Sentimental/Serious Toast, 50th Anniversary

Friends and family, it is my special privilege today, to offer the toast to _________(wife) and ______________(husband) on the occasion of their fiftieth wedding anniversary.

It doesn't sound like a long time when you say "fifty", but when you think of it in other terms, fifty years is half a century and more than half a lifetime. If you go back that far, we didn't have computers, VCRs, shopping malls, or microwave ovens. Not that it was the days of the caveman, although some of our children may think so, but it was a simpler, a kinder, and yes…a gentler time. It was the time that ______________(wife) first met _____________(husband) and fell in love.

There is an old proverb that says 'there is no love, like a first love'. And that certainly holds true for this couple. They have met the challenges of sharing their lives with each other, then sharing each other with children, then sharing their family with those of us who are honoured with their friendship, and blessed by a love that only seemed to grow with the passing years.

Perhaps that is the secret to a long and happy marriage, that we continue to grow, in ourselves, in each other, and in the love we have, so that it can be given freely and replenished, over and over.

In the last fifty years, the world has changed in ways our grandparents never imagined possible. Of necessity, people have changed as well, in the kind of work they do, the way they live, how they travel, and so many things that affect daily life. One of the constants during that time, has been the wonderful relationship that _____ (wife) and ____ (husband) have. The love that has sustained them for half a century, has also touched those around them. It is as new, as vibrant, and as strong, as when they first spoke their vows, fifty Golden years, ago.

Today, with thanks to _______________ ( the hosts of the party), we are gathered here to honor that first and enduring love, shared by ____________(bride) and __________(groom). Please stand with me and toast Mr. & Mrs. _________________ (couple's names). On this, the occasion of their fiftieth wedding anniversary, we wish them health, happiness, and another half century together.