Whether you’ve been married for five years or 50, you should take time to celebrate. Maintaining a love like that is a rare thing, and should never be taken for granted. Life can get hectic sometimes, but throwing an anniversary party can help you slow down and cherish all of the years that you’ve spent with your spouse. If you’ve never hosted an anniversary soiree before, I’ve got all the details to help you pull it off:

Send out invitations
Get the word out to your friends and family that you would like them all to come together and celebrate your marriage. Much like wedding invitations, these invites should note the time, date and location of the party. You can also include the number of years that you’ve been married, like this Let’s Celebrate – Anniversary Invitation does.

Pick a venue
Just like you had to choose a venue for your wedding, you should do the same for your anniversary party. Intimate events can be held right in your home, but if you would like a more formal setting for a bigger group, explore various venues in town, whether it’s a favorite restaurant, a church, a country club banquet room or a hotel ballroom.

Celebrating your marriage with an anniversary partyDecide on a theme
It’s going to be easy to choose appetizers, meals and desserts if you’re sticking to a specific theme. For example, you could go for a black-tie theme, serving oyster and caviar alongside signature cocktails, wine, champagne and beer. A Southwestern theme may call for margaritas, tacos, tostadas and plenty of chips and salsa. If you’re not sure which theme to go with, you can emulate your wedding day by sticking with the same theme.

Arrange a toast
You could make a toast to your spouse, or you could ask a close friend who knows both of you to say a few words on your behalf.

Slideshow presentation
One great way to honor your marriage is to put together a slideshow of any pictures or videos that you have of the two of you and your families. It’s the perfect way to show how far you’ve come over the years, and exactly how happy you have made each other. Set the slideshow to a song from your wedding for a special memory of the big day. You can display some of these photos throughout your venue for personalized decor.

Are you planning an anniversary party for you or someone you know? Share your thoughts with us!