Wedding Anniversary Gifts By Year
Celebrating a special anniversary strengthens relationships and creates forever memories. A gift is a thoughtful way to nourish the bonds of the commitment made. The practice of commemorating anniversaries dates back to medieval Germany but the Romantic in each of us think fondly to the Victorian Era that expanded the gift giving practice. While every year within marriage is worthy of honoring there are specific milestones that are priceless.
So without further ado...
Here is the list of anniversary gifts by year..
Traditional & Modern Anniversary Gift List
After the first year, many couples continue on to celebrate the traditional gift giving up to year 10. From there, many couples will skip to every 5 years. (year 15, 20, 25, 30 and so on). There are also 10-year markers (50 and 60 years) that are held in high esteem. Most people recognize 25 and 50 as the two biggest years with gifts of Silver and Gold respectively. Can you celebrate in between those “special” markers? Absolutely. We have provided a list of the best ideas, or gifts, for each year; each gift becoming more special than the year before.
Forever Anniversary is the shop to find tangible, creative, fun and inspiring gifts for every season of love you are in, they are listed by year under section one. Forever Anniversary has broken down the lists for you that help based on themes and guided by your personality. Look at this first list! Year one begins with PAPER??!! But surprisingly, there are so many possibilities of great gifts made from paper. Click here to find out some amazing gifts under each gift heading. What a great way to celebrate and make a yearly habit of showing your love! ...So what are the anniversary gifts by year?
Let's break it down...
Traditional Gifts by Year
Traditional anniversary gifts bring back memories of life already lived from generation to generation. The joy of heritage comes through Tradition. If you appreciate Tradition, look through this gift list for year 1, or whichever year you are celebrating. Find that perfect someone that perfect gift.
Each Traditional Gift has deep meaning. No one is able to pinpoint where these guides for gifts came from but there is a universal agreement today in starting small and inexpensive and as you peruse each one you can see that the gifts become more expensive. Forever Anniversary believes that a marriage that continues to endure each year deserves recognition.
1st Wedding Anniversary – Paper
A gift from paper might seem too simplistic but the meaning is wonderful. It signifies a starting point. A blank page to be filled in with time. The gift ideas are endless from a handmade card to favorite books or framed picture of your wedding.
2nd Wedding Anniversary – Cotton
Cotton is known for its softness, comfort, durability and breathability. A few gift ideas to show and tell your partner your love through cotton conveys your true feelings. Be sure to include the truths behind your gift. Your partner will be impressed!
3rd Wedding Anniversary – Leather
Leather is known for durability and breathability just like cotton. Leather is also known for its strength under pressure and providing shelter/security. Leather gets better as the years go on offering timeless appeal. Gifts such as a leather journal or wallet are beautiful ways to celebrate your third anniversary.
4th Wedding Anniversary – Fruits or Flowers
This special year offers two choices, both representing a blossoming / flourishing / growing relationship. Fruit says “abundance, fertility or spiritual growth, earthly pleasures. Specific fruits like figs, apples, pomegranates have their own special symbolism. Flowers have Victorian era symbolism to convey love, purity and friendship. Fruits and flowers are enjoyed by everyone.
5th Wedding Anniversary – Woodenware
Wood as an anniversary gift tells your loved one you believe your marriage is growing, strengthening, stable, building a family together. Different types of wood have specific symbolism. Each marriage is growing in different ways – you choose according to your insights.
Oak – Represents strength, endurance, protection and wisdom
Ash – Symbolizes life, strength and closeness to heaven.
Spruce – Is associated with healing, preservation.
Pine – Embodies longevity, endurance and modesty.
Cherry - Stands for love, commitment and abundance
Birch – Represents new beginnings, truth. and giving
Walnut – Says clarity, focus
Juniper – Shows protection, healing and good health
6th Wedding Anniversary – Candy or Iron
These two choices in an anniversary gift will surely delight. Candy represents innocence, reward, celebration. Sweets were for the affluent in Victorian Days but today the choices are endless. The other option for the 6th Anniversary gift is iron – which symbolizes strength in your marriage, power and resilience. Iron is known as the metal of life.
7th Wedding Anniversary – Wool or Copper
These two traditional gifts represent warmth. Seven years of marriage should bring a reflection of the comfort you bring to each other. Wool represents purity and Copper is a conduit for energy. Either gift you choose will show your strong, warm love for your marriage.
8th Wedding Anniversary – Bronze
Your marriage is growing stronger, deeper. Bronze symbolizes this strengthening. Bronze is stronger than Copper and iron. It is made from copper and tin. Copper also represents beauty and has many spiritual symbols such as God’s righteous judgment. The color of bronze is beautiful to the eye evoking feelings of maturity and experience. Many musical instruments are crafted from bronze such as cymbals and bells.
9th Wedding Anniversary – Pottery or Willow
Pottery is a powerful medium to express your culture and identity. It represents the purifying effects of a marriage that endures. The willow tree represents flexibility, strength and adaptability. The willow tree shows emotion and is linked to healing and fertility.
10th Wedding Anniversary – Tin or Aluminum
Year 10 is a significant milestone in every marriage. With 3,650 days under your belt, a gift of tin or aluminum may say a lot. Tin does not rust. It symbolizes durability and prosperity. The philosophical message behind it is unity. Aluminum is lightweight and yet its uses are countless. It is a symbol of progress and innovation. These gifts may not seem like a practical Year 10 symbol but when you express your continued commitment, knowing that your Traditional Marriage can weather any storm, either of these gifts will be loved.
11th Wedding Anniversary – Steel
Steel is a strong metal alloy made from iron and carbon. It symbolizes strength, power, resilience, discipline, integrity, determination, progress. As a strong marriage learns to be resilient, steel withstands wear and tear. Unyielding resolve is a strong adverb for a marriage forged in steel.
12th Wedding Anniversary – Silk or Linens
Your love has grown. Year 12 is rich with the symbols of silk and linens. Silk is associated with wealth and spirituality, luxury, refinement and status. It is highly sought after, a valuable gift. The silkworm, which provides the silk, is a symbol of the cycle of life. Linen is obtained from the flax plant. Its meaning is also associated with wealth and status. It is representative of holiness and purity.
13th Wedding Anniversary – Lace
High quality lace can be very expensive and an allure all on its own. It was associated with extreme wealth. Lacemaking was an art. It continues to have a romantic and feminine flare from innocence to provocative. Lace plays on the senses and shows elegance and beauty.
14th Wedding Anniversary – Ivory
Ivory is a symbol of power, beauty, purity, and wealth. Ivory generally comes from elephant tusks, but can also come from the walrus, hippopotamus, narwhal, sperm whale and the warthog. Ivory is the dense bone tissue that surrounds enamel. Because the International sale of Ivory has been banned, there are other great ideas that represent this traditional gift.
15th Wedding Anniversary – Crystal
Think about the word “reflection”. Does Crystal come to your mind? What a great gift to offer for your 15th Wedding Milestone! Crystal is precious, the gift says, “Let’s reflect on our life together.” Light shines in so many places. We offer many options in traditional crystal.
16th – 19th Wedding Anniversary
You can choose whatever gifts you love. We do not offer suggestions here. Forever Anniversary will help you with the next 5-year incremental milestones.
20th Wedding Anniversary – China
20 years of marriage has produced an enduring strength. China is symbolic of delicate beauty and longevity. China needs careful handling just as care and attention is needed within your relationship. China has many options from porcelain or fine china dinnerware to tea sets and figurines.
25th Wedding Anniversary – Silver
The 25th Anniversary dates back to the Roman times and Silver was the gift because it represents longevity. After 25 years of gifts, a piece of silver will reflect the brilliance, radiance and strength of your marriage.
30th Wedding Anniversary – Pearl
Three decades of marriage, the pearl is a precious symbol of the beauty of your relationship strung together over the years. As the deep-water pearls can take many years to form, and each one more unique than the other, the depths of your love has also grown deeper. The pearl says so much for the 30th Anniversary.
35th Wedding Anniversary – Coral
Coral may seem unusual for your 35th Anniversary but when you consider it symbolizes longevity... Coral also symbolizes strength, beauty and protection. Coral is resilient and takes many years to form. Coral, alive in the ocean, adapts to its environment, much like a couple must adapt and grow together throughout their marriage.
40th Wedding Anniversary – Ruby
When you reach four decades of loving someone, having passion and commitment to that special one in your life, a ruby, with its vibrant red color, emanates emotions of love. A ruby is timeless and enduring. A ruby shows strength and commitment. 40 years of marriage shows strength and commitment.
45th Wedding Anniversary – Sapphire
Sapphires have a deep blue hue and show a timeless elegance. 45 years of marriage is a testament to loyalty, strength and character. This gemstone represents that deep commitment of loyalty and fidelity and enduring love. A sapphire will show off your resilient love story.
50th Wedding Anniversary – Gold
This Wedding Anniversary is known as The Golden Anniversary from history long ago. Gold has always been the traditional gift symbolizing strength, wisdom, and endurance. It symbolizes the rarity of couples reaching 50 years. Giving gold as a gift is time-honoring and deep-rooted.
55th Wedding Anniversary – Emerald
An emerald gemstone is a vibrant green hue, symbolizing enduring growth and love. Your marriage is deep and rooted because of the commitment you made on day one. Emerald’s beautiful green color has been worn and prized for centuries as a symbol of royalty and luxury.
60th Wedding Anniversary – Diamond
Because the diamond is the hardest natural substance, your 60th wedding anniversary must be honored with a diamond. 60 years of marriage shows strength and lasting commitment weathering the many storms of life. The diamond will showcase the sparkle and brilliance of your long life together. A diamond is rare, long love is rare. A diamond has value, committing 60 years together has value – all are precious.