What to buy for an anniversary celebration for 50 guests

For 50 guests, plan the shopping in three groups: serving and tableware, food and drinks, and the equipment and decorations that make the day run smoothly. Count reusable plates, glasses and cutlery before shopping, especially if the venue does not provide them. Fresh groceries, the cake and chilled drinks should be scheduled separately from non-perishable items. Allow extra time for dietary requirements, buffet preparation and testing the slideshow equipment.

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What to bring

Grouped the way you'd shop for it, with quantities.

Furniture

Tablesqty 7
Chairsqty 55
Buffet tablesqty 2
High tablesqty 4
Clothes hangersqty 2

Tableware

Dinner platesqty 60
Dessert platesqty 60
Coffee cupsqty 60
Water glassesqty 70
Wine glassesqty 60
Beer glassesqty 40
Coffee spoonsqty 60
Cutlery setsqty 60
Serving plattersqty 10
Serving tongsqty 6

Decorations

Tableclothsqty 9
Balloonsqty 80
Balloon ribbonqty 2
Buntingqty 6
Flower arrangementsqty 6
Photo framesqty 8
Guest book
Pensqty 6

Equipment

Speakersqty 2
Microphone
Microphone stand
Laptop
Projector
Projection screen
Extension cordsqty 4
Power stripsqty 4

Kitchen

Coffee makerqty 2
Kettlesqty 2
Thermos flasksqty 4
Coolersqty 3
Cutting boardsqty 3
Chef's knifeqty 2
Cake serverqty 2
Ice cube traysqty 4

Cleaning

Waste binsqty 4
Bucketsqty 2
Mopsqty 2
Broom and dustpan
Spongesqty 6

Lighting

String lightsqty 4
Table lampsqty 6

Catering

Groceries
- Coffee - 4 packs
- Tea - 3 boxes
- Sugar - 2 packs
- Milk - 6 liters
- Oat milk - 3 liters
- Spa Blauw - 6 bottles
- Spa Red - 4 bottles
- Cola - 6 bottles
- Cola Zero - 4 bottles
- Sinas - 4 bottles
- Tonic - 3 bottles
- Apple juice - 3 packs
- Orange juice - 3 cartons
- Beer - 5 crates
- Alcohol-free beer - 1 crate
- White wine - 8 bottles
- Red wine - 6 bottles
- Rosé - 4 bottles
- Bubbles - 6 bottles
- Lemons - 10 pieces
- Limes - 8 pieces
- Ice cubes - 10 bags
- Bitterballen - 150 pieces
- Vegetarian bitterballen - 50 pieces
- Mini Spring Rolls - 100 pieces
- Cheese cubes - 2 kilogram
- Grapes - 3 kilograms
- Olives - 4 jars
- Cucumber - 6 pieces
- Cherry tomatoes - 2 kilograms
- Paprika chips - 4 bags
- Plain chips - 4 bags
- Tortilla chips - 4 bags
- Salsa sauce - 3 jars
- Herb butter - 6 tubs
- Baguettes - 12 pieces
- Mixed salads - 8 trays
- Pasta salad - 6 kilogram
- Potato salad - 5 kilograms
- Vegetarian pasta salad - 3 kilograms
- Dressing - 4 bottles
- Mayonnaise - 2 jars
- Ketchup - 2 bottles
- Mustard - 2 jars
- Anniversary cake - 1 cake for 55 people
- Whipped cream - 6 cans
- Fresh fruit - 4 kilograms
- Cookies - 6 packs
- Napkins - 150 pieces
- Teaspoons - 60 pieces
- Aluminum foil - 2 rolls
- Cling film - 2 rolls
- Parchment paper - 1 roll
- Paper towels - 6 rolls
- Dish soap - 2 bottles
- All-purpose cleaner - 2 bottles
- Toilet paper - 24 rolls
- Hand soap - 4 bottles
- Trash bags - 3 rolls

Tips

Count place settings for 50 guests, then add at least 5 extra dinner plates, dessert plates and cutlery sets for breakages, dropped items and late additions.
Plan drink service separately from food: chill drinks several hours before guests arrive, and check that you have enough water glasses, wine glasses and beer glasses for the first service.
Buy non-perishable buffet ingredients and serving supplies at least 3 days ahead. Leave fresh groceries, snacks and the cake for the final 24 hours so quality is easier to control.
Do not leave the presentation setup until the event day. Test the laptop, projector, projection screen, speakers, microphone, stand and extension cords at least 1 day before the celebration.
Prepare the guest book, cards and pens before setting the tables. Put them in one clearly marked place, with at least 3 working pens available so guests can write without waiting.

Frequently asked questions

How much tableware do I need for 50 guests?: Start with 50 dinner plates, 50 dessert plates and 50 cutlery sets, then add 5 to 10 spare settings. Plan enough coffee cups, water glasses, wine glasses and beer glasses for the service style you are using.
When should I buy food for a 50-person anniversary celebration?: Buy non-perishable items about 3 days in advance. Purchase fresh groceries within 24 hours of the event, and collect the cake on the day itself or the day before if it can be stored safely.
How many serving platters and tongs do I need for a buffet for 50 people?: Use at least 8 to 12 serving platters for a varied buffet, with one pair of serving tongs or another serving utensil for each dish. Add a few spare utensils for shared salads, bread and dessert.
What equipment should I check before showing an anniversary slideshow?: Test the laptop, projector, projection screen, speakers, microphone, microphone stand and extension cords at least 24 hours beforehand. Keep the presentation file on a second USB drive or another backup device.

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