50th Wedding Anniversary Party Planning Ideas

Can anything be more special than celebrating 50 years of togetherness? The momentous occasion that celebrates fifty years of marriage is traditionally symbolized with gifts of gold. So throwing a gold theme surprise party is a great idea. When organizing a 50th wedding anniversary party, consider both your guests as well as the couple of the hour. Check out the following tips to plan a grand golden jubilee anniversary party.

When should the Celebration take place: When thinking of celebrating a 50th Anniversary party, the first thing that comes to mind is deciding when to celebrate. The most obvious choice would be on the special day itself, but chances are that the couple has their own plans for the special celebration. The next best choice is the nearest weekend to allow both the couple and the guests to attend without having to take time off work, etc. Try to avoid holiday weekends and weekends with large civic events as most hotel rooms will be booked and traffic will be heavy.

Who to invite? The other important question is whom to invite. The great start is to think about family, friends, coworkers and colleagues from groups and organizations the couple may be members of. And most importantly, consider who the couple will want there, not who you want to invite. You shouldn’t try to remember everyone all by yourself. Ask close family members and friends to help compile the guest list.

Activities to do as a Host:

• For a musical background at the party, play songs from the decade the couple was married. Alternatively, if the couple has some preferences towards a particular style of music, choose songs according to their taste instead. Be sure to keep the volume of the music low, as everyone will want to chat and you don’t want them to have to compete with the music.
• While sending out the invites, ask your guests to bring along a fond memory of the couple. For example, they could affix a photograph from a memorable time they shared and then write about that. Assemble these in a scrapbook as a gift for the couple. Decorate the cover with a wedding photograph, and leave room at the end of the book for them to add memories in the years to come. This gift will be an absolute treasure to the couple – get ready for some laughter and some tears.
• Capture your party from your guests’ point of view with single-use cameras. Leave one on each table and place a basket by the door so people can drop them in as they leave.
• Guests at a 50th wedding anniversary party will want to see how the couple has changed in these fifty years of marriage. Collect pictures before hand and display them on a table, so that guests can move around and enjoy the happy moments the couple has shared.

50th Wedding Anniversary Invitations: Your anniversary invitations will create the first impression about your party. Here are few ways you can send out the invites and impress your guests.

• Online 50th Anniversary Invites: Why not send out online anniversary invites. Online invites not only look impressive, but they are also easy to send and receive immediate responses. If you choose to throw a surprise party, be sure to add “Surprise” to the title of the invitation. Choose a golden color theme and add some nice music to it. Add the couples first anniversary images or you can even add a video of the couple to the invitation.
• Old Fashioned Valentines Cards Invitations: Another option is to send out invitations the traditional way. Make heart-shaped invitations out of construction paper or card stock, and then decorate it using lace trim or doilies. Include a romantic quote or some song lyrics about love. You can hand-write the wording on the invitations, or print them out on the computer printer, and then trim them to size and glue them onto the front of your invitations. Include information about the date and time, the address, the names of the couple you are celebrating, and an RSVP date along with your phone number.
• Golden Bandanna Invitations: For a fun and colorful invitation, roll up the details of the party in a piece of colorful paper and tie it with a golden bandanna. Let your guests know that the bandanna must be worn in order to gain entree into the party.

50th Wedding Anniversary Party Decorations: The most important thing for an anniversary party is to decorate the venue according to the 50th anniversary golden theme. Let the decorations of the venue be symbolic of your anniversary party and create the perfect ambiance.

• Traditional elements can help set the perfect stage for a 50th wedding anniversary party. Begin by selecting ivory table cloths.
• Then in the center of each table place an opened black, violet, burgundy or navy cloths or lace handkerchiefs. Then, sprinkle some gold metallic confetti on the darkened cloth center. The contrast of the dark fabric against the ivory table cloths will add an extra dimension of shine and glitter to the confetti sprinkles.
• Easy centerpieces can be made out of ivory colored pillar candles placed upon golden plates. A ring of golden tulle and small violets can be tied around the base of the candle.
• Decorate the party space with golden and silver balloons. You can place these balloons in bunches all thoughout the room. Then you can also use golden and silver streamers to give it a more dramatic effect.
• Using some candles with golden wreaths can also add up to the party mood.
• A remnant of lace or ribbon, coupled with a swag of flowers from the dollar store can also look very nice if put together nicely.
• A theme from a song or movie of that era or a favorite of the couple could also be incorporated into the decorating theme.

More ideas to add to the decorations:

• Display the wedding photos and/or album.
• Display pictures from over the years.
• Be sure to take pictures of this party day too.
• Display the wedding dress if it’s still around.
• Use as many items from the original wedding day as possible and recreate others as needed.
• Display copies of old songs and hymns from the wedding.
• Get a nice recent picture of the couple to display as well.

50th Anniversary Party Food: If you want and can afford a caterer, get one. That way you will have time to mingle well with your guests and take care of the honored couple. If you can’t afford it, though, then try to prepare foods that you can make in advance. Casserole dishes are a great option because they just need to be heated up. However, you will want to make sure to include some of the couple’s favorite dishes as well. Stock up on sodas, wines, and beers too, so that you don’t have to play bartender all night long. Select a memorable menu for the not-so-newlyweds. This could be a meal based on the menu they shared on their first date, or consider recreating the menu from their wedding day. Another idea is that it can be the favorite meal the wife has cooked for her husband over the years - only this time she doesn’t have to do the cooking!

For a less formal, more fun, party you may want to go with cheeseburgers, fries and malts. Just keep the Pina Coladas flowing and everything will work out fine. Get an anniversary cake baked with different flavors and get the greetings printed with a golden color on the cake. Specially designed 50th anniversary candles should be used to highlight the cake decorations.

Gifts for the couple: When shopping for the couple, consult people who know their tastes and preferences, especially for this big celebration. Enclose a personal gift card recognizing that 50 years of marriage is a big milestone. Interpret gold as treasure. A gold key for key rings, golden caviar and tasting spoon or a storage chest or wooden box make ideal gifts. Jewelry is an obvious, and good, choice when looking for gold-themed gifts, especially when the item itself is unique. But sometimes the most precious gifts cost very little, a framed picture of the family or a poem written by one of the children will be a priceless gift that the happy couple will cherish forever.

Anniversary Party Favors for the guests:

• A chocolate bar with a wrapper personalized to commemorate the day.
• A cello bag of chocolates wrapped in gold foil tied with a gold ribbon.
• A beautiful brocade pouch filled with chocolate wrapped in gold foil that has been tied with a gold tassel.
• A small, gold tone picture frame with a portrait of the couple.
• A split of champagne that has been personalized for the event.
• A CD with the music that will be played during the party.

Anniversary Celebration Etiquette:

• If you are thinking of surprising a couple with a surprise party on their anniversary, think twice. Some couples don’t respond well to this type of event.
• Send out invitations to an anniversary party or reaffirmation ceremony around four to six weeks before the celebration.
• Although a receiving line is a traditional part of an anniversary party, some people really dislike them. Don’t force the anniversary couple to participate in a receiving line if they are hesitant to do so.
• While making an anniversary speech toast , take great care not to include a joke which will even slightly insult either partner. Remember it is both of them that are celebrating their anniversary and they should be able to enjoy it.
• Be sure to include the grandchildren in the festivities. Don’t make this an adults-only party.
• When seating guests at an anniversary party, generally, the oldest son sits on his mother’s right; the oldest daughter sits on her father’s left; and the best man or maid of honor from the couple’s wedding day sit with their respective spouses at the main table.

Plan a great celebration!!

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