10 Steps For Planning A Wedding Anniversary Party
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10 Steps for Planning a Wedding Anniversary Party
Hosting a wedding anniversary party shouldn't be a chore - it's a honor and it should be fun. Use these tips to take some of the stress out of planning the big event.
If you're throwing a wedding anniversary party for a special couple, I'm sure you'll agree that the party should be as special as the guests of honor. But if you've never hosted an anniversary party, you may not be sure where to begin. The following steps are intended to help guide you through the process of planning such a grand event.
Formal or Casual
What do you know about the anniversary couple? How do they and their family usually celebrate important events? For families who prefer low-key celebrations, a big formal affair may not be the answer - unless it's a milestone wedding anniversary, such as 25th, 50th or 60th. In the same vein, if the family usually celebrates in grand style, a backyard barbeque is probably not your best option.
Budget
As with most things, planning an anniversary party is not immune from budget constraints. Whether your budget is limited or quite hearty, you should try to determine ahead of time how much you plan to spend on the party and your gift. Above all, remember this: it's not how much you spend, but the sentiment behind it.
How Many
As with any party, you need to decide who will be invited. Will it just be immediate family? Or will you also invite extended family? Maybe you'd also like to invite close friends of the family, too. Try to get a guest list going at this point, even if it's an informal one. It will help to have an approximate number of guests when you are deciding on a location, deciding on invitations and selecting food.
Where & When
Anniversary parties can be held nearly anywhere, but the size and nature (formal/informal) may help dictate where the party should be held. If you're going for formal, check out hotel ballrooms or restaurant party rooms. If you think the event will be more informal, check out your options for having the party at someone's home or perhaps a church banquet room.
As for the when, have the party as close as possible to the couple's anniversary date - unless they will be on an anniversary trip or something similar.
Invitations
By now you should have an idea of how many people will be invited, and that will determine how many invitations are needed. As for the invitations themselves, you have several options: have them printed, purchase them from a store, make your own or use printable invitations.
Food
No matter what kind of party you're planning, there will most likely be some kind of food involved. If the party will be at a hotel or restaurant, the food will probably be provided by the location, so be sure to get quotes for the food along with the room rental fee. If you're having an informal celebration, you have several options for food: use a caterer, cook the food yourself (possibly with others helping) or have a pot-luck type meal. Again, it really depends on what kind of party you're throwing and the preferences of the anniversary couple.
You'll also need cake. This can be purchased from a bakery, you can make it yourself, or ask a talented amateur baker to help you out.
Entertainment
Will you have entertainment at the celebration? This can go either way. For a very formal celebration, you may want to have music (a band, quartet, pianist or DJ) and possibly a photographer. Less formal events are probably fine with just some background music provided by your own sound system. You should also check to see if the anniversary couple wishes to have their vows renewed. If so, that in itself will be a big part of the "entertainment." Another idea is to have a slide show or video of photos of the couple through the years.
Plan Toasts
Toasts, whether formal or informal, are a nice touch for anniversary celebrations. Toasts are usually given by the host or hosts (usually children or grandchildren), and sometimes by the anniversary couple as well. It's fine to keep them short, simple and to the point.
Decorations
Decorations can be as elaborate or as simple as your time, imagination and budget allow. From flowers and candles to streamers, balloons and confetti, the choice of decoration is really up to you and the type of celebration (formal or informal) you're having. You may also want to display engagement or wedding photos of the anniversary couple.
Gifts
Gift details should not be put on the invitation. It should be left up to each guest whether they want to bring a gift. In fact, some invitees may even call you for gift ideas. However, if you do not want guests to bring gifts, include a simple statement on the invitation such as, "No gifts please." The anniversary couple can choose to open gifts during the party or later. If gifts are opened during the party, make sure someone is assigned to record each gift and who it was from.
With some careful planning and attention to detail, you can host a thoroughly enjoyable wedding anniversary party that the anniversary couple will cherish always.
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