Anniversary Ideas - West Jordan,UT

Hi R.,

We did the scrapbook idea for my parents, with people sending in cards or letters/stories. Really nice.

Another thing we did is play 'jeopardy' with the guests. Parents got to sit front and center while everyone played a game all about them. We just wrote it out on a huge piece of posterboard. Made categories like- before they were married (such as how they met, first date, cars they drove, jobs they had), their wedding (best man/maid of honor, location, funny/unique stories), the early years (first house, cooking stories, etc.). You get the idea. It was really fun, and my parents LOVED all the attention. We made the questions interesting and challenging, but not so much that guests would feel bad not knowing any of the answers! This was totally free, unless you buy a few bottles of wine for 'prizes', and the video/pictures are priceless. If you need any ideas for questions/categories please let me know.

I've also know people to have their parents play a version of the 'not-so-newlywed game'. Fun, but I think better in a small group- like just family.

Have fun!

For one celebration, we asked the guests to send in letter or cards with memories in advance. Then we put them together in a scrapbook and gave that as the big gift. It takes more time than money to put it together.

The expandable scrapbooks are about $15 at Michaels and then you would need to buy the extra pages (~$5 for 10 pages) if you need more than what is provided. I recently was able to pick up a scrapbook for $6 because Michael's was having a big sale, so it might be good to watch for that.

Have a great party!

You could make a memory book for them. Send letters to all their friends and family asking them to make a page for a "scrapbook" telling their own favorite memory of your mom and dad. Then you put the pages together in a book to present to your parents. We did this for my moms 60tj birthday and she loved it!

If you do this, I suggest being specific about what size your book will be, sometimes people "go big" and then you have a problem fitting it onto one page for each friend.

Good luck! 50 years?!! That's amazing!

how bout having your parents friends bring pictures(of your parents and/or friends) to put in a photo album? you and your sisters could buy the album, maybe some scrapbooking material, and the friends could put it together either before, or at, the reception. happy new years

One thing that I've seen done that is fun is a slide show that combines both photos of the people being celebrated with pictures and music from the times. So you can do slides of when they are dating, mixed with important events, people, and and other historical stuff form that time. You set each period in the slide show to music from that time. It is amazing way to sit down and really realize the passage of time that 50 years represents, esp. for those family members who haven't even been alive that long! 10 year leaps work pretty well, if you can manage it. With each decade getting about the length of one song (2 minutes).

Good luck and enjoy the celebration.

I have put together photo montages set to music. You might already have a program on your computer that can easily put it together or there are websites that can help you. Having someone to do it for you can be expensive.

If it's something you want to do and have any questions let me know!

50 years is very exciting. For my parent's 50th, we all gathered pictures that we had of each of our families, and also pictures from my mom from when we were growing up. We used some software on line and put together a very cool slide show and ran it from a laptop at the reception. Just an idea. Everyone including all of the guests loved it. Good luck and Happy New Year.

R.,
this could be relatively inexpensive or expensive depending on what you do. for my parents' 50th, we made a quilt. I chose fabric that would complement their house decor and designed a quilt. Then, I designed the quilt and made block kits containing white fabric for each block, fabric of each color found in the quilt, and iron-on adhesive. kits were sent to each of my four sisters, who then created blocks for each family member. they put pictures on each block that indicated the talents and interests of each family member. I had a deadline for this. when all of the blocks were returned, I pieced the quilt. Two of my sisters quilted it and I bound it. one of my sisters gave my parents a lovely hanging bracket. It now hangs in their main hallway and is one of their prize possessions.

You can go with inexpensive fabric for something like this, but if you can afford good quality quilt fabric, it makes a big difference.

Regardless of what you end up doing, have fun and enjoy your parents.

We had everyone write down their favorite memories of the couple and then we had people read them aloud at the party. I also spent a lot of time scanning all our old pictures into my computer and put together a video set to music that we also played at the party.

An idea for the party would be to have the friends and family each write down a special story about your folks. You could even provide them with some nice paper and acid free pens when you give them the invitations. People love to tell stories about their friends and themselves. You could ask for the stories to be read aloud at the party, then put all the pages in a scrapbook. Have fun.

We sent my parents on a cruise for their 40th. It was all inclusive and they loved it - royal carribean. It's no hassle, they don't need to worry about transportation on the trip, or what to eat... all taken care of already. They can just relax! My parents even met a couple who were also on the trip for their 40th and their children sent them! Whatever you decide, I'm sure they will love it.