50th Anniversary Party Ideas

A golden anniversary—one that celebrates 50 years of marriage—is a beautiful occasion. If you are planning one, you may need some 50th wedding anniversary ideas to get you started. These ideas don’t have to be over the top or fancy. In fact, because this is such a timeless celebration, it is probably best to keep it simple. 

To get you started, here are a few ideas for a 50th wedding anniversary:

• Food and Drink: This is a celebration of a love that has stood the test of time, so if you are planning a 50th wedding anniversary celebration, honor the couple with food and drink that holds meaning in their relationship. This may sound strange, but many couples have specific foods, drinks or even entire meals that are significant to them. Find out what these are and be sure to serve them at the party. You could even include the back-story on the table with food or on a menu (if you are serving a sit-down dinner).

• Decorations: The 50th anniversary is known as the golden anniversary, so it would be a good idea to use decorations that are gold. Gold balloons, tablecloths, lights and flowers are all great decorations for your party. Just make sure you don’t add too much or else it will look too flashy. Balance the gold out with lighter shades, like champagne and off-white.

• Slideshow: What better way to review memories than to show images and videos from the past 50 years? Have a slideshow that plays on an empty wall throughout the celebration (if you don’t have enough pictures, you can just have it repeat). Alternatively, make a special presentation during dinner or at any point during the party. Organize the photos by decade and play the couple’s favorite songs from that era while those photos are on the screen.

• Music: Make sure that the DJ or band plays music that holds special significance for the couple. For example, play their wedding song, a song they danced to on their first date, or even “their song,” whatever that may be. For one of the songs, have the band or DJ invite them to the dance floor to re-create the special moment that they first shared while the song played.

• Activities: A fun way to commemorate the couple’s marriage would be to recreate some part of the ceremony. Whether this is a renewal of vows, a time where people give speeches or an abridged wedding ceremony, it is certainly a moving way to remember the original day. Make sure the couple agrees to this ahead of time so that they can prepare!

• Game: While this is a celebration of a specific couple, it is also a time to honor commitment and love. In that spirit, think to plan activities that remind people of their own lasting commitments. A nice way to do this is to invite people onto the dance floor and narrow couples down based on how long they have been committed to each other. This doesn’t have to be exclusive to married couples or even to those who are dating. The commitment could be any relationship, whether it is one of marriage, friendship, family, etc. This way, everyone will be included! Additionally, guests will have the opportunity to learn a bit about each other.