Planning a 50th anniversary party for your parents
Ideas for planning a golden anniversary party: guest list, old photos, recreating the wedding and keeping it comfortable for older guests.
A 50th anniversary party usually falls to the kids to plan, and it's a lovely job. It's also a party with a guest list spanning 80 years of age and a guest of honor who may not want much fuss.
Find out how big they want it
Some couples want every friend from the last half-century. Others want a quiet dinner with family. Ask directly, or ask whichever parent is more likely to give you a straight answer.
Dig out the wedding
The wedding album, the original invitation, the dress if it survived. Guests love seeing them. A few ideas:
- Recreate one wedding photo with the couple in the same pose.
- Serve the same cake flavor or play their first-dance song.
- Ask friends who were at the wedding to bring their own photos from that day.
Plan for older guests
Choose a venue without stairs, keep the music low enough to talk over, and seat the couple's oldest friends close to them. An afternoon party often works better than an evening one.
Keep the program short
One toast from the kids, maybe one from a grandchild, and a chance for the couple to say a few words if they want to. Then let people visit. At this kind of party, the visiting is the point.