I’m on a committee to help plan a retirement party for a dear colleague, and we met today to finalize plans. It didn’t take long for me to realize I was in way over my head when it comes to party planning.

These wonderful women discussed chargers, table drapes and runners. My thoughts were cell phones use chargers, drapes hang from curtain rods and runners are what people do in the early mornings to stay in shape.

Not so with party planning.

Growing up, my mom took care of festivities. Over the years, she collected all the needed equipment for great parties – cake platters with lids, silver serving trays and specific party dishes – one for deviled eggs, a divided tray for olives and vegetables and others that remain a mystery.

When it came time to plan parties for my sons, I didn’t have to think deeply. A couple of packs of hot dogs, a store-bought cake and a gallon of Neapolitan ice cream were all the necessary ingredients. Throw in water balloons and I could’ve called them galas.

I helped out as a room mother for classroom parties, but I was the mom who raised her hand when the question was “Do we have any volunteers to clean up?”

I left the high-level party planning details to the sophisticated mothers who possessed all the secrets to throwing a terrific party.

Today, I marveled at the finesse these moms had for planning this retirement party. One mom brought a bag filled with a sample table runner and a tablecloth. She knew the silver and black would look stunning together, and she was right.

When she pulled a round mirror out of that bag, I knew to keep my mouth shut. I figured out from the pictures another mom had that the mirrors went on the table to reflect the candlelight.

Flowers were next on the list, and these moms knew the best deals for ordering bulk flowers.

They knew what bakeries could duplicate a photo for the top of the cake and that there’s a variety of frostings for cakes in every size and shape.

They also knew how to make a balloon arch.

“Impressed” doesn’t come close.

The clincher was when the mom coordinating the event brought out a color-coded chart for the tables and chairs, complete with directions as to how the traffic would flow.

I have no clue how she created that diagram on a computer and the correct way to arrange the tables so people would still have room to mingle and sit down.

“Why would people want to sit down if it’s a reception?” I asked.

These very nice women did not look as if an idiot had spoken. Under different circumstances, I would’ve rolled my eyes at someone who asked that dumb question.

“Some people like to sit down with their cake and visit so the tables and chairs are for them,” one said.

At the parties I’ve hosted, the kids stood up the whole time because boys have a hard time sitting while someone else is unwrapping a Nerf water blaster.

I came away from the meeting a smarter person.

Runners go down the middle of the table and add pizzazz to the tablecloth.

Chargers are not what women with a new Visa card are called – chargers are oversized plates that dress up ordinary plates.

And table drapes hang down the front of the tables to hide extra supplies.

When the day comes that I have to throw a grown-up party, I hope my mom will lend me her three-tiered tray.

It’s perfect to serve ketchup, mustard and relish for those hot dogs.

This column was originally published in The Fort Bend Herald.