Inside the Cave –
Brenda and I are going to celebrate our 20th Wedding Anniversary TODAY, and we got to reminiscing about our first couple of anniversary’s; which had a very funny twist to them.
We decided to immediately start a tradition where each year we would alternate who was “in charge” of planning our Anniversary. The idea was to always make it a priority to celebrate the Anniversary, and for one of us to organize a plan and “make it happen.”
It was also, “What’s the least you can spend for the most you can get?” This was a fun and eventful challenge, but also necessary in the early years.
Anniversary # 1: Brenda decides she’s going to coordinate all the arrangements for this first one, and that I’ll be responsible for Year # 2. We’re just getting started in Las Vegas, and money is tight, and we agreed not to spend more than $ 100.00.
Anyway, she had a best friend who worked at the 4 Queens Hotel and Casino in Downtown Las Vegas. Unbeknownst to me she was able to get a room almost “comped” at the hotel for one night, as well as dinner for two completely comped at that hotel’s premier restaurant, Hugo’s Cellar. She even went to the hotel earlier in the day and unpacked everything we would need for the stay, and had the room anniversary ready. What was really cool is that she remembered we had a gift that weren’t allowed to open from our wedding, until a year later on our first anniversary! It really added to the experience of our whole night. I believe she’ll be featuring a how-to on a gift like this, later on in “3P Wedding Week”…
I knew nothing about any of this until she drove us to the hotel and surprised me.
Wonderful dinner, and she’s bragging what a sensational job she did with meeting our objective of a great anniversary at little cost with practically COMPED rooms and a delicious free dinner. With everything else that we did, we spent exactly $ 100.00. She’s later having quite the time chiding me on how am I going to top that one next year????
Swell, I’m going into the Year 2 Anniversary thinking I’m almost going to have to show a profit to top her Year 1 efforts…
Outside the Cave –
Anniversary # 2: (Budget upgrade to $ 150.00.)
OK, I’m able to get a room at a really great rate at the Golden Nugget for one night; AND a free upgrade to a mini-suite!. On the QT, I took over clothes and such, plus wine and flowers and pre-set up the room.. Looks great!
We loved Hugo’s Cellar so much we went back (this also became an Anniversary tradition for awhile.) Dinner was again great, reasonable, but not comped.
Spending update #1: I realize too late that I went slightly over at Hugo’s; and now I’m OVER budget.. Man Cave rule – THINK FAST.
I won some money on the Super Bowl earlier that year, and have a “Sports Fund.” Fortunately I have $ 100 of that with me. What to do? Hey it’s Vegas on a Saturday night…why not go gamble and enjoy Fremont Street? I am generally lucky at roulette, and that night I hit it. Didn’t bet a lot, but we walked away with $ 500.00!
I’ve got to press this now for all it’s worth. The Anniversary is not over (it’s a guy thing..) The next morning I book us for massages at the hotel, and then we went and enjoyed a really nice breakfast as well.
Spending update # 2: Enjoyed all of the above, and we’re bringing money home!
Now I’m having a really fun time chiding Brenda with “how ya gonna top that one next year?”
Anyway, it’s all in fun, and 20 years later we continue the tradition! (It’s my turn again.. and fortunately I’ve got a bigger budget than $ 150.00!)
3P Note: Even though we started this 20 years ago, the concept of “having a plan” and making it happen, is part of what we strive for with our event business blog and even our personal lives.. Try it, it works!
