Anniversary Party Ideas for Planning an Anniversary as Successful as Your Marriage

If weddings are all about hope and promise, anniversary parties are about celebrating the enduring power of love (not to mention all the work that goes into keeping a marriage alive and well). Anniversary parties are a way of honoring the past and looking ahead to the future, for a few special hours, surrounded by loved ones. We've got lots of anniversary party ideas to create the perfect event.

Anniversary parties cover a lot of ground - from a five-year anniversary bash that the couple hosts for their friends, to a quiet gathering of four generations to honor a couple's 50th year of marriage. Some couples also choose this occasion to renew vows.

50th anniversary party ideas

If ever there was a cause for celebration, this is it: The opportunity to honor a couple who has built arelationship over half a century. Over this period of time, the couple may have developed a wide network of friends and associates. You can invite as many of them to the celebration as your budget can afford - or you can keep the guest list to a more intimate number. It's really a question of what the

couple would prefer. There's no shortage of decorations available to mark this momentous occasion. If you are planning a 50th anniversary party and overseeing the decorations yourself, you'll have no trouble finding gold doilies, balloons, ribbons and ink. Table settings can include ivory colored linens, crystal or white china with gold trim and gold candlesticks.

A host of possibilities: Who's giving the party?

You and your spouse may decide to plan and host the party together. Some people use an anniversary party as a way of honoring and celebrating their husband or wife. Do you know what type of celebration your wife would like? We can help you find out. The 50th anniversary party is often hosted by the couple's children, who are typically of an age when they're able to plan and pay for the event. Still, there are no hard and fast rules. One well-heeled couple invited their six children and 21 grandchildren to Disney World to celebrate their 50th.

Anniversary party ideas can be plain or fancy

How you celebrate your anniversary usually says a lot about the type of people you are. If you love nice clothes, fine food and champagne,your party will probably have all of these elements. Take note if you're a friend or relative planning an anniversary party for another couple, make sure the event is a reflection of the couple's personalities and tastes. Don't plan a pizza party for people who'd prefer caviar - and vice versa.

To surprise or not to surprise? That is the question.

Some people like surprises, others hate them. If your wife is someone who would enjoy spending weeks searching for that perfect dress to wear to her anniversary party, you may not want to keep your plans a secret. If your parents are young-at-heart people who would be delighted to enter a room and have 100 people shout "Surprise!" - go for it. A word of caution here: Surprise parties are notoriously difficult to keep under wraps. With all the details, vendors, bills and guests, there are dozens of ways that your surprise can be uncovered. Note, however, that a stunning piece of anniversary jewelry is always a welcome surprise.

Any time is the right time to have an anniversary party

Etiquette suggests that celebrations be scheduled during the weekend closest to the date of the wedding. But this may not be feasible or desirable. Particularly with anniversaries later in life, a matter of a few months either way hardly seems important. We know one couple who married in February 1945 in Buffalo. Because of a blizzard, the groom didn't arrive until the next day! When they celebrated their 50th anniversary, they opted for Memorial Day weekend. The date not only brought good weather but also a number of relatives from across the country who were able to attend because of the holiday.

Be sure to check the date with key people before you decide. Obviously, the guests of honor, as well as the closest friends and family, must be able to make it. If you're planning a surprise party, the usual ruse is to extend a personal invitation to join you on that day. For a big party, consider sending out a "save the date" postcard or email right after you've nailed down a date.

Anniversary party planning is key for parties large and small

If you're expecting your brother and his family to travel from San Francisco to Boston, you'll want to give them as much advance notice as possible. If you're booking space at a hotel, banquet facility or restaurant, you may need to do so many months in advance. In most cases, the bigger the party, the more notice you'll need to give. Don't forget to line up people in advance to prepare anniversary quotes toasts or reminiscences. They'll need some time to prepare their remarks. Even a small family gathering shouldn't be left to the last minute. You don't want to be scrambling around for a restaurant, a cake or flowers at the eleventh hour.

Details, details

If you're planning a large anniversary party, you'll probably be attending to many of the same details as you would for a wedding. At the minimum, you'll need to consider:

·Venue

·Invitations

·Caterers

·Flower arrangements, corsages and boutonnieres

·Other decorations

·Music/Bands/DJ/MC

·Photographer and/or video photographer

The answer to this question is a matter of finances, to some degree, but also a matter of what the couple would enjoy. Many couples celebrating a milestone anniversary such as the 40th or 50th would love nothing more than to surround themselves with children, grandchildren and even great-grandchildren, as well as other family and loved ones. On the other hand, some couples would prefer a quiet, intimate dinner with their grown children or may simply want to share the occasion with a small circle of friends. If you're planning your own anniversary party, make the party as big or as small as you want and can afford. If you're honoring another couple with this party, be sure you know what size anniversary party they are most comfortable with.

You are cordially invited

Invitations for anniversary parties can be formal or casual, depending on the nature of the event. For a formal occasion, you may want to order engraved or embossed invitations; but these days, with the right paper, an elegant font and a good printer, it's possible to create really nice invitations on a desktop computer. For more casual parties, you can purchase invitations at the store or create your own. If the party has a theme, you'll probably want to use the invitation to introduce this. Office supply and stationery stores have a vast assortment of notepaper with envelopes to match.

Should the anniversary party have a theme?

Other than obvious themes, such as a silver (40th) or gold (50th) anniversary, you may want to consider a themed party that makes the occasion more unique. If the couple shares a special interest - such as sailing, travel or the theatre - you could design the party around this. A travel theme might feature postcards or photos from the couple's trips together and perhaps a menu of dishes from around the world. If the couple is planning an anniversary trip to Hawaii, you can plan a luau. If they were married during the 1950s, you can throw a party with a 50s theme. If they're tennis players, you can celebrate this "love match."

Food for thought: what to serve and when to entertain

A four-course, sit-down dinner is a time-honored tradition. But these days, anything goe - as long as it pleases the anniversary couple and will provide a pleasurable experience for guests. Here are some anniversary party ideas for menus that cover a whole range of tastes and budgets.

·Formal dinner in the ballroom of a four-star hotel

·Clambake on the beach

·Buffet dinner under a tent in the couple's backyard

·Champagne brunch at a country inn

·Cocktails and finger foods in the home of the couple's eldest child

·Catered lunch on a rented yacht

·Five-course dinner at the couple's favorite Italian restaurant

Follow dinner with anniversary quotes or toasts.

What about gifts?

The couple being honored may or may not want gifts. If their wish is not to receive gifts, this should be stated clearly on the invitation. Another option is to suggest a charity to which guests can make contributions in honor of this occasion. If you are planning to surprise your wife with a special gift, you might consider a three stone diamond ring, a 3 stone diamond pendant, 3 stone diamond earrings, or a stunning 5 stone diamond ring. Any of these gifts will perfectly symbolize the past, present and future of your marriage. If you're in doubt as to what she'd like, or if you think she'd prefer to pick out the gift herself, why not plan a trip to the jeweler together? Say " I forever do " now and every day you spend together.

Create a gift of memories

An anniversary is a perfect time to capture precious family moments. So you might consider creating a gift of memories for your spouse, your parents or a beloved friend or relative. You can make a wonderful gift of this sort in any number of ways:

A scrapbook of family photos and mementos . With specialized stores, websites and how-to books devoted to the art of "scrapbooking," you can create a beautiful keepsake of family photos and mementos.

A collage of the couple and their family . Cover a large piece of foam core with decorative paper. Use scrapbooking techniques and papers to create a family chronicle, perhaps using a copy of the couple's wedding portrait as the focal point. Have the collage matted and framed.

Gather up old home movies and have them converted to video . You'll be giving the couple hours of memories in an easy-to-use format.

Assemble an album of reminiscences . Before the party, ask guests to submit in writing their favorite memories of the couple. Assemble these in the scrapbook as a special gift.

A destination anniversary party combines your festivities with a vacation

Most couples have their anniversary parties close to home, but you may want to make your event part of an anniversary trip. As you make your travel plans, you'll need to consult with the place you're staying to make the arrangements for your party, as well as to book accommodations for your guests. Hotels and resorts have event planners who can assist you. If you're going somewhere exotic or far from home, you should probably limit the guest list to 20 people, but certainly no more than 50. Large numbers make it difficult to manage activities and keep track of your guest' comings and goings.

Make the anniversary party last forever

With the right amount of planning and a little imagination, your anniversary party can be a resounding success - and an occasion that everyone will remember for years to come. But you can go even further to capture the memories from that special occasion. For example, you could make a collection of photos from the anniversary party . Have a professional photographer present at the party. Compile an album of the best pictures as a lasting memento of the event. Alternatively, you can hire a video photographer to create a videopresentation of the party, including special toasts, speeches and other highlights.