Planning a 50th Wedding Anniversary Party

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Posted by Amanda

Whether you are planning the party for your parents, your aunt and uncle or your friends, you want this evening to be a memorable one that will be extra special for the couple as well as for the guests that attend this wonderful event. Many people look toward traditions before they plan any party and for the 50th wedding anniversary gold is always the traditional gift, therefore, in most instances gold is the theme used for the anniversary party.

Location

The first consideration is the location. You may wish to have a small intimate occasion with only family and a few close friends, on the other hand, you may wish to go all out and have a huge party with many of their friends and family that attended their wedding many years before. If you are considering a large affair, the best way to handle the location is by using a catering hall. This is always a great idea as most catering halls have experts that can help you will various services from decorations to planning meals all around your theme to cleaning up after the party.

When

Before you decide on the day it is always best to talk with the couple beforehand, they may have planned a cruise, an intimate dinner, or a slew of other possibilities. By talking with the couple you will be able to make a definitely date and time that will accommodate them as well as the guests they wish to invite. Since you will be inviting their friends, they are more knowledgeable on the dates and times that would be best for their close friends to attend.

It is always a good rule of thumb to try to avoid holidays or weekends that have events planned around the town such as festivals. If you choose a weekend in which a boat show is happening or the local festival, you may be putting the guests in dire straits when it comes to finding lodging accommodations.

Guest to Invite

According to the type of anniversary party you plan, you may wish to invite many of the same individuals that were at the couples wedding along with all the new friends they have made over the last fifty years. This could be an extensive list if you wish to include all the people that have touched their lives. On the other hand, you should invite family, friends, coworkers, and colleagues from organization or groups in which the couple is involved.

It would also be best if you ask the couple to help with the guest list. If you are not a family member you may not know that they are not speaking to Aunt Florence or one of their friends could no longer be a friend, which could cause problems at the party.

As the host or hostess of the party, you will have many different things to consider and plan for the party. You do not to involve the couple 100%, as you want their day to be special with you doing most of the work. Asking them about the time, location, who to invite are all great questions. However, when it comes down to the decorations, foods, etc… the host or hostess will do the planning.

Music

The music should be songs from the year of their marriage or songs that the couple enjoys together. The couple may have a favorite artist or group which would be perfect for the music. You can choose to have a band, a singer, or CD’s. The music should be played low unless you have a dance planned at the same time, which would allow the music to be louder during the dancing portion of the party. During the meal and speeches, the music can be playing but should be very quiet.

Invitations

The invitations should have the address, the time, along with any other information you desire such as the attire that should be worn. Always remember directions. Some of the guests may have moved away and may not remember the where the catering hall is or it may even be a new company in town.

Photographer

You can choose to use a family friend or a photographer to capture the anniversary party. You will want to create memories of this special day so the couple will have fond memories of those that helped make their day so special.

Decorations

A great decoration used at many 50th anniversary parties is a corkboard with photos of the couple starting with their wedding day and following them throughout their years of marriage.

Remember your theme – gold.

For others that have created a gold themed 50th wedding anniversary the decorations used included:
White tablecloths
In the center of the table, you can place a handkerchief of your choice of colors such as black, violet, or burgundy, add a bit of gold confetti – this will scream elegance.
Another suggestion for the centerpiece could be ivory colored pillar candles on gold plates with a ring of golden tulle and your choice of small flowers tied to the base of the candle.
For balloons use gold and any other color to accent the colors you have chosen for the centerpieces. Use streamers of the same color.

Food

If you are using a catering hall when you start to think about the food, it is a good time to talk to the hall and the experts on staff. They will be able to give you all kinds of ideas for the foods and drinks that others have used for 50th wedding anniversaries as well as cater the entire affair for you. Of course, you will want to learn if you plan to serve alcoholic beverages and what the couple’s favorite foods might be to help the caterer with such decisions.

Gifts For the 50th wedding anniversary couple

The traditional gift for the 50th wedding anniversary is gold, thus the gold theme. Now, consider the various items that can be purchase in gold that would put a smile on the couples face – possibly a large collage in a gold frame of several different photos of their life together. You will be able to come up with gift ideas if you know the couple well; if not talk to a family member about their likes and dislikes, you will find the perfect gift.

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