50th wedding anniversary party for my parents. What would you do for a party? My sister and I need ideas!?

Question

50th wedding anniversary party for my parents. What would you do for a party? My sister and I need ideas!?

Answer 1

First, decide where you're holding the party. Then decide what you're going to do for music a band or DJ and go with music from the year they were married and of course, they're song from their wedding.

Food of course and decide on catering and who will do the cooking/catering.  Interview delis/caterers or if family members are willing to do cooking so that's taken care of.

For the cake you can do a wedding cake or a sheet cake or you can even do a cake where one is in the shape of a five and one is in the shape of a zero, and then a sheet cake makes up for what those 2 cakes won't serve.  (the 50 cake will only serve so many people so you get an additonal cake that will serve the remaining people).

I would also do a speech from you and your sister to your parents, a dedication of sorts thanking them for all they've done for you, congratulating them, etc.  Talk from your heart.  My sister and I did this for my parent's 25th and there wasn't a dry eye in the place and it meant the world to my parents.

Decorate in gold and white, that's the colors of the 50th anniversary, it's the golden anniversary.  You decide how you want to do the invites, formally like a wedding, or more casually, you can make them yourselves on the computer.  You can even go to Staples, Michael's, AC Moore, even Office Max and find formal invites that you can do on the computer complete with the rsvp cards in them.  

You can decorate in gold and white ballloons and all the of the party stores have gold and white decorations.  The plates, tablecloths, napkins, etc.  You can do a gold and white balloon arch around the doorway for them to walk through as they come in the door.  You can do gold and white balloons coming down in the center of the ceiling and you can even decorate with lots of lights which will look very pretty.

For table centerpieces you can either do gold and white balloons in a bunch or do something with flowers.

Make sure to get a corsage for your mom and a rose/flower for your dad, they are the guests of honor and they should have something on them to show it!

You can decide if you want to hire a bartender and if you want to serve alcohol.  Usually you have to provide the liquor if you are hiring a bartender though.  Make sure to buy all the plates, napkins, plastic forks, spoons, knives, bowls, cake plates, dinner plates, things to cut the cakes with, cups for both coffee and sodas, etc.  Milk, half and half, and sugar, sweet and low, etc. for the coffee, and tea for the tea drinkers, etc.  These are all little things, but they are the things that come up during the party.  Make sure to have plenty of ice for the drinks. (as you can see I've hosted lots of parties in the past and a big anniverary party for my parent's 25th)  

Make sure to think about who you're going to invite and how many people you want to have there.  My sister and I rented a hall and we got the key that morning and had to clean up that night, leaving the place spotless.  Thankfully I had lots of great friends who helped me set up and clean up.  We had to leave the place as we found it.

You also have to have a plan for getting your parents out of the house and getting them to the party, find someone that can do that without them feeling weird about it. LOL

By the way, if you do favors, you can go to m&ms.com and pick the colors and personalize them, you can put your parents' name and date and 50th Anniversary on them, and make them the favors.  You don't have to go crazy on favors.  Do something that you and sister can make without going nuts.  Maybe a seedling people can plant in their honor, being this is spring and people are gardening, or the candy bar labels.  Just something small that won't end up as clutter, but to thank people for coming. You can even raffle off the centerpiece.  Do flowers as the table centerpiece and whoever sits in the chair with something taped to the bottom, takes home the centerpiece.  I'm sure even that they'll be happy with.  Everyone these days is saying how much clutter they have, so I wouldn't worry too much about favors and going crazy over them.  IF you do them, make it something they can use, like a candle or eat, or plant.

Good luck and it sounds like a lot, and it is but once you're doing it, it goes faster and it's SO worth it!  I hope it all turns out great and you all have a wonderful time!  Happy Anniversary to your parents and God Bless on 50 years!

Answer 2

1958-think Doo w*p, Elvis- really cool cars, the beginning of the generation "gap"- it depends on how "hip" your parents were- ask their friends and siblings to tell you stories and send pics- scan and blow up the pics, make cd's for party favors, they will have a better time if not a stuffy, traditional party.

To get you started- here are dome top songs of 1958:

1958

At the Hop-- Danny & the Juniors

It’s All In the Game-- Tommy Edwards

The Purple People Eater-- Sheb Wooley

All I Have to Do Is Dream-- Everly Brothers

Tequila-- Champs

Don’t-- Elvis Presley

Volare-- Domenico Modugno

Sugartime-- McGuire Sisters

He’s Got the Whole World In His Hands-- Laurie London

The Chipmunk Song-- David Seville/The Chipmunks

Answer 3

Depends on what their wedding was like.  My grandparents did not have an actual wedding with a reception and guests, it was just their parents and the minister.  So, we had a huge guest list, an actual wedding cake (they never had one), a renewal of the vows ceremony and a buffet.  They loved it, since they never had an actual wedding.  You could also do a surprise party for them at a restaurant.  Good luck!

Answer 4

http://entertaining.about.com/cs/holiday...

Answer 5

Hire a Polka band!!