Planning an Anniversary Party

Planning an Anniversary Party

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. Planning an anniversary party is a huge undertaking, sometimes almost as big as a wedding.

1.) Theme

A party theme is fairly simple to determine. Plan a fairly traditional party unless the couple or their immediate family has requested a particular theme. A 25th wedding anniversary is traditionally silver, while a 50th anniversary is gold.

2.) 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. 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.

3.) 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 your invitations are ready to go.

4.) Decor

Decorations for the party don’t have to be hugely excessive, but by adding some special touches you will help make the night even more special for the happy couple. 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 chargers at each place setting
- Gold or silver candles and or candle holders make a great centerpiece
- Dinnerware and bar-ware 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. Add plenty of white to balance it out.

5.) Party Favors

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. 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.

6.) A Night of Reminiscence

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. 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.

Planning an anniversary party can take a lot of time, so starting a year in advance isn’t too soon. This will be a night for everyone to cherish and remember, and the happy anniversary couple will be on cloud nine after a night of celebrating with family and friends.

Planning a party on a budget?

Planning a party on a budget?

Begin by jotting down everything you'll need -- food, decorations and flowers, invitations, music, any rentals (such as chairs or tables), even the baby-sitters fee. Don't forget to set aside some money for unexpected expenses.

If your dream party turns out to be too expensive, look for simple ways to revise your plans. You can scale back the number of guests, substitute chicken for those expensive shrimp, or plan a simpler type of party -- perhaps serving appetizers or dessert rather than a whole meal.

No matter what your party, it is always best to set a budget prior to purchasing anything. It is a good idea to have a small notebook.

1) Start with a rough estimate for your budget. How much are you willing to spend?

2) Make a list of things you will need. (food, decorations and flowers, invitations, music, etc. )

3) ALWAYS, ALWAYS make room for unexpected expenses. They will come up.

4) If time permits, shop around. With a little work you can find some really great stuff.

5) As you purchase things, write down their cost in your notebook or at least keep the receipts together. This will be a constant reminder of how much you have spent.

6) A good motto to have is "THINK TWICE, BUY ONCE". Always think prior to purchasing an item.

By following these simple guidelines, you can have a terrific party without going into debt!