Father's Day Party Theme - Western
For Father's Day, my sister and I decided to throw a great party for our dad.

Our dad's loves westerns. So Jane and I decided a western theme would be perfect for our Father's Day party.

Jane has always been the creative one so she made invitations on parchment colored paper and hand lettered the the calligraphy. They looked like they were right out of the Old West. The invitations were sent to members of our family and a few of Dad's friends. Inside was information about the location, date, time and theme of the party. We informed our dad we were having a party, but we didn't tell him the theme or that the entire family and some of his friends would be there. He and mom went out for breakfast while we set everything up.

We decorated the den like an old west saloon. There was a wood bar, tables and chairs. The movie prop house we rented everything from even had a player piano and a bunch of scrolls of Scott Joplin tunes. It lent an air of authenticity. The caterers we hired even had the waiter dress as an Old West bartender and the waitress came as a saloon girl.

Most of the guests had arrived when mom and dad showed up. Dad couldn't stop smiling when he saw the way we had transformed the den. He told us he felt like he had walked into old-time saloon.

Dad and the guests picked out our a Old West outfit from the selection the costumer had brought and a make-up artist applied the finishing touches of make up and fake moustaches. the den. I chose to be a cowboy while Jane was a saloon girl. Dad looked great in a replica of Clint Eastwood's outfit from "The Good, the Bad and the Ugly". He slipped right into the role once the boots with the jingling spurs were on his feet.

Once the guests were in costume they went into the den and began ordering food from the saloon menu. There was fried chicken, barbecued ribs, beans, corn bread and pan fried potatoes. There even was apple or cherry pie for dessert. To drink there was real sarsaparilla, lemonade and of course Corona beer, wine and whiskey. The food was served on tin plates and the drinks in heavy glass mugs or shot glasses.

After lunch a hired card dealer started a poker game at one of the tables. I took some great video of dad and the other guests getting into their Old West roles. Dad has the best poker face on the planet. He won almost every hand by bluffing and tough talk.

A photographer came in and took posed shots next to the bar. The photographer brought props to enhance our costumes like, rifles, bandoliers, guns and gun belts, Civil War caps and wigs, fans and feather boas for the ladies. Everyone had a great time posing for pictures as their Old West persona. The photos were taken in black and white then a brownish tint was added to the photo making them look like old tin types. Dad, Jane and I posed together for a portrait.

The guests played cards or danced all evening. Everyone had such a good time they didn't want the party to end, especially dad so everyone stayed until nearly 1AM! It was definitely a Father's Day to remember.

A week later dad got the picture of the three of us back from the photographer. It came out so good mom framed it and it is hanging above the mantle. .

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