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.

Good timing. We just got home from Harry's 61st reunion and those 79-year olds looked pretty darned good. And had a great time! Now I'm looking forward to my 50th next year in Indiana. We always have the best time and don't care that much that the guys have no hair and we don't weigh 105 anymore. We're just glad to see one another.

Ah, no 'hiding' behind the internet when you meet *in person*. You can't 'photo-shop' your real self. LOL My DH accused me of giving away his letter sweater from HS, but I was able to find a long blue cardigan and got a replacement 'letter' from his HS to sew onto the front. (I don't believe *I* threw away the original. I think he lumped it in with his old air force reserve gear. I remember he couldn't wait to get rid of the *starched* khaki's he had worn for drill.) Jim, have you looked for companies that supply letter sweaters to athletic departments today? Your alma mater or the HS in your present town might have a source.

Oh this is all so funny to me when you all refer to having only 100 in your graduating class. We had 40 which was not considered an average size class. I had friends in the next school over and they graduated in a class with 12. Funny thing is all these schools are still open and still quite small although the school that had 12 in one graduating class now has 30. This was 25 years ago.