Parents' 50th Anniversary - help!

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

I knew it was coming. I also know my parents were married for 4 years before my brother was born. I did the math: 1962-4=a 1958 wedding year. So I figured I had a few years left to plan something. Nothing big because when my Aunt & Uncle had their 50th Anniversary party, my brothers and I were told in no uncertain terms that we were to do "NOTHING OF THE SORT!" As a matter of fact, we were told to plain old do NOTHING!

So I get an email from my Aunt last week reminding me that their anniversary is this year! Then it hit me I was born in 1962, my older brother was born in 1960 making the wedding year 1956! :eek:

They got married in August, but we're having a family reunion picnic this coming weekend and I'd like to do something special for them at the reunion while everyone is already gathered together. Any suggestions on something I could do that won't take much time to put together?

Had I known, I could have snuck some pictures out while we were up there over the 4th of July weekend, then scanned them into the computer and had a little slideshow playing while the picnic was going on. But I was still thinking 2008 at that time, and my parents live 3 hours away so it's not like I can just run over and get the pictures quick - drat!

They do have a picture album of their wedding and the first years of their lives together, so I could sneak that out and bring it to the picnic, but I'd/they'd be devastated if anything happened to it, so I'm not sure that's a good idea. I was also thinking about having a banner made that we could string from the pavilion at the park....

Any other ideas I can pull together real quickly?

[Craftlady]

I would get a nice sheet cake and do the banner.

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

I would get a nice sheet cake and do the banner.
Thanks for the quick reply, but I guess I forgot to mention that my dad is a diabetic. I thought about getting a cake, but wanted him to be able to partake of whatever I get if it's food related. Anyone know....do they make sheet cakes with artificial sugar?

[smokey the elder]

I've seen sugar-free bakery in the supermarket. You might be able to get a sugar-free cake.

[Vermontcat]

Debbie, I hope I can help you since my parents just celebrated their 50th Anniversary this year.
If you can't get the whole wedding album then try to get a couple of framed photos of their wedding day to display. I also framed a recent photo of my parents together to put on display.
I also went to a party store and got a guest book that said 50th Anniversary on it and had everyone at the party sign it and write brief messages for them to look over later. Also at the party store we got a couple of bunches of gold balloons (for their golden anniversary) and a couple of mylar balloons that said Happy 50th Anniversary on them. After the party I let the grandkids each get a balloon to keep. I also found a banner that said Congratulations on it so I think that the banner idea is great, even better with balloons.
Also take lots of photos or bring a couple of those disposable cameras for people to use.
I would check with the local bakery/grocery store about the cake, they should be able to come up with something sugar-free for a diabetic or maybe do a tray full of sugar-free cookies/brownies or something else instead.

You should also search for Lut's thread about her parent's recent Anniversary, I think she made a nice photo collage as a gift to her parents and she posted photos of it too.
Good luck and have fun! :)

[Dorothy39]

Your parents have my hardy Congratulations on their Golden Anniversary!!!!

Did they have a favorite "song"?,

The 50's were fabulous of course, Elvis, The Platters, Little Richard, Johnny Cash, Frankie Lyman, made their debut on records that year.

Perhaps you can also look up trends and headlines for that year and present them with some wonderful trivia.

Remember to get some wonderful pictures of them with the family so they can add them to their Wedding album!!!

Have a great time at their 50th!!!
I hope these suggestions came in handy.

[caseysmom]

I think if you and your brother got up and spoke about how much your parents mean to you that would mean more than anything you could do.

[Randi]

First of all - Congratulations on your parents 50th Anniversary! What luck they dedided to get married, or we wouldn't know you. ;)

In Denmark, friends neighbors and family get together the evening before (very late, as the couple are not supposed to know ;) ), and they put up this thing (see attached pics), then, at 6 o'clock in the morning, :eek: they all show up in front of the house and start singing. Then, everyone is invited inside for breakfast.

I've been to ONE of these do's in my life - Good grief - getting up that early is something I would only do on a very special occasion, but it was fun anyway! :D Someone has got to get a video of it!

Sorry, I don't have any ideas for a gift, but browse around and I'm sure you'll get ideas. A decorated cake is a must! Do they like travelling? A voucher? for a trip somewhere?

Oh well, I can't seem to attach the pics, will send them to you later.

[Dorothy39]

Debbie, I hope I can help you since my parents just celebrated their 50th Anniversary this year.
If you can't get the whole wedding album then try to get a couple of framed photos of their wedding day to display. I also framed a recent photo of my parents together to put on display.
I also went to a party store and got a guest book that said 50th Anniversary on it and had everyone at the party sign it and write brief messages for them to look over later. Also at the party store we got a couple of bunches of gold balloons (for their golden anniversary) and a couple of mylar balloons that said Happy 50th Anniversary on them. After the party I let the grandkids each get a balloon to keep. I also found a banner that said Congratulations on it so I think that the banner idea is great, even better with balloons.
Also take lots of photos or bring a couple of those disposable cameras for people to use.
I would check with the local bakery/grocery store about the cake, they should be able to come up with something sugar-free for a diabetic or maybe do a tray full of sugar-free cookies/brownies or something else instead.

You should also search for Lut's thread about her parent's recent Anniversary, I think she made a nice photo collage as a gift to her parents and she posted photos of it too.
Good luck and have fun! :)
Your ideas are wonderful!!!!!! I did this very thing for my parents as well as for my in laws!!!! I also feel that caseysmom offered a wonderful suggestion, I would melt inside if my children did this on my 50th!!!

[emily_the_spoiled]

We did my parents 45th wedding anniversary a few years ago (my mother is quite ill and we aren't sure if she will make it to the 50th). We had my parents re-new their wedding vows and there was a mass to go with it (they are Catholic). After that we had a little afternoon tea for their friends and then a dinner with the immediate family (brothers and sisters).

Everyone seemed to enjoy it and we heard good things back from the relatives.

[Catsnclay]

Is there any way you can inform all the people who will be attending this weekends picnic, and ask them to dig out an old picture of your parents & them, then write up a little story about that picture/time?

If they don't have a picture, maybe they can write a short story about something they remember about your parents, funny stories, birhts, new houses, etc. Any little antidote about them.

I also would go with decorations and a table & book of all the people that attend (just like a wedding book). Take plenty of pictures and make them up a new album.

Congratulations to your parents for making it to 50 years in this day & age!!


=============================================
Just a little side note from me. A few years back my parents were aproaching their 50th anniversary and both my sister & I dread the idea of a party for them. They fought constantly throughout their marriage, but when they were in public, their plastic faces (as my sister & I refered to them) came out and the world thought they were the "perfect" couple.

To make a very long story short, my mother finally made the decision to leave my father with our help, but she kept waiting by the phone for that "please come back" phone call. Turns out my father didn't want her back :eek: and they are now divorced, after 48 1/2 years of marriage (they were always told, once you got married you have to stay married - strict Catholic upbringing :rolleyes: )

Well, that solved our "problem" of a party that no one really wanted to attend - I know this sounds rather odd and bitter. But it is 2 years later and BOTH of my parents are doing SO much better now that they are single. What a shame they both waited so long because they "had" to stay married.

Sorry Debbie for this story on your thread................

[Catty1]

I have just scanned the replies quickly, so maybe someone said this already...

But if you have access to some neat photos - and of you and your brother growing up - why not get LASER COPIES and make a scrapbook out of them?

Doesn't have to be big!

Also - you could put the laser copies on regular paper (anyone remember the MESSY style of "cut and paste"? :D ), and them put the pages into plastic sheet protectors - and put THOSE into a 3 ring binder or pretty folder.

HUGS

Sounds like it'll be great, whatever you do!

Catty1

[gini]

Debbie,

I think that if you can get pictures of your parents through the years you can do a slide show, banners, cards, signs, even have their image on cakes and cookies nowdays.

Um, maybe play "their wedding song" and of course have a toast for them - even if its just soda/water/juice...

You could have family members talk on their behalf...kind of like a speech of what/how your parents touched them/mean to them.

It would be really neat to get a picture of them together, have it matted and have people sign the matting, like they do at weddings. Then have it framed for them to commemorate their amazing milestone.

Get 50th Anniversary decorations at a party store...instant 50th Anniversary Party!

Whatever you do, I'm sure it'll be wonderful!! Have fun!!

Love, Kelly :) (NoahsMommy)

[Tubby & Peanut's Mom]

Thanks for all the suggestions everyone. Unfortunately the slide show is going to be impossible because I just won't have time. We won't get there until after 10:00 am Saturday morning, and as soon as we get there we're all headed off to the reunion. I know where my mom keeps her photo album, and I know where she has a favorite picture of the two of them, so I'll try and grab these two things.

I really like the idea of balloons and the banner. I'll check out a party store and see what other decorations they might have. Does anybody know if regular latex balloons will stay blown up overnight? I'm thinking I'll have to pick everything up Friday night because we'll be leaving early Saturday morning to drive up there. I now the mylar balloons will last, but what about the regular ones.

I was thinking it would be neat to have everyone stand up and say a few things about what they remember about my parents, whether from the "old days" or from more recent times.

Can't do too much since I don't want to make my mom mad after such explicit instructions on not to do anything, but I think you've all given me some great ideas to make it a low key celebration that they'll appreciate. Thanks!!! :D

PS - I'll let you know how it goes.

[Prairie Purrs]

My sister and I just went through this--our parents absolutely insisted that they didn't want us to throw them a 50th anniversary party and threatened not to show up if we did. However, we knew that we had to do something because we didn't do anything special for their 25th anniversary, and we've been hearing about that for 25 years!

So we had an informal party at my sister's house. We rented a tent for the backyard and decorated the tables with lots and lots of gold Mardi Gras beads (some in plastic champagne glasses). Besides being festive, the beads were lots of fun--everyone ended up wearing some!

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v676/Pencats/anniversary3.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v676/Pencats/anniversary2.jpg

My sister put together some wonderful slide shows, but since there's no time for you to do that, here are a couple of collages we put together with printouts of photos my sister had on her computer:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v676/Pencats/anniversary1.jpg
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v676/Pencats/anniversary4.jpg

We had your basic picnic-buffet food. Much to our relief, the folks had a great time--they got to visit with some old friends they hadn't seen in years, the relatives didn't get into any fights, and the weather was perfect! :D

[Prairie Purrs]

Another thought (if you can't do a photo collage ahead of time) would be to put a "Happy Anniversary" banner at the top of a big piece of posterboard. Then take along your digital camera and get hold of a little battery-operated photo printer. Take pictures at the reunion of everyone with your parents, print the pictures on the spot, and stick them on the posterboard. You can have everyone autograph the pictures if you like.

By the end of the day, you'll have a wonderful collage!

[moosmom]

You've got some wonderful ideas here. I have one suggestion. How about getting a big piece of white poster board, copy your parents' wedding picture, put it in the middle and attach a permanent marker and prop it up on an easle. Along with the guest book, have everyone attending write a little something on the board. Once the reunion is over, have it framed so they have a momento. Any way of getting a hold of any of the wedding attendants to see if they can surprize your parents?? Just another suggestion.

[Chica]

Catsindenver, that is a great idea. :) Making a collage on the day of the party for your parents!!!!!So smart!!! :)