What do you give a woman who has already decided she wants nothing? An evening that looks like her. This invitation is cut from blush paper with cream peonies and a pink bud at the edge, scattered petals, fine gold veins and pearls, and a headline in flowing gold calligraphy that promises to make it lovely.
Her name goes beneath it in matching gold script, then the date, the time and the room where the evening happens. The card holds the rest.
An early dinner suits a sixtieth: cocktails at six, a long table with low flowers, a short speech from each child and no speech at all from anyone else. Ask guests to bring a photograph rather than a gift and put them in an album during dessert. Send the card a month ahead; this is the kind of party people travel for.
