I can totally understand your worries about the border crossing. This trip was also my first international travel in my feminine persona, also with my “original” male passport and airline ticket. As it turned out, I was only subjected to a secondary [manual] passport check at the exit control from Germany, since it seems that I had not quite figured out how to handle the automated system. Entering Canada and later re-entering Europe went without a hiccup.
The only sour note was the Air Canada agent at the check-in desk in Toronto, who while handing me my boarding pass said: “There you are, Sir! Have a nice flight.”

And it was also my first time going to a “social” event in a full female presentation. And on top of that, it was in a [to me] foreign country and environment. That was an additional level of stress, especially given all that restroom intolerance that had been coming out of North America in the months prior. But that turned out to be a non-issue at this venue.

I agree with you on the chat with that father and daughter in the café afterwards. I found it so affirming to have them share with us that it was a regular father-daughter event for them. Especially so since my community of origin is still actively denying the existence of single fathers. Going so far as to implying that I do not exist, because I was a single father and single fathers do NOT exist in “our” community.

But I want to end this on a positive note. When I arrived at the home of one of my cousins, I was greeted by him and his six year old son. He started to introduce me by my male name, but then he asked me for my preferred name. I told him that I have chosen Jessica, but either name is fine. So he crouched to his son's level and introduced me as Jessica. The little guy stood there, looked me up and down twice, and the stated very matter-of-factually: “Jessica, you're beautiful!”