• Putting together an anniversary party entails creating the guests list, decorating and choosing just the right foods to serve. Have fun with this process as you enlist the help of those master chefs hiding their talents behind 9 to 5 jobs and other daily obligations. When you are finished you will have a meal plan that leaves people salivating long after the party.
  
  

Deja Vu

• Recreate menu items the couple enjoyed at their wedding reception. If this is a surprise party you may need to ask those who attended what meal items stood out to them that day. If you are working with the couple to put the menu together, ask them to share foods that were enjoyed on a first date or the day of the proposal. Don't forget to include a replica of their wedding cake at the party.
  
  

Formal Dinner Party

• Treat the couple to the finer things by including high-end menu items. Begin with a decadent salad that consists of Roma tomato slices topped with fresh mozzarella and basil, drizzled in olive oil. Appetizers can include salmon-stuffed cherry tomatoes, an assortment of prosciutto and cheese slices, plus dinner crackers topped with cream cheese and pepper jelly.
  
  The main course can offer guests the option of chicken marsala with mushrooms and polenta or a pasta dish with red sauce, muscles and shrimp. Besides the anniversary cake, you also can offer dessert choices such as Ricotta cheesecake or flan.
  
  

Keep it Simple

• Sometimes the simpler meals can be just as fun to eat at a party as those that require hours spent in the kitchen. Layer cream cheese, ham, lettuce and provolone on a tortilla and roll tightly. Slice the tortilla every inch to form delicious pinwheel appetizers. Cheese and crackers and smoked cocktail sausages are also crowd pleasers. A simple prebagged salad from your local grocer will suffice along with an assortment of inexpensive salad dressings. A taco bar or burgers will have guests lining up for seconds. Just make sure they save room for cake or brownies.
  
  

Potluck

• A carry-in meal can be a real success at an anniversary party. The trick is to divide menu items according to last names. For instance, guests whose last names begin with the letters A through F are responsible for appetizers. Names beginning with letters G through L bring salads. M through R is responsible for main dishes, while the remaining guests can bring dessert. You can allow the entire menu to be a potluck surprise or instruct people to bring items suitable for a Mexican Fiesta, a barbecue or Americana meal.