Albuquerque Journal from Albuquerque, New Mexico • Page 13

14 SAGE MAGAZINE, FEBRUARY 2011 Stories by Donna Olmstead THE ANNIVERSARY Marking Mel and Pauline Eisenstadt of Corrales celebrated their golden wedding anniversary with small gatherings of family and friends, plus two trips. COURTESY PHOTO elebrations for milestone anniversaries range from casual backyard buffets to posh dinner dances. Some couples opt for gatherings that are much like wedding receptions, while others travel near or far to mark the occasion. Albuquerque event planner Johannah Ruddy of Seamless Events notes that anniversary couples often create their own meaningful celebrations to reflect the nature of their marriages. are no rules or traditions that couples she says.

really depends on the couple and their One client couple, celebrating their 25th wedding anniversary, decided on a catered backyard buffet that was New Mexico casual, with guests in shorts and sandals. Ruddy designed displays that featured photos of the travels and significant events. The garden party was decorated in brown and pink, their wedding colors. The couple hosted about 45 people and spent about $1,000. On the other hand, another client couple, also celebrating their 25th anniversary, spent upward of $5,000 to $7,000 for a posh dinner dance for about 150 guests at Hotel Albuquerque.

was very similar to their wedding Ruddy says. had big band music. It was very fancy and Ruddy says the rule for an elaborate anniversary celebration is the same as a wedding: Book early, at least six months in advance. Event planner Akshay Patel at Simply Decor of Albuquerque created a package that included hotel rooms for out-of-town guests, a hotel ballroom for the event, linens and decor, and a limo shuttle service for about $15,000. That was for an elaborate 25th wedding anniversary celebration for about 250 people.

Another couple decided on a Winter Wonderland celebration for their 25th anniversary because they met at a Disney movie. Patel says he created a winter fantasy theme in the hotel ballroom that featured life-size cardboard Disney princesses and princes to provide an enchanting mood. The catered party was for about 150 guests and cost about $4,000. Another couple, celebrating a 50th anniversary, wanted a formal setting, but only for a few hours with cocktails and appetizers. really try to create whatever our clients he says.

want to help their dreams come Good friends, many travels Sometimes the celebration can stretch out all year, as it did for retired New Mexico legislator Pauline Eisenstadt and her husband, Mel, of Corrales. Last year brought their 50th wedding anniversary and with it, many small gatherings of family and friends, plus two trips. First off was a trip with friends on a river cruise from Vienna, Austria, to Amsterdam, the Netherlands. They wrapped up the year with a trip to Cancun, Mexico, with their sons. Fifty years of living together has taught her to appreciate her time with her husband as well as her time apart.

become really good friends over time. The difficult issues have all been solved or have gone away and now we have the second part of lives to share Eisenstadt says. is a good amount of luck involved in selecting a mate. We both feel so fortunate. This marriage has been a blessing for both of she says.

the milestones ere lo als Go Nancy Lane and her husband, Larry say their three grown children, who scattered across the surprised them with a visit to celebrate their golden wedding anniversary. They took a ride up Sandia Peak Tramway and had dinner at the top. had 10 for dinner that she says. Joseph (Cliff) and Joyce Giles of Albuquerque traveled with their two sons and families to Walt Disney World and Universal Harry Potter attractions, both in Florida. Why the amusement parks? wanted the teenagers to be as excited about the trip as we were.

I know who had more fun the teens or the says Joyce Giles. Barbara Ormand of Edgewood says it took 42 years for her and her husband, Donald to get to one of the most romantic places on the planet Venice, Italy. When they were living in Switzerland in 1968, she went with a friend, but he accompany her because of work. She always vowed to return with him. For their 50th anniversary, they stayed in one of five- star hotels with a Grand Canal view and took a gondola ride.

Cruise trips on freighter ships spark the romance for Gene and Betty Hinkle of Albuquerque. go quite often, maybe once a says Betty Hinkle. The freighters are quieter than commercial cruise ships. To celebrate their 60th, they hoped to take a cruise around the world on a freighter ship, possibly a three-month trek. an adventurous Gene Hinkle says.

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