Dîner En Blanc, the very secret, posh, coveted pop-up picnic, and party has made it’s way to Charlotte NC! I am outrageously excited because I received my invite and made it through the incredibly nail-biting experience of purchasing my ticket.
As I mentioned before the preparation for this event is about the journey. For me, the excitement is somewhere between winning a contest and planning for a major vacation. For weeks I’ve been purchasing things for an event I technically wasn’t invited to. I’ve been taking advantage of sales, like Amazon Prime Day for our Coleman table and Uniqlo’s clearance sale for my husband. I canvased my local GoodWill for an adorable basket that we spray painted white and a scored white tablecloth for $3.00. I stumbled upon a $5.00 dessert plate in Target and purchased a new lipstick from Mented during National Lipstick week.
ALL of this prep before an invite or a ticket! Then it happened. On Sunday, July 29th, 2018 while lounging in bed trying to decide if I wanted coffee or a mimosa before I tuned into Joy Reid, my cell phone rang. It was my daughter, who asked me, “did you check your email? Because I just got my Dîner En Blanc invitation!”
My heart skipped a beat as my husband, and I checked our emails. I felt like Charlie when he got the golden ticket in his chocolate bar! My moment of excitement was short lived as I then realized I was only halfway there. You see, I have heard about the infamous race for tickets and how fast they sell out. I’ve been told it was like trying to get good tickets to the concert of your favorite artist. I started to get both nervous and strategic because I had a hectic schedule Monday morning and I HAD to fit this in. I HAD TO!!!!!!!
Laptop charged? Check. Battery full? Check. Battery pack? Check? Hubby has his email ready? Check. Moral support from all of my friends! Check and check!
I was on the road and stopped at Amelie’s to set up. 8:20am, just enough time to grab breakfast and chamomile-lavender tea to calm my rattled nerves. 8:30 spoke to my friends. 8:45 talked with my daughter until 8:58! At precisely 9:01 I was in, and I registered…ALL WRONG!
That’s right! I was in such a rush I registered as a person who did NOT want to attend! Panic set in. I’m FREAKING OUT because now I’m number 72 in the queue! I wait. I call for moral support! (Thanks, Ebony one of Charlotte’s best make-up artist!) I get to the front of the queue, and I got kicked out! (I actually got kicked out a few times; apparently, that’s not uncommon no matter the city you’re in.)
I’m dying! DYING!!! I take a deep breath and call on Queen Beyonce, Oprah and all that is bougie and Black for help! Then I called Daryle, my husband, and he is so cool. So calm and he signs on at number 73 in the queue.
Meanwhile, I emailed the staff at Dîner En Blanc Charlotte to let them know I messed up my response, to my surprise they sent me a new code very fast! I was shocked! So I went into the queue.
Hubby was now number 25 in the queue. I was number 62. I’m still praying to Beyonce and Oprah.
Finally, he’s super quiet as he fills in the form. His card didn’t go through! He just got a new bank card and didn’t activate it! Time is running out because each person only has a few minutes to register, I gave him my card number, and we MADE IT! Thank you, Universe!
Welp, let me tell you, when you get into the member’s section of the Dîner En Blanc site it’s like walking down a procession line at Buckingham Palace, They remember the struggle. They understand the excitement, and they genuinely make you feel like you’re attending the party of the year!
Quick Tips:
- Be Ready! At least 15 minutes before the time of the table release. Ticket go FAST! Make sure you clear your cache and update your browser. Don’t use your phone.
- Calm down! I was so excited I almost missed my chance. Read the form carefully. Take your time.
- Teamwork! Have a team, because teamwork made this work for me
In my next and final blog post about this highly anticipated event, I’ll give you a detailed breakdown of the big day!
The Matriarch 