gellchom - Thanks for the reply. The indoor party was borne of so many years of late summer parties that have been much too hot for the comfort of guests who are a bit older. I love to cook and will probably do some of my best appetizer recipes with additions by professional catering. I guess I am most interested in what would have been served back in 1958 as a place to start. If I don't get much in that regard, I will proceed with my own recipes. Unfortunately, I am a control freak about food and usually give the caterer recipes I want done, but don't have time to do myself. I always enlist help with serving, re-filling bowls, freshening drinks, etc when I host parties. I want the party to have a casual elegance. I like the catering/service people to be a bit "invisible". Even my annual 4th of July party is so much easier with a couple of extra hands. I think it is money well spent as it takes alot of the stress away and enables me to mingle and enjoy the party so to say. I am definitely utilizing help in that regard. I am looking for some unusual or time-reflective recipes that were served in 1958. My parents had a modest wedding by today's standards. Their receiption has been described as something like a beef and beer to me. LOL While they had a modest wedding, they had attendants, etc. The receptions back in the day seem to have been less elaborate than those of in the past couple of generations. The lollipop lamb chops are a great idea as they really can be handled as an appetizer. Besides my dad loves lamb. I love your ideas. I am going to look into some music options. I am a bit limited space-wise for a quartet, so a single flute player would be lovely in the background. I had planned using fresh flowers for decorating and for my parents. I did a 25th and 40th anniversary party for them, dry runs for the 50th! Sangria is a great idea. I have many summer and winter sangria recipes, so I will dig those out. I am thinking a champagne toast before I serve cake. I am a bit stuck as to the signature drink. Don't want something martini-like as a majority of my parents friends take medicines for cholesterol and the like, so I am not sure how well hard alcohol mixes with different meds. I also worry about guests driving. With lite fare, appetizers and desserts, I don't think strong drinks would be a good idea. I was thinking maybe weak whiskey sours? The invite including a request for a memory or anecdote is another great idea. I planned on copying my parents' wedding album photos for display on the buffet and throughout the rooms in my home where the party will take place. Perhaps I can go through all my photos and incorporate them into the album and insert the contributions of the guests. I gave DH a surprise 40th b-day dinner party years ago, and the pics I had copied and enlarged for display were a huge hit. They were displayed in a subtle fashion - on the buffet, in the enclosed porch where the bar was set up, you get the idea. DH b-day party was an intimate dinner party with 10 couples and about 15 family members. DH hates attention so the surprise dinner party was just perfect and was hosted at the home of our closest friends. The party atmosphere was understated and lovely. It was more about great food (we all belong to a gourmet club so we served my husband's favorite meal). I didn't want to go over the top with peripheral decorating as my friends' home is beautifully decorated. I spent a majority of my budget on great food. I guess that is the "feel" I am going for with this party as well. A special album for keepsake would be wonderful. I will have to enlist the services of my SIL who is a big scrap-booker. She, I'm sure will have some ideas! I will also need to chose a unusual invitation. Once again, thanks for getting my brain functioning. I know it is a year away, but I like to have things planned to the T. A total list maker am I! Thank you again.

I came to this site looking for ideas for my parents who are trying to come up with a good 50th anniversary gift for my grandparents as well. I appreciate the ideas that have been posted thus far. I do have a suggestion for the group - My mom made a cross-stitch blanket that is hanging above my grandparents' bed for one of their anniversaries. It's basically a family tree and includes a square for each person - My mom stiched i.e. "John" (son) and his birthdate and then "Jane" (wife) and her birthdate, and in between the two - their wedding anniversary date. And then below John and Jane are the three kids and their birthdates. In each person's square she stitched a little item that represents that person - like my square has a piano because I play piano... my cousin's has a baseball, etc. It was VERY well received and it's perfect because we know how when you get old you are very good at forgetting dates! I thought this was the best gift idea ever and it was very well received. And every time a new family member is added, my Mom just updates the blanket.... The problem is now, we have their 50th anniversary coming up and this past anniversary gift is going to be very hard to top.

Thank you for the wonderful suggestions! Thank you for the link Deborah. I completely forgot about putting in the bottom. I am feverishly taking notes as I read. I've got flowers, balloons, photo board, slideshow, dj, photographer, videographer lined up already. We too are having the party in a private room at a restaurant. I didn't think about non-alcoholic bubbly, so thank you for that suggestion. I love the memory jar or the asking for memories ahead of time. It might be fun to even have some people lined up to present their memories out loud. We've got some very funny people in the group! Lydia! Ever since I have known my FIL, he has been a chocoholic. He LOOOVES Hersheys and has been know to eat one of those giant bars by himself (and still manage to stay fit, LoL!) I looked into the minis and I think we will order those. How many do you think we need for 80 people? The nice thing about those attending is that there is not one person that hasn't been in our (their) circle of friends for less than 20 years. Practically every one of them attended our wedding, so I am almost positive there will not be any awkward moments. In fact, there will be a lot of catching-up among the guests who haven't seen each other while we wait for my inlaws to arrive. I don't think I will need assigned seating, but will just reserve a few tables for immediate family. I also will just the arrival time on the invites and have my inlaws get there about 20 minutes later. I am on the fence about party favors. We'd rather put the money toward good food, drink, and entertainment. I will check out the invitation websites listed. I've decided that making my invitations won't save that much because I don't have the computer program. I'd have to buy that plus the paper and envelopes, PLUS take the time to learn it, design it, etc. For about $100, it is worth getting them made, I think. A little about me: Former prop. mgmt assistant, turned teacher, turned SAH mom, turned homeschooler, turned remodel addict, turned part-time volunteer teacher again, all the while working as fitness instructor and now personal trainer and care-giver to my aging mother! Somehow, I still manage to maintain my sanity, LOL! I am so excited about this party! I will you all know how it goes. But before that, I am sure I will be back with more questions. :-D

Are you familiar with the coluzzle system? (It's a word coined from the words puzzle and collage). Basically, you cut the photos into jigsaw puzzle shaped pieces and fit them together into a collage. Coluzzle sells templates for it, but I bet you could create one yourself with a little ingenuity. I think they look great. You can go to their website and check out the look. Here is a link that might be useful: coluzzle