Olivia, the party is tomorrow night

The headline on this blog are the words I absolutely did not want to hear when I showed up at a friend's house for a big bash she and her husband were hosting for their son who was recently married in a ceremony in Brooklyn. The party was to introduce their son's new bride to all their Charlotte friends.

When I pulled up to the party, doubt had begun to set in. The couple are incredible hosts and their parties are notoriously fun, but there weren't a lot of cars around. As I walked to the door in my party outfit holding a tray filled with two dozen Deviled Eggs I had made (you can never have too many Deviled Eggs), I was relieved when I saw the hostess open the door and walk outside with a couple.

But when she looked at me, the expression on her face immediately told me I had messed up. "Olivia, the party is tomorrow night," was the first thing she said. The couple who were leaving were a cousin and his wife who had dropped by for a visit. I had shown up 24 hours early for the party.

"I have Deviled Eggs," was all I could think to say to pull myself out of the party hole.

Luckily we go way back, so it wasn't as awkward as it could have been, but it was still incredibly embarrassing. It all turned out well, mainly because this family is always so warm and welcoming. I ended up hanging out with them for the next couple of hours. We drank wine, they ate all my Deviled Eggs and I had a chance to really talk to the newly married couple. We looked at photos and video from their incredible honeymoon in Tahiti. Being with them alone turned out to be great for me - I really got to know the bride and reminisce with her husband, who I've watch grow up. At a crowded party, I never would have gotten that quality time with them.

The last time I made such a mega party goof was at a wedding several years ago. I got the time wrong and when my husband and I pulled up, all the guests had just started streaming out of the church. I told my husband to pull into a space and we would wait until some cars started leaving and drive on over to the reception. On the way to the reception site, I made him swear to me that he would never mention that we completely missed the ceremony. I figured no one would notice that we hadn't actually been in the church, and I was correct.

At the reception, I tried to keep my compliments in the present. Isn't the bride beautiful? Isn't the food wonderful? I never would have lied and acted as if I had seen the wedding, but I didn't feel it was necessary to bring attention to my mistake on a day that's all about the married couple.

At least I got the day right.

Follow Olivia on Twitter @oliviafortson