Wedding Anniversaries: Everything that exists, the dates, names and tips for what to give each anniversary
“Every anniversary is a time to celebrate the joys of today, the memories of yesterday and the hopes of tomorrow”
Marriage marks a before and after in the life of each person who makes that decision . It is a bond of conjugal union that is born of love between two people. Many times they decide to formalize the relationship before men, the law and sometimes also before the religion they profess.
Each year spent together marks a deep commitment in the couple . Timeshare is irreplaceable. Although the years go by and a routine is established, it never hurts to treasure gifts and details with each anniversary.
During the celebration of each anniversary, a special gift made of the unique and symbolic material of that anniversary is generally given.
Wedding Anniversaries: Meaning and Names
Table of Contents
1 Year Anniversary: Paper Wedding
A union of paper represents a blank sheet and an adventure that is just beginning. You find the excitement of that first year when your loved one is already your husband or wife. However, it can also be fragile. The paper symbolizes a fragile element that comes from nature.
What to give for a Paper Wedding?
- Cards with dedication
- A romantic postcard
- Figure made of origami paper
- A custom comic or drawing
All of these are just a few manifestations of love on paper.
2 Years Anniversary: Cotton Wedding
This material represents comfort and strength.
Just as the cotton threads are intertwined together, your marriage will be more connected every day. What to give this second anniversary opportunity?
- Linens
- Cotton pillows for the living room
- Custom cushions
- Clothing
It is an ideal anniversary to put the initials of the couple on towels and sheets. Everything that can be personalized with the tastes of the couple.
3 Years Anniversary: Leather Wedding
This anniversary is represented by leather, as a natural symbol. Leather is a strong material, but at the same time flexible. Lasts a lifetime and is created to:
- To protect
- Keep warm and
- Feel safe
These qualities are necessary when you are three years old living with someone. In the environment of the couple at this point there is still much to discover together.
What to give on this anniversary?
- A leather jacket
- Wallet
- Belt
- Portfolio for her or portfolio for him
4 Years Anniversary: Linen Wedding
Linen is associated with the resistance of the couple. In ancient Egypt, flax was considered a sacred plant for:
- Its freshness
- Resistance and
- Beauty.
Flax is a material extracted from the Linum Usitatissimum plant.
What to give on this wedding anniversary?
This anniversary date is ideal for personal and home gifts. A good option is a summer linen shirt, sheets or a linen tablecloth.
5 Years Anniversary: Wooden Wedding
The wood symbolizes strength, wisdom and forgiveness.
It is said that within 5 years of marriage, the couple has begun to develop strong and deep roots, like those of a tree, preparing for a lasting relationship.
Together, husbands are beginning to become wiser and more understanding. They learn from past mistakes and misunderstandings.
This anniversary that we can give away?
- Wooden photo frame
- A small piece of furniture or shelf
- Wooden jewelry box
- Custom Cheese Cutting Board
Wooden gifts can be wooden objects for the garden or a set of grill boards.
6 Years Anniversary: Iron Wedding
In the same way that iron is forged at very high temperatures, your marriage bond has likely been strengthened by high pressure situations. Iron could have more in common with your marriage than you think. Both are very durable.
What to give for an iron wedding?
- Iron jewelry
- Artistic pieces of decoration
Iron lamps with artistic design are very fashionable. They project their light wonderfully, forming patterns on the walls. The key holder iron or a floating shelf as organizer memories are practical for this anniversary.
7 Years Anniversary: Wool Wedding
For seven years, the marriage has been warm and comforting. Wool is the perfect metaphor for the relationship you have built together.
- Cozy
- Nice
- High quality
What to give on this anniversary? A wool blanket, sweater, or scarf.
8 Years Anniversary: Bronze Wedding
Bronze is a very hard metal, harder than iron and copper. Bronze is a derivative of copper and tin. It is this anniversary as a representation of the combination of two people together becoming something better and stronger.
What to give?
- Bronze sculpture
- Bronze water or juice jug
or a piece of jewelry.
9 Years Anniversary: Clay Wedding
During the 9 years that they have been together they went through good and bad times. They must have molded their relationship into something really special. Your relationship has gone through this kiln that we call “life” and how ceramic is transformed into a visually attractive and beautiful object as well as useful.
What to give?
- Custom mug
- Bowl for the kitchen
or a set of ceramic plates.
10 Years Anniversary: Aluminum Wedding
A couple who have been together for 10 years have built a strong relationship that can stand the test of time. Aluminum represents preservation, longevity, and the marriage’s ability to stay together.
It’s the first decade together! Magnificent, what to give?
It should be a special gift such as a trip or weekend to a romantic destination for the couple to enjoy.
11 years Anniversary: Steel Wedding
It is the beginning of the second decade of your marriage. It is a relationship that has forged incredible bonds. They are strong enough to the point that they can be represented by steel. To face any new obstacles in the future, the relationship already has the strength of steel.
What steel objects could be given as gifts?
- term for coffee
- Steel fountains
- Rings
- Bracelets
- Tie pin
Also steel utensils for the kitchen or office.
12 Years Anniversary: Silk Wedding
A union that exceeds 12 years is beautiful, romantic, elegant and strong as silk.
What to give?
- A silk robe
- Bed sheets
- Silk scarf
It is also appropriate to give a garment of fine clothing or silk.
13 Years Anniversary: Lace Wedding
This wedding anniversary is made of Lace because this material symbolizes the elegance and beauty that everyone in their marriage wants.
Surely all this time they have worked as a team to create a delicate relationship. He is now stronger than ever, yet he will always need care.
Garments with lace details, accessories such as a lace mesh watch or a delicate lace inlaid tablecloth.
14 Years Anniversary: Ivory Wedding
We wonder about the qualities that a couple acquires with a marriage that has survived for 14 years.
Ivory is a symbol of
- Dignity
- Patience
- Stability
What to give on this anniversary?
Ivory is a precious material, but with a delicate provenance. There are many very nice and good imitations.
Instead of giving a gift made of this material, think of a sculpture or a gift related to elephants.
15 Years Anniversary: Crystal Wedding
The crystal shows the clarity and transparency that the couple wants to have within their relationship. The crystal symbolizes the investment and sacrifice that both of you are making as you continue in your marriage.
What to give?
There are very nice decorative items, miniatures and jewelry made from Swarovski
The crystal rings, bracelets and necklaces will dazzle the couple.
20 Years Anniversary: Porcelain Wedding
Upon reaching two decades, there is talk of a marriage that has withstood the test of time. Older husbands are less energetic. Continuing in love is a fragile experience. Taking love for granted makes the bond work day by day.
On this anniversary, what to give?
Porcelain items. Porcelain is associated with the East and China. Why not? gift delicate decorative objects such as porcelain or a beautiful trip.
25 Years Anniversary: Silver Wedding
Silver is one of the most valuable metals that exist. Silver epitomizes the value of marriage and how the two of you will shine through your future together. After 25 years of commitment, this anniversary is associated with such precious material.
What to give?
Any silver item or jewelry is very representative. This anniversary is important to celebrate it well in a big way, together with friends and family,
30 Years Anniversary: Pearl Wedding
It is an anniversary that is usually celebrated with a great party and renewal of vows.
Pearls take a long time to form and the end result is beautiful and magnificent. This is a representation of the beauty of a relationship that has matured for 3 decades.
It’s a union that has sailed the depths over the years and will continue to swim no matter how rough the waters get.
Giving away personal or decorative items that include a pearl is ideal for this celebration.
Pearl-inspired anniversary gifts are the way to commemorate this occasion:
50 Years Anniversary: Golden Wedding
A golden wedding anniversary is a celebration of a lifetime together. In many cultures, gold symbolizes:
- Prosperity
- Wisdom
- Force
With these qualities we compare the union of half a century in a couple.
The achievements of a couple with the love of 50 years and the commitment of almost a life are very great. This is due to a great honor. The golden wedding anniversary is marked with memorable gifts and celebrations.
These festivities are traditionally organized by the couple’s children. Close friends can often take care of party arrangements as well.
What to give?
- Portrait holder with gold details
- Tray
- Jewels
Probably a couple celebrating 50 years of marriage is closer to having some limitations as a result of their age. You need to be sensitive to their tastes when planning and honoring your partner. Giving away activities that are medically capable of being carried out.
60 Years Anniversary: Diamond Wedding
These precious stones, in addition to being very valuable, represent the strength and affection that you will continue to experience as long as life allows.
Like any good marriage, diamonds form under pressure.
What to give? The ideal is to include a stone similar to diamonds, whether imitation or real, in the gift.
Very few times in history marital unions have reached this anniversary, that is why we tell them a record.
Origins of wedding gifts
The origins of wedding gifts go back to the Germanic lands during the Middle Ages. It was customary to give a silver crown on the 25th anniversary symbolizing harmony and another gold crown on the 50th anniversary. Few couples managed to survive so many years together. This event was a great reason to celebrate if the two of you came together. The celebration was considered to bring good fortune and it is presumed that it was a custom only for wealthy families.
Later during the 1800s, Queen Victoria celebrated her diamond birthday in 1897. The event marked 60 years on the throne and for that reason, 60 wedding anniversaries were also associated with these gemstones.
Do you know the origin of wedding anniversaries? Here we tell you.
Furthermore, it was also during Victorian times that wood came to represent the fifth wedding anniversary, and husbands often carved souvenirs for their wives.
Later during the 20th century Emily Post listed eight traditional anniversary treats in her book “Etiquette in Society, in Business, in Politics and at Home by Emily Post ” known as the Blue Book of Etiquette (1922). These were for the first, fifth, tenth, fifteenth, twentieth, twenty-fifth, fifty-fifth, and seventy-fifth.
Each anniversary year until the twentieth celebration was assigned a different symbolic material that represents it to the event. Then it goes from five to five years of celebration until the 75th anniversary.
The longest marriage in history
A North Carolina couple, who married on May 13, 1924, were recognized by the Guinness Book of World Records as the oldest living couple with almost 87 years of marriage. So far the union recorded as the longest until the husband died in 2011.
It was Zelmyra and Herbert Fisher who resisted:
- The great Depression
- WWII
- 15 presidential administrations
- Korean war
- Vietnam War
- The Civil Rights Movement
By the time Herbert passed away in 2011 at the age of 105, he and his wife had been married for almost 87 years.
Zelmyra, who had spent most of her life with Herbert by her side, lived another two years after the death of her lover.
In early 2013, the 105-year-old woman passed away peacefully in her sleep. They left a beautiful legacy of love and commitment in addition to 5 children, 10 grandchildren, 9 great-grandchildren, and 1 great-great-grandchild.
“All those who plant a seed and reap, celebrate together. We are individuals, but we achieve more by being united. ” Zelmyra said in an interview in 2010.
While most anniversaries are now associated with certain items, there is no reason why you should honor gifts from these materials to the letter, it is just an inspiration.
Recognize that each year together is a triumph for love. The important thing is to celebrate, be it with a detail or a party.
If you want to know more about wedding traditions and find ideas for your big day, explore our site and you will find everything you need.