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Step 1
Decide what size party you want to have. A smaller party will be less costly, but a larger party is a viable option, too, if you have family and friends pitch in and help with planning, food, decorations, music, and activities. Consider your available funds. A realistic budget will help guide the rest of the planning.
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Step 2
Choose a theme. Do you wish to simply have an anniversary theme? Other ideas might include a theme related to the couple's honeymoon site, their hobbies and interests or a locale that the couple wishes to visit someday. Will the party be a surprise? Will it be a formal or casual affair? Would the couple like to renew their vows?
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Step 3
Choose a location. The most economical location is usually someone's home. A community or church hall is another, often less expensive, alternative. Parks, historic sites, or botanical gardens often offer outdoor venues at a reasonable cost. Party size, theme, and the weather are other factors that will help you decide.
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Step 4
Keep a master list to stay organized and on budget. Have categories such as food, decorations, music, invitations and activities to keep things on track. Delegate tasks to trusted individuals. To avoid misunderstandings, make sure that your instructions are clear.
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Step 5
Plan the menu using the party theme, number of guests, and time of day as a guide. One way to keep food costs down is to schedule the party mid-afternoon, or after dinner, and serve only cake and punch rather than a full meal. Consider enlisting family and friends to bring an assortment of desserts, cookies and candy. If you decide to serve a meal, consider having each guest bring a dish. If you decide to use a caterer, see if they will either drop the food off or allow you to pick it up. Then assign a few people to oversee the food tables, thus saving the extra caterer's charge for serving the food. Compare prices for items such as the cake, checking out bakeries, supermarkets, and caterers. Check with family and friends; someone may have a flair for cake decorating and may be able to make it for less.
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Step 6
Do comparison shopping for party and other supplies. Check dollar, party, and discount stores for plates, cups, plastic silverware, decorations, and other essentials. Check online sites; you be may be able to find good deals there, too.
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Step 7
Ask guests to bring "memories" to share, such as photos, stories or video of the couple, instead of gifts. Have someone act as emcee for the event, and intersperse guests' memories with other trivia about the couple, or a narrated "This is Your Life" type program. Create a CD-Rom or video set to music that documents the couple's life together.
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Step 8
Compile a memory book or album with photos and mementos of the couple's marriage, children, important events and other items of interest. Present it to the couple at the party. Reasonablly priced album supplies can be found at craft, dollar, and discount stores.
