Ideas for a Friends-themed anniversary party?

March 22, 2013 8:35 AM

What tips or suggestions do you have for throwing an anniversary party themed after the sitcom Friends? Specifically, can you think of a suitable coffee-house or other venue in Calgary, AB?

Hey Gang! This coming June, I'll be celebrating 10 years together with my awesome wife. Since we're both devotees of Friends, I have it in my head to surprise her with a small gathering of loved-ones and a Friends-themed party.

I'd love to know any ideas you might have about touches for such a party. Possible guest attire; items or decorations to have present; food or drink to serve; games to play; music to feature... all brainstorms will be very appreciated, and no reference to Friends is too obscure.

Special bonus points if you can think of the perfect venue for this party in Calgary, AB. I feel like a coffee-house is the obvious venue choice, but I don't know what my city offers in terms of Central Perk similarity. Ideas for a non-coffee-house venue will also be appreciated!

Thanks in advance for your help!

posted by chudmonkey to sports, hobbies, & recreation (27 answers total)

Cool idea! You should have a trivia contest, inspired by this episode.
posted by cider at 8:42 AM on March 22 [4 favorites]

Oh, you have to sprinkle lobsters around everywhere. Maybe don't eat lobster though. I know you can buy lobster themed party decorations online, but you could also find (or commission? through Etsy?) something more subtle, like a silkscreened tie with a lobster design, and have something made for your wife to match, and gift it to her at the party.

Oh, and have plates of fries in the middle of each table, to share!
posted by Mizu at 8:43 AM on March 22

snack: (chandler) bing cherries
posted by Juliet Banana at 8:45 AM on March 22 [1 favorite]

Decorate with cups (and ice).
posted by Joey Joe Joe Junior Shabadoo at 8:50 AM on March 22 [4 favorites]

Someone has to make the trifle.
posted by troika at 8:51 AM on March 22 [8 favorites]

Guests are admitted only when mentioning the secret password.
posted by 0 answers at 9:00 AM on March 22

A chick and a duck was my first idea, but that's probably not very practical.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 9:00 AM on March 22 [5 favorites]

Foosball table.
posted by Ziggy500 at 9:06 AM on March 22 [4 favorites]

I'd be tempted set up a photo booth with props, including a wig with Rachel haircut.
posted by snickerdoodle at 9:19 AM on March 22

If there's some way to incorporate steak and eggplant into an appetizer of sorts, it should be done.
posted by dlugoczaj at 9:21 AM on March 22

Someone has to drink the fat.
posted by Capt. Renault at 9:21 AM on March 22 [3 favorites]

Somewhere you could have 2 lazy boys and a kayak on the floor...
posted by artificialard at 9:22 AM on March 22 [1 favorite]

Could have mini versions of Ross' beloved sandwich as appetizers - with the "Moist Maker"
posted by sweetkid at 9:28 AM on March 22 [1 favorite]

Another one: if it's a surprise party - when she comes into the venue you can greet her with a turkey on your head.
posted by Ziggy500 at 9:35 AM on March 22 [1 favorite]

For dessert: make trifle, and add a layer of chocolate (to simulate the layer of beef and gravy) and a layer of candy peas and carrots (to simulate, y'know, the peas and carrots) in Rachel's pages-stuck-together trifle disaster.

If one large trifle is too unwieldy to serve, you could make individual trifles in small cups. Mmmm. ("It tastes like FEET!" "I like it!")
posted by Elsa at 9:40 AM on March 22

You really ought to engineer some hilarious misunderstandings. Maybe each guest could be given a guilty secret with some sort of question game for ferreting it out (while protecting your own secret, of course). The best secrets would be only mildly embarrassing with the cover-up being worse.
posted by GenjiandProust at 9:48 AM on March 22

If there's a TV, you should definitely run a loop of Baywatch episodes and shark documentaries.
posted by lunasol at 9:55 AM on March 22 [2 favorites]

Do you have a neighbor who might be willing to walk around his house naked for the day? You could have a long stick with which to poke him.
posted by bondcliff at 10:12 AM on March 22 [2 favorites]

You should hire a folk guitarist to play "Smelly Cat" and other Phoebe songs throughout the night!
posted by Weeping_angel at 10:29 AM on March 22 [5 favorites]

"A chick and a duck was my first idea, but that's probably not very practical."
You could serve fried chicken and Chinese roast duck. Too dark?
posted by like_neon at 11:08 AM on March 22 [1 favorite]

Can you convince someone to put a large raw turkey on their head?

or serve a cheesecake that looks like it has been dropped on the floor.
posted by PuppetMcSockerson at 11:19 AM on March 22

Game: Give each guest 3 clues about a guest star/minor character. They give the clues to others and everyone can try to name as many characters as possible. Would need some way to keep track.

Seems like with all the weddings that happened over the years on the show, and the fact that you are celebrating an anniversary, there should be some sort of tie in.
posted by Sukey Says at 12:27 PM on March 22

Draw a moustache on your wife and cat whiskers on yourself to re-enact the Vegas wedding. If you drink, the costume only gets better!
posted by like_neon at 12:40 PM on March 22 [3 favorites]

Seconding decorating with cups and ice. Make everyone wear two name-tags. If you have any artistically-minded friends willing to help, make Gladys and Glennis to hang on the wall. Find a safe way to play Fireball (paint the balls to make them look like they're on fire?).
posted by tan_coul at 12:54 PM on March 22

Do the routine?
posted by loveyallaround at 3:03 PM on March 22 [2 favorites]

Sorry, I also should have said I love the idea!! Definitely seconding the reference to lobsters.
posted by loveyallaround at 3:21 PM on March 22

Thanks for some truly terrific ideas, everyone. A lot of these will play out, I think!
posted by chudmonkey at 8:51 AM on March 25