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Throwing an Anniversary Party to be Remembered
Throwing an Anniversary Party to be Remembered
Anniversary parties are a wonderful way to celebrate two people
who have been together for a number of years. The most common
anniversary parties are for 25 years and 50 years. There are
many things you can do to make this day special for not only the
couple, but all of their family and friends as well. Many people
have shared in the joys and sorrows of the anniversary couple
and they help to make this a special day as well. Planning an
anniversary party is a huge undertaking, sometimes almost as big
as a wedding.
Silver or Gold?
An anniversary party theme is fairly simple to determine. Unless
the couple or their immediate family has requested a particular
theme (this is unlikely), you should plan a fairly traditional
party. A 25th wedding anniversary is traditionally silver, while
a 50th anniversary is gold. Use this to plan the majority of
your party, everything from invitations to decorations.
Who to Invite
An anniversary party can be as big as a wedding. While many
people opt for a small get together consisting of family and
close friends only, others look forward to a huge celebration
with everyone who has touched their lives in past years. 25th
anniversary parties tend to be of the smaller more intimate
variety, whereas 50 years together definitely deserves more of a
to-do.
If you’re planning a huge bash, it may take quite a bit of time
to come up with a guest list. If the happy couple knows about
the party the easiest thing to do is ask them who should be
invited. Family members and close friends are fairly obvious,
but in addition you may want to invite old coworkers, church
members, old neighbors, and the list can go on. If you are
planning a surprise party for the couple, this can be a little
tricky. Rather than getting the input of just one family member,
send a tentative guest list to several family members and ask
each for additions and deletions. This will help make sure no
one gets missed.
The Invitations
If you’re throwing a huge anniversary party, sending out
invitations can be quite the task. If the party budget allows
for it, get them custom made. You can order the invitations
online and get everything shipped to you and ready to go. This
will save an enormous amount of time. If the party budget is
tight and that money would better go to use elsewhere, making
your own invitations can actually be quite simple. All you need
is a computer and a printer. You can download some great
invitations templates that are simple enough to put together.
All you need to do is add all the party information and perhaps
a beautiful quote on the front and voila your invitations are
ready to go.
Setting the Scene
Decorations for the party don’t have to be hugely extravagant,
but by adding some special touches you will help make the night
even more special for the happy couple. Use the anniversary
color almost exclusively; this will help make a great effect.
Some ways to use either silver or gold are: - Use gold or silver
pen or ink for place cards, menu, and any other written items -
Gold or silver balloons make a beautiful yet inexpensive
decoration - Add gold or silver placemats or doilies at each
place setting - Gold or silver candles and or candle holders
make a great centerpiece - Dinnerware and barware should have
gold or silver accents
There are many other ways in which you can incorporate these
colors into the party. Just be sure not to overdo it since this
may actually have a night club-ish tacky sort of look to it. Add
plenty of white to balance it out.
Favors to Remember
Many couples will want to send their guests away with a little
something to remember the night by and as a thank you for
attending. One of the best favors ideas is a small picture frame
of the couple. You can use pictures from their wedding day or a
more recent photo. If you can find picture frames that hold two
photos a nice idea is to add both a picture of their wedding day
and a recent one. Friends and family of the couple will love
taking this beautiful keepsake home.
Another great idea is a CD of songs form the era that the couple
met and was married. This will bring back great memories for
many of their family and friends and is probably one of the most
useful favor possibilities. Be sure to check with local
copyright laws to determine what type of fees apply to creating
and giving away a music compilation. Make sure that all the
music on the CD gets played throughout the night to really give
guests something to remember.
A Night of Nostalgia
A great idea for any anniversary party, big or small, is a slide
show. Start the show of with pictures of the couple when they
first met and progress through the years of children and
grandchildren. Don’t be surprised to see a few eyes get misty
during the show. Add some memorable quotes throughout the show,
and play some touching music that reminds them of certain times
in their lives.
If you want the slide show to be a surprise, you can ask family
and friends for their favorite pictures to add to the show.
You’ll probably end up with more pictures than you’ll know what
to do with so don’t worry if you can’t get any of the couple’s
picture albums.
As you can see, planning an anniversary party can take a lot of
time, so start planning as soon as possible. Since you could be
inviting well over 100 people, starting a year in advance isn’t
too soon. Don’t try and take this task on by yourself, you’ll
probably have plenty of offers from friends and family to give
you a hand; definitely take them up on their offer. This will be
a night for everyone to cherish and remember, and the happy
anniversary couple will be on cloud nine after seeing how much
they mean to everyone in their lives.
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