My boyfriend is turning 27 on the 4th of May, and I wanted to hold a party for him. He spent his last two birthday in California where he was working at the time (we are now in Ottawa, Canada), so I know he really didn't do much. That, and since he moved back he didnt really have the chance to do much with his friends due to work and getting settled in to his new apartment.


So, I told him to invite his friends over here for 6, and then we would head out to the pool hall near his apartment at around 10 or so. He is making phonecalls now, and you can tell that he is really excited. But. this party is going to take place over a long period of time, and everyone can guess what I am worried about.


I don't want to spend the night worrying about who is drinking what and how much, and analyzing how 'drunk' someone is and their likelihood to vomit. It's Chris' birthday, and I want my focus to be on HIM having a good time, even if it means that people are going to be buying him too many drinks and he ends up being sick. He's a big boy and can make his own decisions- and if he is sick, he is sick. But I know that if he is sick, it's going to make me panic. For me, vomit is vomit, no matter what the cause.


So, I'm wondering if there are any tips that people can give me to try and mitigate people's drunkenness without being invasive, or spoiling someone's good time. This party isn't really about me, and I don't want my phobia to dictate what people can and can't do.


I am already going to make tons of food, and will have plenty of water/soda onhand. I will also have a lot of ice available. People will be bringing what they want to drink, so I'm hoping the majority will stick to beer, which takes longer to drink (as opposed to shots or drinks that are basically 90% hard alcohol and 10% mix). It's going to be mostly people in their late twenties/early 30s, so hopefully by now they have learned how to drink responsibly. I also picked a pool hall, because I figured if people were busy doing something, the focus wont all be on the alcohol.


Any suggestions? I know I will also be tempted to go back to my apartment when the party is over so I wont have to deal with any of the aftermath.....but I know that Chris would be hurt, and I better get used to dealing with stuff like this because I am moving in with him at the end of June (and pretty much spend spend every night here as it is now).


*amber*