Aha,
So, having only really dug into large quantities of vintage port with jdaw, my experience on decanting times is basically his. I'd certainly support the short time for the 1920 (the 1927 really did get up, yawn then die in about half an hour), and perhaps shorter times for the others, too. I'm intrigued by decanting the 2000 two days beforehand. I've had a few 2000s and they've always tasted impossibly fruity, so this may be just the thing - so I'm not disputing that one.
I begin to wonder whether your version of decanting is the same as mine. I run the port through unbleached coffee filters in funnels, into a decanter. Therefore, my take on the 1920 would be to bring it to Conky's asap (days before would be good), and then decant it lastminute.com before we start tasting. The majority (if not all) of the cloudiness is fielded by the filter paper, though the process is slow.
That's my opinion on decanting. Now dress. Again, in jdaw's presence it's always been black tie, but it's blatantly not critical. I have a personal DJ, too (tends to play lots of 80s music), but will wear smart or casual as the team dictates.
Food and drink. My belly appreciates a degree of lining before a Big Evening like this, with something relatively unspicy preferred, to protect the taste buds for the hard work to follow. Bangers and mash would fit the bill nicely. Baked beans with 'em, perhaps, and a glass of water. I don't feel the need to sink any beers beforehand, but don't begrudge those who do, either.
As regards later snackage, cheese is an excellent idea. Let me know if you'd like me to field this one, as I have port tasting cheese catering experience. (*)
Mats: don't have any legal paper. Could do A3, but so could others, so I don't think I can help here.
Glasses. Don't have any to bring, sadly. If you type 'port tasting glass' into Google, you get Julian's placemats first (?!) then a site that shows the shape of the glasses I think we should be using. I don't know whether that is much of a contribution to the debate, but there you go.
Mrs C. Agree pressie is a very good idea. Suggest we combine funds and get something impressive, just in case we upset her.
Cigars. I've been known to puff when tiddly, but a little one would be fine, because I don't do it properly.
Photos and records of all and sundry: Derek, jdaw is about as pedantic and finicky as you could ever wish (though sadly is neither the most pedantic nor the most finicky person I know), so I'd treat all requests for minute attention to detail with a pinch of reality. Explaining 'reality' to Julian may be tricky, but it could be easier than satisfying all his whims.
Ghandih
(*) Doesn't that sound like the sort of phrase Roy Castle used to use on Record Breakers. Here's Ghandih - he's a
Port Tasting
Cheese Catering
Record Breaker!
...or is that just me?