Holiday Inn Wickcliffe
As Sara Kalina of the Holiday Inn Wickliffe says, “a 25th anniversary is exciting, but a 50th is a rarity.” Anniversary parties at her hotel are often virtual mini-weddings. Oftentimes the original wedding planning was cut short because of military service, and now the couple enjoys creating a grand event at their leisure.

A most unusual anniversary party recently done at the Holiday Inn property was for a couple who had a destination wedding in St. Thomas and returned home to have a party in their hometown. They invited 150 people. Many traditional wedding happenings were featured with a twist. Instead of introducing the bridal party, all the couple’s children and grandchildren were introduced, followed by the VIP couple. Following the trend, they danced their first dance before being seated.

After dinner, instead of the traditional throwing of the bouquet, they did the Anniversary Dance. All married couples were invited to the dance floor, and one by one eliminated by number of years married. The longest married couple remains to win the flowers.

Marriott Airport
An anniversary party with a fresh spin involved a lifetime achievement award presented by the couple’s four children and presented at the Airport Marriott in Cleveland. Jennie Pearl, certified wedding planner at the Marriott, helped the children plan this special surprise party.

The couple was escorted into the ballroom. A red carpet led them to their seat at the head table. A blues band was hired for entertainment. The children prepared a power point presentation of their parents lives as they were growing up, then showed pictures of their courtship, wedding, and life together. The pair were then presented with “mini-Oscar” lifetime achievement awards.

Jennie networks with her current wedding clients to promote this business. Often they send the couple an anniversary card on their first anniversary along with a gift certificate or dinner in their restaurant. For the second, third and fourth anniversary they might send a discount coupon and at the fifth anniversary another gift certificate. In this way, the couple begins to associate the celebration of their anniversary with this property. The hotel becomes a logical first choice for planning their future celebrations, as well as parties for their parents and grandparents.

Holiday Inn Express Wadsworth
David Cavalier is F&B director for the Holiday Inn Wadsworth. The Galaxy Restaurant and Banquet Room has unusual lighting and follows a “galaxy” theme.

David helped the children of a couple in their 90s honor their parents’ 75th anniversary. They displayed pictures on easels and many on tables. The emcee compared life when they got married with current day happenings.

Fiftieth anniversaries are more popular. Some are celebrated less formally by inviting everyone to Sunday Brunch. Guests go through the line and are then guided to a private area set aside for the group. One couple arrived and was told the dining room was filled, so they would have to sit in one of the other rooms. When the doors were opened, everyone was gathered under a balloon arch yelling “surprise!”

Popular features? The property also has a baby grand piano for live music during the event. The personal touch seems even more important than at the original wedding. Children organize collages and bring them to be displayed. A microphone might be passed around for all to share their stories of the couple. Guest books are offered for everyone to sign. Flowers decorate tables, and the couple may be presented with the traditional corsage and boutonnière.

Crowne Plaza Quaker Square
The Crown Plaza Hotel Quaker Square is charmingly unique—built around the old Quaker Oats Factory in Akron, Ohio. Angela Dudek, wedding coordinator for the Crowne Plaza, says “we have a lot of couples that come back here every year for their anniversary to stay at the hotel, especially if they have spent their wedding night here.”

Dudek tells of a couple married in 1970 who used the year as their theme for anniversary party décor and dress. Guests came dressed in bellbottoms, and they used disco balls for centerpieces.

Looking beyond the happy couple, the hotel offers a special “Romance Package” for guests at events like weddings and anniversary parties. “It includes champagne, dinner for two at our Trackside Dining Restaurant, breakfast in bed, late checkout, and a large chocolate Kiss, says Angela, and “It’s really popular!” The Romance Package isn’t a traditional anniversary celebration but what better way to celebrate the wedding you’re attending then by making it a special occasion for yourself. A tempting idea for guests—and a profitable idea for the hotel.

John Paul Boukis is banquet & catering editor for HOTEL F&B EXECUTIVE.