How To Throw a 50th Wedding Anniversary Party

A 50th wedding anniversary is a big milestone for any married couple. The 50^th wedding anniversary is often known as the Golden Anniversary--and it should be celebrated with family, friends and loved ones. We'll cover some great tips on how to throw a great 50^th wedding anniversary party in this article - and once you have the party planning bug, you'll want to pick up a copy of Theme Party Secrets.  This book will teach you how to whip up the best parties on the block!

Here's how to throw an amazing 50^th wedding anniversary party:

1. Invitations. Once the date for the party is set, make homemade invitations that feature a photo of the couple on their wedding day. Everyone will get a kick out of seeing what the young couple looked like on their wedding day. If that's not possible, you can buy 50th wedding anniversary party invitations at most card stores.
2. Location. Depending on how many guests you will have, you can hold the party at home, a banquet hall or a restaurant. If you have a house or can rent a hall big enough to accommodate your guests, make sure that there is plenty of parking available. Many people also opt to hold anniversary parties at restaurants--call ahead to check for availability and book your desired date.
3. Decorations. You can keep the party simple by decorating with gold accents to keep with the "Golden Anniversary" theme. Most party and craft stores have golden anniversary tableware, streamers, balloons and more. Another idea is to go all out and take your guests back in time with a theme party dating back to 50 years ago--look for decorations and retro items from that era.
4. Food for thought. If you choose to hold the party at someone's home or a rental hall, consider hiring a caterer to prepare and serve the food. It will take a lot of work off of your shoulders and will make for a less stressful celebration. If you really want to prepare the food yourself, let guests make or bring something if they ask--most people sincerely do want to help out. Another option for 50th anniversary party food: try to find a cookbook from 50 years ago and serve some foods that were popular back then. The popular auction site, eBay, is a great place to shop for old cookbooks and recipe cards. 
5. Music. Let's face it--most couples who are celebrating their 50^th wedding anniversary are in their 70's--or even older. Make the day special for them by playing classic instrumental music or tunes from their heyday. Search online for a list of popular songs from the year they got married and try to buy CDs or download MP3's of those types of songs. If you hire a disc jockey, make sure to give him specific instructions as to what kind of music you would like played. If the couple has a song that is special to them, make sure to play the song during the party and let the couple have a spotlight dance together.
6. Nostalgia. Help the happy couple to reminisce about their life together by having old 8 mm films of their wedding or young married life converted to DVD-- there are many reputable online companies that can do this or you can check at your local camera shop to see if they offer this service. Put out the couple's wedding album for the party--or create your own scrapbook or album of events from the past 50 years. Everyone will become nostalgic over seeing the old photos and films.
7. Be sure to include the grandkids in the festivities. Don't make this an adults-only party. While that may be in vogue for other types of events, a 50^th wedding anniversary is a time to celebrate with family and friends of all ages. Rethink things if you plan to host the party at a restaurant that is not kid-friendly. Check around: Many restaurants have rooms that can be reserved for special events so you don't have to worry about young children disturbing other patrons.If you're still wondering what to do at a 50th anniversary party, think about what the couple enjoys doing and how to involve the whole family.
8. Gifts. After 50 years of marriage, most couples have accumulated a lifetime's worth of items, so they may not want or need anything at all. When it comes to an anniversary gift, why not present the happy couple with a money tree--a small tree or plant decorated with rolled up bills. A framed family tree gift is another gift idea for the couple who already has everything--there are many websites and specialty shops that can customize and frame your family tree and genealogy information. A gift certificate to a favorite restaurant or to a local spa is also a gift that is always appreciated. For an elaborate gift, you can always chip in with the other guests to send the couple on a weekend vacation or a cruise. But sometimes the most precious gifts cost very little--a framed picture of the family or a poem written by one of the children will be a priceless gift that the happy couple will cherish forever.

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