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What are Some Good Ideas for a 50th Anniversary Party?

Jessica Ellis
Jessica Ellis
Jessica Ellis
Jessica Ellis

A 50th anniversary party is an important occasion to many people. In the United States, the divorce rate is nearly 50%, and around the world the rates of successful marriages continues to fall. Honoring a couple who has survived the trials and tribulations of life and love is worthy of a major celebration that will be unforgettable.

One of the most important factors to consider when planning a 50th anniversary party is the personalities and preferences of the people involved. If you are planning the party for a couple, try to determine what they would like. Some couples may want a wild blowout, others may appreciate an elegant and intimate gathering of their closest friends. If you and your partner are planning the celebration for yourselves, try to make it a party with all of your favorite elements.

A couple might renew their wedding vows for a 50th anniversary party.
A couple might renew their wedding vows for a 50th anniversary party.

If you are planning a small party and have a good sized budget, consider planning a group activity or even a weekend party trip. Three-day cruises are a great way to celebrate a special occasion, and can give the happy couple both a great party and an unforgettable vacation. If you don’t live close to the ocean or the couple aren’t cruise fans, why not plan a camping or golfing trip, tailored to the passions of the couple.

Including a buffet is a good idea if a lot of guests are planning to attend the anniversary party.
Including a buffet is a good idea if a lot of guests are planning to attend the anniversary party.

For large parties, consider renting a spectacular venue that relates to the preferences of the honorees. Many wineries and fine hotels offer spaces for special celebrations. Talk to local venues to determine what they offer and if they handle 50th anniversary parties often. Some venues may include catering, entertainment or decoration services as well.

Anniversary parties might include karaoke.
Anniversary parties might include karaoke.

If you live near or in the town where the couple celebrating their anniversary was married, consider trying to rent the location where their wedding or reception was held. Some couples may wish to have a vow renewal ceremony, where they repeat their wedding vows or make new ones to each other. Having this type of ceremony at the cite where they first exchanged vows can be a romantic and symbolic gesture, and gives the couple a chance to revisit memories of the beginning of their life together.

A guestbook will help the couple to send thank you notes after the party.
A guestbook will help the couple to send thank you notes after the party.

Theme parties can be wonderful for couples that share similar interests. For travel buffs, request that guests bring travel related gifts and decorate the party space to match favorite destinations. If the couple loves a specific era of design or fashion, such as the 1940s, play music from the era or even dress up in fitting outfits.

For special gestures that can help make the event memorable, there are many things you can add to a 50th anniversary party. Try getting a souvenir book and having guests write down their favorite memories about the couple throughout the years. For more technology savvy couples, set up a video camera for guests to record memories and happy wishes for the couple.

A 50th anniversary party should be a celebration of the people who have made it so far together, and should honor both their interests and their love for each other. Take the time to make sure that the party is really designed for their pleasure and matches what they would have in mind. Big or small, a 50th anniversary party will be memorable for its celebration of love and commitment, regardless of budget and setting.

Jessica Ellis
Jessica Ellis

With a B.A. in theater from UCLA and a graduate degree in screenwriting from the American Film Institute, Jessica is passionate about drama and film. She has many other interests, and enjoys learning and writing about a wide range of topics in her role as a WiseGEEK writer.

Learn more...
Jessica Ellis
Jessica Ellis

With a B.A. in theater from UCLA and a graduate degree in screenwriting from the American Film Institute, Jessica is passionate about drama and film. She has many other interests, and enjoys learning and writing about a wide range of topics in her role as a WiseGEEK writer.

Learn more...

Discussion Comments

indigowater

@jester39 - We did something similar for the 50th wedding anniversary for our aunt and uncle. We made cds as party favors for everyone who attended the party. The cds were filled with old and new music that our aunt and uncle loved. It was a wonderful opportunity to enjoy music from five decades or more!

Jester39

To celebrate my parents' 50th wedding anniversary, my brothers and sisters and I hosted a small party with some of our parents' closest friends and family.

The best moment of the party was when we played the music from their youth. To see them rise immediately at the familiar sounds of their teen years was really a tear-jerker moment. All of their old friends got up to dance with them and it was a beautiful moment to see all of them dancing to old songs as if no time had passed at all. Very poignant indeed.

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    • A couple might renew their wedding vows for a 50th anniversary party.
      By: photographmd
      A couple might renew their wedding vows for a 50th anniversary party.
    • Including a buffet is a good idea if a lot of guests are planning to attend the anniversary party.
      By: Sébastien Maurer
      Including a buffet is a good idea if a lot of guests are planning to attend the anniversary party.
    • Anniversary parties might include karaoke.
      By: pressmaster
      Anniversary parties might include karaoke.
    • A guestbook will help the couple to send thank you notes after the party.
      By: tr3gi
      A guestbook will help the couple to send thank you notes after the party.