Wedding Etiquette Forum

Grandparents' anniversary

Just a few days after our wedding, my grandparents will be celebrating their 65th wedding anniversary. While I would like to honor them somehow, my mom thinks they should have a cake, and I don't agree. An easy way to do it would be to let them have a dance or walk in with an announcement, but they will not be walking in at all because my grandfather does not walk very well anymore. Anything involving walking or dancing wouldn't work. Does anyone have any ideas on how I can honor them?

Re: Grandparents' anniversary

  • Could you have somebody make an announcement about their anniversary, and then have one or both of them give a toast?  Secrets to making a marriage work for 65 years?
  • My MOH's MIL's birthday is the same date as MOH's anniversary.  They did an announcement at the wedding and I think she and her husband had a solo dance.
  • Could you have somebody make an announcement about their anniversary, and then have one or both of them give a toast?  Secrets to making a marriage work for 65 years?
    Don't ask them to do a toast or speech. Toasts and speeches are given if people want to GIVE them to you, not for you to ask for them. 



    What did you think would happen if you walked up to a group of internet strangers and told them to get shoehorned by their lady doc?~StageManager14
    image
  • LAM524LAM524 member
    100 Love Its 100 Comments First Anniversary First Answer
    I love the idea of a solo dance! Do they have a 1st dance song from their wedding? Kuddos to you for wanting to honor them!! Congrats & best wishes!!

    tinkerbell gif photo: Tinkerbell stuck in keyhole animated gif Peterpan2_coince9e.gif
  • We're acknowledging two anniversaries at our wedding.  FI's grandparents would have been married for 61 years on our wedding day (grandpa passed away a few years ago), so we're giving my bouquet to his grandma.  Some friends of my parents will be married for 51 years on our wedding day.  We're just going to say congratulations and it's inspiring to share our wedding date with people who have had long, happy marriages.
  • Ven&Radio said:
    We're acknowledging two anniversaries at our wedding.  FI's grandparents would have been married for 61 years on our wedding day (grandpa passed away a few years ago), so we're giving my bouquet to his grandma.  Some friends of my parents will be married for 51 years on our wedding day.  We're just going to say congratulations and it's inspiring to share our wedding date with people who have had long, happy marriages.
    I assume you've already cleared this idea with FI's grandmother, because otherwise it could be a very emotional surprise (and not in a good way). It's a very sweet idea though.
    Daisypath Wedding tickers
  • edited June 2013
    If you're not doing a bouquet toss, you could give her your bouquet. 

    ETA: Aw, crap, I forgot the new rules about we have to have so many lines or it's spam or something. Anyway, if you're not doing the bouquet toss, give her yours and say something about how they inspire you because they've been married 65 years and you think it's so wonderful and whatnot. I like the idea of a dance, but I'm worried that if your grandfather doesn't walk well, he also doesn't dance well. 
    Anniversary

    image
    I'm gonna go with 'not my circus, not my monkeys.'
  • Lemclane, there's no rule about how many lines you have to write in your response.
    What did you think would happen if you walked up to a group of internet strangers and told them to get shoehorned by their lady doc?~StageManager14
    image
  • The flowers are a lovely idea. We might just say a quick congrats and give them the flowers.
  • LAM524LAM524 member
    100 Love Its 100 Comments First Anniversary First Answer
    lemclane said:
    If you're not doing a bouquet toss, you could give her your bouquet. 

    ETA: Aw, crap, I forgot the new rules about we have to have so many lines or it's spam or something. Anyway, if you're not doing the bouquet toss, give her yours and say something about how they inspire you because they've been married 65 years and you think it's so wonderful and whatnot. I like the idea of a dance, but I'm worried that if your grandfather doesn't walk well, he also doesn't dance well. 
    Can you please explain this? I missed something.

    tinkerbell gif photo: Tinkerbell stuck in keyhole animated gif Peterpan2_coince9e.gif
  • Find out if being "honored" is something your grandparents want and if so, talk to them to find out what they would like. 

    f they indicate that they don't want to be "honored" this way, don't do it.  Some people don't.  If they are interested in being "honored" but not in the ways you mention, find out what they have in mind and if it works for you and your FI, by all means go for it.  But don't do it just because it's what your mom does or doesn't want.  And don't spring it on your grandparents.
  • I think a cake would be overboard.

    A toast would be great. Also, our wedding coincides with my parents' 39th anniversary AND my mom's birthday, so we're dedicating a song to her. Our band is learning her favorite song/music genre of all time: Hey Jude.
  • The weekend of our wedding is 2 of my aunts' birthdays, and my brother's 30th birthday. We are taking a few minutes to sing Happy Birthday and present them with a little cake. 

    I know you said you didn't want a cake, and they probably don't need a full wedding cake. But maybe just a little cake like top tier sized. 

    For all of the slow songs at our wedding, we are taking the first dance from married couples that have been role models to use and dedicating that song to them. That being our parents, and siblings that are married. 


  • That is amazing, and you are so lucky to have them!! If they can't have a dance, I would make a short, heartfelt toast to them, and present them with a framed photo of their wedding day, or something like that. If you do this before a meal course, the band/DJ could play their wedding song as guests begin eating... just a thought.

    Makes me REALLY miss my grandparents!

This discussion has been closed.
Choose Another Board
Search Boards