There is no better occasion than a 50th wedding anniversary to give a scrapbook gift album compiled with love. I know one family that planned a celebration for months ahead of their parent’s big day. The children knew that their mom and dad had everything they needed and desired, so they focused on cherished loved ones and memories.

One of the gifts they designed was a “golden scrapbook”. They commissioned a friend to design the cover from material woven with real spun gold. On the front was a frame of the same material and outlined with delicate lace where they placed a recent 5 x 7 photo of the honored couple. The words “true love” was embroidered under the frame.

One of the children was a long time scrapbook artist and fashioned pre-made pages of decorative paper of all kinds and used a paper trimmer to make borders, picture frames, and special places set aside for journal type pages. Some pages had wedding background, but most were patterned paper of many colors to symbolize the many stages of the couple’s life together.

They sent the invitations out well in advance and asked in lieu of gifts that the invitees to bring a photo, story, or other memento to be placed in the book during the gathering.

The night of the party arrived and each friend and family member brought their offering. The children each took turns placing them within the scrapbook on the pre-made scrapbook pages. At the end of the celebration, the children gave the book filled to the brim with love and memories to the “newlyweds”.

Years later, you could still find this happy couple sitting at their dining room table leafing through their golden scrapbook, sharing laughter and a few tears.