25th Anniversary Ideas

It`s great that you want to do this for your parents, but *please* do not use the occassion as a fund raiser to send your parents on a honeymoon trip. It`s tacky to expect your guests to foot the bill for their vacation.

I am in no means of finding ways for them to foot the bill. However, if you go to a jack and jill they have raffles and such stuff to raise $$ for the bride and groom...you go to weddings and they have honeyfund.com...the 50th anniversary i went to like 3 months ago, had a raffle, big year birthday parties have raffles! housewarming parties are held at halls and you have to pay to get in and there are raffles...people do that all the time! my parents did it for my wedding (raffle at my jack and jill)...they took out what they spent on the whole thing (hall, etc) and then the rest they gave to me. And i know plenty of friends that have had parties where they did that/something similar. I mean, im not going to post at the door "raffles for their honeymoon"...nor am i going to write anything like that on the invitation..maybe its just a normal thing where i live!?!? i just want ideas on what i could raffle. But all the money we raise is going towards their trip in some way.

I am about to celebrate my 25th so congrats to your parents!!
Invitations: You can make a cool invitation on your computer using an old picture of them with a caption from time past like, 25 years ago (your dads name) proposed marriage to (your mom`s name). When they open the invite have a more recent photo with another caption like, and on (date of event) they will be celebrating a milestone that we would like to share with you. And then give the details...
Decorations are easily made. Use your XMas decorations if you have any white lights or silver decorations. If you have a local Dollar Store start looking NOW for anything silver... Balloons and ribbons that you can tie and hang from ceiling.. Photo frames that you could put pictures of them on each table (again, make off computer). Table coverings and confetti. My daughters started gathering things almost a year ago and I don`t think they have but $50 wrapped up in decorations!! If you have kids have them make stars out of cardboard and cover in aluminum foil and decorate. (Keepsakes for your parents from them).
As for your anniversary gift, (Hawaii) I agree with last post. Too tacky. Maybe its something you do in your area, but again, people at this point should be coming to celebrate WITHOUT feeling forced to bring gifts or contribute money. Weddings and stuff its okay... But anniversaries.. No. If your trying to get a freebie trip contact some local travel reps, hotels in Hawaii and things like that to see if they would be willing to discount for you. Get in touch with their employers and tell them your story and see if they would like to contribute. (We do things like that at my work..take up collections secretly...) GOOD LUCK. You sound like a wonderful daughter!!!

..or son. I`m sorry... Your name could be either way. Regardless, your a great kid for doing all of this!! Goodluck again!!

I am a female, FYI. :-) And the raffle must be something from where I am from because everyone here does it! I posted this on a massachusetts website and got so many responses saying stuff they would raffle off and what they did for their anniversaries. And like i said, i`ve been to many parties that do it here. Maybe people from massachusetts just like to gamble or something?!?!

Thanks for all the nice ideas everyone!

I`m actually doing the same thing for my parents. Their 25th is in May, and I`ve been working since September to pull something great together. I graduated college less than a year ago, and am in my first job, so I`m trying to make things happen on a relatively low budget.

Anyway, I reserved a room at a restaurant, and that restaurant is catering. If you are set on getting a hall, I would rule out homemade food. Most venues like that will require you to use the food they prepare. The restaurant I`m using has agreed to let me bring in an outside cake, but it must be from a store or bakery-- nothing homemade.

I`m having the event during lunch hours to cute on costs. I`m serving non-alcoholic beverages, but alcohol will be available for guests to purchase if they`d like.

As far as contacting old friends, I "stole" my Mom`s address book and guest lists from past parties my parents have hosted. I found that extremely helpful. I also sent out "save the date" notices so all of their friends are "magically busy" if my Mom decides to plan her own party... I will send out formal invites closer to the event.

I`m working on the decorations, and I`m also putting together a slide show/scrapbook of old photos. On the "save the dates", I asked guests to send me old pictures, stories, and memories. I`m compiling everything together, and I think it will make a very special, inexpensive gift.

We should continue to bounce ideas off each other!

Hi!! I did a anniversary for my parents last year and you are restating all of the problems I faced... Message me at myspace lisa lehman I will tell you how I made their party a huge success! best of luck!!!

Lisa, i can`t find you on myspace. There are like 6 pages of people with the same name as you. My page is www.myspace.com/lifezabytch

OK will find you!

Ok Corey.. I looked for you on myspace.. No name by that.. So i sent you an email that Lulaby one posted on the first message you posted.
But it was sent back as invalid address........
So IF YOU READ THIS ~~~ email me@

Ll1973@yahoo.com

Thanks
Lisa

Hi, My husband and I have just celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary, our children (24 &19) organised a surprise party for us, they planned it for about 8 months. They picked a theme to start the ball rolling and grew it from that, the party was held in our own backyard. Their theme was 1920`s gangster and flapper, music was from "CHICAGO", to get us to dress up they 1st sent us to dinner with friends at the end of the meal we were given a note from our children telling us to go to a certain place where there would be another note, so we did as we were told, when we got to our destination there was another note telling us to put on laid out clothing which of course we did then were told to come home and as we turned into our drive we were greeted by about 30 guests all yelling "surprise" they also surprised us with a marriage celebrant to renew our vows. It was wonderful, Just wanted to share :)

I am planning my parents 25th anniversary and am looking for ideas. I thought i would throw this out there we are going to set up a money tree for my parents they are trying to go to Europe. We plan on putting something in the invitation to let people if they want to donate,

Hey if I can be of any help let me know!