Thanks Ron for your question about a host being an obstacle to the success of an event and how you handle such a situation. If you’re the event manager and it’s your client who is causing the problem, then you absolutely have an obligation to speak with your client and sort through the issue with them. They are paying you for your expertise and expect a successful event.

It’s a whole lot harder if you’re a guest and you can see your host causing problems for you and the other guests at an event. I have personally never been in a situation poor enough to warrant becoming involved, although there have been plenty of hosts who drink just a little too much and lose track of making their guests feel loved (note to hosts: keep filling the glasses of your guests if they are enjoying a drink, but be a little more careful with your own!) and I have certainly heard nightmarish stories of hosts fighting at the dinner table in front of their guests. The last thing you want as a host is to make your guests feel unwanted or uncomfortable at your event.

My advice if things do disintegrate from bad to terrible and you do feel that becoming involved in appropriate, is simply to be as tactful as possible. Pull your host aside and mention how you and your fellow guests are feeling. See if you can help at all. It may be that there is something else at play and your host needs some assistance and attention herself. Do step in and help if you can, and if necessary do tactfully finish up the evening with your host’s blessing. Most guests will be understanding.

Has anyone out there been in this situation? How did you handle it? I’m interested to hear your stories.

Happy Celebrating!

Kathryn