. 😉
Did I forget anything? Let me know in the comments!