Going Gold

In this day and age where getting married and getting divorced is as quick and easy to do as changing your clothes, 50 years of marriage is an attainment indeed. It is indeed something to celebrate and is a very special occasion.

The 50th anniversary is called the golden anniversary since gold is the associated element. This sets the theme for the anniversary - almost everything is done with touches of gold, from the dress of the bride to the place settings and decor.

How do you celebrate a 50th wedding anniversary? Some couples choose to get married again. They have a renewal ceremony where they affirm their commitment to each other once more. In fact some couples re-enact their wedding day all over again. They use the same church for their renewal of vows and the same venue for their reception - yes they might even serve the same dishes.

There are a few differences. For example, at a golden anniversary, the children usually take on the various parts of the entourage rather than having the former bridesmaids, maid of honor and best man re-enact their parts. It would be great to have all the people that stood up with them present but rarely is it possible to have everyone there. Besides it is an honor that the children are happy to be given.

The bride rarely wears the original bridal gown she wore 50 years ago. In fact some brides choose to wear a dress in shades of gold with matching accessories.

The bride rarely wears a veil for this ceremony. Remember the veil was used to hide the brides face from her groom. The lifting of the veil was seen as permission granted to the groom to see all of who she was and after 50 years, they have definitely done that part so no need for veils.

Some couples choose to enter the ceremony the same way they did at their original wedding. The bride walks down the aisle and the groom marvels anew at her beauty and realizes how blessed he is that she chose him. For some couples though, they feel that it is time to walk in together, just as they have walked beside each other for fifty years.

When they first got married, they either paid for everything themselves or their parents shouldered some if not all of the cost of their nuptials. For the 50th anniversary it is sometimes shouldered by the couple but more often than not, the children are the ones paying for it since usually, it is their idea to have a big celebration anyway.

While the wedding theme normally includes it, it doesn’t mean that it should only be gold, but it is the dominant color. It is usually partnered with cream, white, silver, green or any other color, - usually in the metallic shades. Red is rarely used with the gold since the red tends to overpower the gold.

The 50th anniversary is an achievement rarely seen in this generation which is why every couple who makes it to this milestone truly have something to celebrate. We hope everyone gets to celebrate their 50th anniversary.

[tags] golden anniversary,50 years, wedding, renewal of vows, entourage [/tags]