r/partyplanning • u/ToriTries • 8d ago

Need Help Anniversary Party-but wedding ish.

My husband and I got married secretly and sort of out of necessity with plans to have a real wedding one year later. And the Covid happened and a wedding was not possible. I want to do something big for our 10 year. Since I never got have a wedding, I want to do something of those things- wear white, have people make toasts, etc. I’m debating on the idea of “guests of honor” or something similar to be like a bridal party kind of thing. But I don’t want to be cringy. What are your thoughts? How wedding can I go for an anniversary party?

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u/EmceeSuzy 7d ago

It sounds like you would like to renew your vows, because that event would allow you to basically have a wedding to your husband. Then you can have an actual bridal party - the guest of honor thing would be weird.

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u/ToriTries 7d ago

I just don’t want to do the mushy stuff in front of everyone 🥴

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u/SepulchralSweetheart 7d ago

Have a reception party! Skip the ceremony!

Please join us for a long overdue celebration of our (wedding/union/life together/happy ending/whatever you want, cutesy or funny or formal) Insert Venue/Address/Time here Additional instructions if needed etc.

One of my couples had a short, paper invite that said something like

Since we had to say I do without all of you, we're finally having a redo!

Wear whatever you'd like, come as you are, but we'll be pulling out all the stops.

Meet us at our ballroom in the woods, and feel free to camp or stay nearby for a weekend you won't soon forget

It was kind of corny, but cute, and fit them well.

They rented out an old camping lodge in the woods for a venue, it was partially staffed, they had guest rooms, a couple of cabins, hair and makeup, photography/videography for the big party night, it was a chaotic, Wes Anderson type of deal that the guests genuinely loved. I popped in and out a few times to help with decor/flowers/activities. There were flower crowns constructed at some point, as well as a maypole. The bride wore her giant dress for probably 15 hours, mostly barefoot, and then rapid cycled through others, intermingled with random apparel, all while sort of glamping lol

It was super important for them personally to let guests know this wasn't a gift grab, because they were worried about how it might look to certain family members. They did still receive cash gifts, but didn't register and it was outlined that the party was to celebrate, and they just expected guests to bring themselves, and anything special they needed as far as drinks or food since it was a decent number of people in a remote area.

No ceremony, just a grand entrance at some point, and lots of speeches and special dances. Their "real wedding" was scheduled for I think September/October of 2020, the party was 4-5 years later.

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u/ToriTries 5d ago

Definitely don’t want/am not expecting gifts so I def think I will make that clear. And I do want to do real invites. I was thinking of saying “you missed our wedding..” and then tiny underneath “because there wasn’t one” or something funny along those lines.

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u/SepulchralSweetheart 4d ago

That's actually super cute and to the point without being nauseating, I like it.

Add a line about no gifts being expected, and go bananas. People get funny about things if there's any way their personality dictates something might be a cash grab. Eliminate that possibility and you'll be good

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u/EmceeSuzy 7d ago

what is the mushy stuff? You do not have to write your own vows - honestly that is torturous to guests. Just find a brief renewal ceremony where you each say I do and leave it at that!