I’ve been planning a lot of anniversary parties this year. This past fall my husband, brother-in-law and sister-in-law surprised our parents with a 40th anniversary party. We held it in a private room at a local restaurant and kept it on the intimate side to make sure friends and family had a chance to talk and celebrate. It was a great evening, with great food and beverage, and they were actually very surprised (as you can see....)

I’m no florist, but I put together some simple arrangements, and my sister-in-law had a caricature done of the two of them which guests then signed as a memento for the evening.

More recently, at the end of March I traveled back to NYC to help celebrate my sister’s 10 year anniversary with her partner. They, too, wanted to keep it simple and intimate - with about 40-50 people - so we again chose a private room in a local restaurant. I (yet again) played basic florist and borrowed some awesome modern bud vases from a friend to just bump up the decor ever so slightly. I also put together a little collage of photos of them and their baby in the shape of a “10” as a little surprise for them.

It was a great evening and so much fun!

Private rooms in restaurants are a great option for people looking to have smaller gatherings. They usually don’t charge you for the room/space, just for the food and drink. They also usually provide the tables, chairs, linens, and even the votives - and of course, they also provide the service. It’s a really easy, simple way to hold a small cocktail party (assuming you’re ok with paying for the food and drink). I highly recommend not forgetting restaurants when you’re thinking of venues for any gathering - even weddings!

And congrats again to all the wonderful couples in my family!