I need some advice.

[carole]

what a lovely daughter you are to go to so much trouble to planning this special event, if i were you i would ask everyone to bring a plate of food, that is what we do in NZ, when money is tight, as they are family members no-one should mind, have a list of things, and tell each member what you would like them to bring so you don't double up on things,but finger food is the way to go i think if you want to keep to the budget.

I agree with the others, concentrate on getting a really yummy cake, that not only looks great but tastes divine.

[caseysmom]

What a nice gesture. If you have access to a sam's club they have excellent cake for very reasonable, they may even have wedding cakes.

I like the idea of everyone bringing a dish and like Kay said burgers and hot dogs can be provided. If you don't have access to a barbeque you could buy a bunch of chicken.

[petslover]

Thanks for all of the replies. I have been reading them. I would guess about 15 ppl..

Well, some of our extended family our having problems at the moment.. soo I can't really ask them to bring anything.. Just them being there is enough.

I do like getting a cake & having it decorated with flowers.. That sounds nice.

We will be having it at our house..

Lut, I love those frames.. I really am looking at the 2nd one..

I like the candle idea.. That would be really really cool & I also like the photo touching idea.

Okay,. I was wondering if the menu could be ham/turkey sandwiches, macroni salad, & baked beans,and of course cake. .. or would that be tacky for the 25th?



Thank you all for your help.. it is making my planning much easier.

[joycenalex]

start buying the dry goods now, a little at a time hurts less, get good sturdy boxes with lids to store the evidence offsite. half sheet cake shouldn't run more then $25. get a high quality silver knife and server to pass the cakes. those will become heirlooms i bet. go to a gordons' food service and buy silver plates, small and large as well as forks, spoons, knives. get the napkins made at the same place you get the candles and match books at, and if you're going to use them for invites as well, you're in a strong position, drive a bargain. their names and 25 in silver would be nice. what color was your moms' attendants wearing? those might be nice plates colors or table cloth colors. 15 ish people means 2 or 3 long tables and chairs, could the ladies at your church or your M&Ds' friends help with set up/tear down. get huge trash bags as well, it's amazing how much trash you'll generate. and trash bags can hold the ice for the sodas, ice teas, waters. if you're going for a surprise, get one of the other people to 'remove' M&D about 3 hours before the event, you need the set up time, and you will also need to shower and get ready yourself. if you're planning on going into the evening time, a store called old time pottery sells flare bowls for under a dollar, buy some of their flattened marbles, no more then $1.50per bag, one flare bowl, 2 bags of flat marbles per flare bowl (i used the extra flare bowls and marbles as holiday gifts this year, i stuck a fancy christmas candle in them, they looked good with the marbles and holiday greenery.) to surround the citronellas or votives and if you can put a few citronella candles out to discourage the flying blood suckers , the lights will reflect very nicely on the marbles. the disposable cameras you can also buy them a few at a time, at walgreens or CVS. maybe buy the bowls at yard sales/goodwill as well and the
any time you can , eat BBQ, in my opinion, BUT what do your M&D like? it's their party. go down early in the year, talk to the head waitress, tell her what you're thinking and she can help alot if you need more help, and make sure their price includes service utensils and delievery. if you need more help PM me, i kinda do this on the side

[kitten645]

I have two words for you.....
MARTHA STEWART....LOL
Her website is full of great ideas..

[sabies]

I love buttercream frosting, the sweeter the better. I think I've had both real and shortening cause I've had good and bad and there is a distinct difference. I prefer bakery anything. The fact that it's more expensive and less convenient is good - keeps the waistline from expanding.

If you do a bbq perhaps an invitee would be willing to do cooking so it would be less work for you?

Good luck with whatever you decide Tia!

[shais_mom]

Thanks for all of the replies. I have been reading them. I would guess about 15 ppl..

Well, some of our extended family our having problems at the moment.. soo I can't really ask them to bring anything.. Just them being there is enough.

I do like getting a cake & having it decorated with flowers.. That sounds nice.

We will be having it at our house..

Lut, I love those frames.. I really am looking at the 2nd one..

I like the candle idea.. That would be really really cool & I also like the photo touching idea.

Okay,. I was wondering if the menu could be ham/turkey sandwiches, macroni salad, & baked beans,and of course cake. .. or would that be tacky for the 25th?



Thank you all for your help.. it is making my planning much easier.

If that's tacky for a 25th I'm in trouble b/c that is what we did for our parents 40th!!
I don't know if you guys have Arby's restaraunts down south but if you do - check them out - you can get their roast beef and ham for sandwiches with the fixings and buns for pretty decently priced.
That is what we did for our parents 40th.
I had my aunts/cousin's bake sheet cakes. And we had one decorated cake from a grocery. And we went to Gordon Foods and got potato salad and macaroni salad. Course I had help, my sister is 6 years older than me, and my uncles and aunts helped put tables up and decorate. My sister and I covered the cost but its hard to do that when your sibling is under 2!!

[pitc9]

For my in-laws ann. party a few years back I ordered candy wrappers off of E-Bay. They were quite cheap and they looked great!
You can have anything you want printed on them and they fit perfectly on Hershey's miniatures.

There's nothing wrong with just having snacks and appetizers just as long as you let people know in the invites!

[petslover]

Okay, great. thanks for all the advice.

This is what my decisions are right now.

Having it a picnic sounds fun.. If it rains, it can be moved to our house. no biggie about that.

We will be having chicken strip party tray by chickfila, potato salad, & baked beans & of course drinks..& utensils and a cake..

I will be getting decorations. I went & looked at some cute things in town this week. I got a few ideas.

The party favors are going to be candy wrappers. Thats fantastic.

I wrote down an estimate on who to invite. not an actual count.. This isn't going to be a suprise, as my family works out of town alot on the weekends.. I have to make sure my parents stay in town that day. Its going to be the Saturday before their anniversary.

I am trying to find something that the guest can sign. I seen a big plate at the store that people can sign that says happy anniversary on it.. but I didn't care for that to much. It was to heavy and big. It would end up getting broken sooner or later.. I think.

I know at my graduation party I got a stuffed animal that everyone signed. I still have it till this day. It really means alot to me. so I want to do something like that for them.

I pretty much have done all that I can do now. I'm going to start shopping in March during my spring break & the actual anniversary isn't until june..I don't have to get that many decorations since its outside.. so i have plenty of time.

Thanks for all the help. It helped me out alot.

[Karen]

Okay, great. thanks for all the advice.
I am trying to find something that the guest can sign. I seen a big plate at the store that people can sign that says happy anniversary on it.. but I didn't care for that to much. It was to heavy and big. It would end up getting broken sooner or later.. I think.

I know at my graduation party I got a stuffed animal that everyone signed. I still have it till this day. It really means alot to me. so I want to do something like that for them.
Thanks for all the help. It helped me out alot.

Oh - as for something big people can sign ... when Paul's sister got married, they had everyone sign a big matt that they afterwards put their best wedding photo in, and it hangs in their living room. You could get a wedding photo of theirs enlarged and nicely matted and have at least a 3-inch matt all the was around, and people could sign that! And in silver marker have someone with nice writing write Happy 25th Wedding Anniversary!