Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad II

So, did I mention that yesterday was my parents' 50th WEDDING ANNIVERSARY? Well, it was. And we didn't just take them out to lunch, we threw them a big party! I couldn't mention that here 'cause it was a surprise. And Mom reads my blog.

Here they are on their wedding day, August 15, 1959. He was 21 and she was 18.

How could we not have a party? Fifty years of marriage is quite an accomplishment these days, as evidenced by the rarity of 50th anniversary party decorations.

And here they are now. They look pretty happy, don't they?

As far as the surprise goes, Dad was clueless to the very end. Mom knew there was going to be a party, she just didn't know when. To throw her off, I told her I procrastinated so long, I couldn't find a place to have it. So we were just going to have a little party at my house (how boring and anticlimactic!) on August 22.

She didn't know what was going on either until she saw a friend of hers in the restaurant parking lot. But that was okay. The party was still a smashing success.

As you can see, quite a few people attended. Their two favorite neighbors, Henry and Sheila, are at the table with Hubby, my kids and my nephew.

Some of our family on Dad's side made it down from Pennsylvania. Mom's sisters, brother-in-law, and some nephews, all from the Baltimore area, made it, too.

Here's Dad with some of his friends from the Corner Crab House.

Even their doctor (they share the same primary care doc) and his wife attended.

I was pretty busy running around playing hostess and trying to take pictures at the same time. I didn't get any great candids. Maybe my sister-in-law, Sharen, who was also taking pics, got some better images.

People get a bit weirded out when folks like me are walking around indiscriminately shooting pics. Sometimes, when they see me coming, I get looks like this...

From left to right here are my cousin (Tim), brother (Tom) and Tim's wife (Karen). After I saw this image, I told the boys they were looking evil and that I had to try again.

I guess this is why people hire photographers to capture images at events like this.

All in all, it was a great day, which they topped off with a drive home in their nicely decorated car...

I wonder if anyone honked at them as they made their way home? I sure hope so. I'd honk if I saw this car driving down the road!

All in all, I think it was a 50th anniversary party they'll remember for a long time.