10 Romantic Wedding Anniversary Gift Ideas

For most couples, after the excitement of an engagement, wedding and honeymoon, life pretty quickly gets back to business as usual as you settle into married life. Although the most significant celebration you and your partner will share has passed, that doesn’t mean you can’t rekindle the romance each year as you celebrate your anniversary.

There are traditional wedding anniversary gifts associated with each year of marriage. The gifts for the first 15 years are:

1st anniversary: paper

2nd anniversary: cotton

3rd anniversary: leather

4th anniversary: fruit or flowers

5th anniversary: wood

6th anniversary: iron/candy

7th anniversary: wool/copper

8th anniversary: bronze

9th anniversary: pottery

10th anniversary: tin

11th anniversary: steel

12th anniversary: silk

13th anniversary: lace

14th anniversary: ivory

15th anniversary: crystal

Keeping these traditional gifts in mind as you plan your celebration can show your partner how well considered your gift is, and gives you new inspiration each year. If you’re feeling stuck, read our list of suggested anniversary gifts to get you started:

#1 Give a gift that represents your year of marriage

Although it might be tempting to take the traditional anniversary gift suggestions literally, try to avoid giving your significant other a box full of paper, a piece of wood or a single apple! These themes should be used simply as a starting point, and you should feel free to be as creative as possible. If you’re celebrating your 4th anniversary, instead of giving your partner some daggy flowers and a card decorated with fruit baskets, buy them a beautiful box of red roses and prepare some strawberries and champagne.

If it’s your 12th anniversary, perhaps a silk robe with some soft white flowers. 

If it’s coming up to your 9th anniversary, book into a pottery class together and finish the evening off with a beachside picnic. Planning ahead is vital!

#2 Write a love letter

Whilst this may not come easily to everyone, writing a heartfelt letter can be a wonderful way to express your love for your partner. It doesn’t have to be poetic or long, it just needs to be authentic and personalised. If you get stuck, there is plenty of inspiration online (just be sure to change any relevant names should you start to plagiarize!).

#3 Book in a photoshoot

You most certainly have hundreds of photos of you, your partner and any children you might have, but you probably haven’t had any professional shots done since the big day. Investing in professionally taken photographs is a great way to capture your anniversary, and keep track of the changes that take place year by year, as you watch your family grow.

#4 Plan a romantic dinner

This is a classic option for an anniversary, particularly for couples with busy lives. It’s nice to find time alone, to enjoy great food, listen to your favourite music and simply talk. If you’re feeling adventurous, arrange to have the dinner catered, so you can both relax throughout the process. Alternatively, book a table at a nice restaurant in advance, call in a babysitter, and spend the night laughing over great food and wine. Candlelit dinners are the perfect way to create pure romance.

#5 Do something adventurous

Learning to do something new together or doing a something adventurous is a fantastic way to bond. If one of you is apprehensive about a particular activity, the other one can support them through the process, and together you’ll have a great sense of accomplishment once you’ve made it through. If extreme sports don’t take your fancy, why not take a dance lesson or cooking class? Commit to learning together, and in the process you’ll learn more about each other.  

Image courtesy of https://commons.wikimedia.org

#6 Renew your vows

Renewing your vows is a fantastic way to take your anniversary celebrations to the next level, and include all of the people who’ve entered your life since your wedding day, including any children you might’ve had. It’s also a great opportunity to correct all of the mistakes you made the first time around! If you’ve got the time and money, you can plan a large scale event that is as big as your first wedding was, or you can keep it low key and just invite close family and friends. Alternatively, take a trip to Vegas and make it a holiday!

#7 Give your partner a timeless gift

If you don’t have the means or motivation to arrange a big trip or plan something elaborate, you really can’t go wrong with a classic anniversary gift. These include champagne, jewellery, flowers, a fragrance or anything you know your spouse loves. Anniversaries are a time to splurge on things you and your partner wouldn’t buy for yourselves, so take advantage of this time and spoil each other!

#8 Fill your house with roses

If your partner likes flowers, there is perhaps no better gift than this. Arrange for them to spend the afternoon doing a fun activity, and then surprise them by filling a part of the house with their favourite flowers.

The stunning aroma will take over the house and will transform your living quarters into a romantic haven. This is a great option if you’re short on time, as there are plenty of options for taking care of this with us :)

Image courtesy of http://maxpixel.freegreatpicture.com

#9 Visit a spa together

This may not be something you can imagine doing with your partner, but a day spent getting massages and body treatments is a day of indulgence. Many spas offer couples packages (some of which even include wine!), which is a wonderful way to feel spoilt whilst spending time together.

#10 Take a trip together

You may have taken several trips with your significant other, but planning a vacation around your anniversary gives it a different kind of feel. Plan to go somewhere neither of you have been before, or somewhere that promises relaxation and indulgence. Leave the kids at home and commit to spending even just a weekend together to reconnect and relax.

Whatever you decide to do, taking time out for just you and your partner is essential, as you celebrate a year of love and many more to come.

And remember if you're short of gift ideas, we're here to help with some really sweet anniversary rose gift ideas.