Given the escalation of divorce rates in recent years, a 50th wedding anniversary in 2007 represents a true accomplishment. According to recent statistics compiled by the U.S. Census Bureau: "About 52 percent of currently married couples had reached at least their 15th anniversary in 1996, and 5 percent of them had reached at least their golden anniversary (50 years)." Making it to 50 years is a pinnacle that only few couples attain.
"Over that period of time a couple builds a legacy that can't be measured in material possessions, but rather the lives they have touched through their union," says Donna Pilato, Entertaining guide for About.com. More than golden anniversary mints, a 50th anniversary gives family and friends an opportunity to take a ride down memory lane and honor a very special couple.
When Barb Sasaki of New Jersey started planning for her parents' 50th wedding anniversary party, she wanted to craft the perfect environment. Invitations were sent to family and friends. The big party was decorated with gold; the sound of once popular 1957 music filled the air. She even convinced her dad to make his famous homemade wine. Guests were each greeted at the "sign in" book with their own labeled photograph of her parents. Barb went all out. Still, she wanted a 50th wedding anniversary gift idea that would represent the legacy of the lives her parents had touched over those 50 years.
It was with the "guest book" that Barb really got imaginative and pulled her 21st century cards. She discovered a website called MemoryPress.com where she could create a 50th wedding anniversary gift book, add her favorite memories and invite family and friends to contribute to the book from their own homes. The book blossomed into 143 pages of photos and memories contributed by family and friends.
Said Mrs. Sasaki, "It was the highlight of their 50th anniversary party! We used it as the guest book. Everyone wanted to sit down and look at it! My Mom and Dad were both brought to tears when we presented it to them and Mom told me the other day that Dad has read it cover to cover 8 times now in the 6 weeks or so since the party and cried every time!"
Barb realized that giving her parents memories was more valuable than gold or a perfect party. MemoryPress.com not only made collecting memories and photos from family and friends as easy as email, but also turned them into a beautiful hardbound book.
Match.com and eHarmony.com help people fall in love online. Now MemoryPress.com helps couples celebrate 50 years of being in love online. MemoryPress 50th wedding anniversary gift books can include anything from the events of 1957 (i.e. the couples wedding story of how they met and how they got engaged), to the more current memories of grandchildren. Why not? After all, it's 2007.
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