Wedding Anniversary

Anniversary

From the very first kiss to a life of wedded bliss... everything that a wedding anniversary represents is sacred: love, trust, compassion, friendship, and devotion. It's for the good times and the bad, for the successes and the struggles, for better and for worse, but mostly, it's for-ever! Whether it's the first or the fiftieth, a wedding anniversary is that special time to cherish your spouse (or the lucky-in-love couple) and share the love.

The most common way to convey this love is by spending quality time doing something you both enjoy. And during that time you must offer up the utmost perfect anniversary flowers and anniversary gifts. Are you looking for the perfect way to say "thanks" and "I love you?" The well-known "anniversary flower" theory is ultimately popular when it comes to sentimentality, and it's a well-appreciated complement to a modern or more traditional anniversary gift.

Anniversary Flowers

• Everyone knows that there's a certain color flower that represents each anniversary year, i.e. the first anniversary gets a red rose. Well did you know that each flower also symbolizes a much bigger feeling? Anniversary flowers really mean so much more than "I Love You!" Here's a snapshot of the most important anniversary flowers:

  • 1st Anniversary: Red and/or White Roses mean Unity
  • 2nd Anniversary: White Carnations mean Pride, Beauty and Living for Love
  • 3rd Anniversary: Bird of Paradise means Magnificence
  • 4th Anniversary: Alstromeria means Devotion and Friendship
  • 5th Anniversary: Bonsai or Topiary means Stability
  • 10th Anniversary: Pink Roses mean Friendship and Perfect Happiness
  • 15th Anniversary: Stephanotis means Happiness in Marriage
  • 20th Anniversary: Pink and White Roses mean I Love You Still and Always
  • 25th Anniversary: Sterling Silver Roses mean Love at First Sight
  • 50th Anniversary: Yellow Roses mean Joy, Gladness and Friendship

  It's not absolutely necessary to offer the above flowers for the corresponding anniversary. Other popular anniversary flowers are gerbera daisy bouquets, orchids, multi-colored rose bouquets and various lily bouquets.

Modern & Traditional Anniversary Gifts

• Most of us have heard that the first anniversary is due paper, the tenth is due diamonds, and so on and so forth. The truth is there are so many variations on this idea that it's challenging to know which version is the right one, which version is old-fashioned and which is more modern. Truth be told, this is how it goes (and remember these are just guidelines for traditional gifts, not rules)...

  • 1st Anniversary is paper; think gift certificates, plane tickets (second honeymoon?), romantic poems, and of course, the perfect anniversary card! The modern take on the 1st anniversary is clocks (perhaps a grandfather clock?).
  • 2nd Anniversary is cotton. That sounds silly but you can get creative here by buying high thread-count sheets for the bed, favorite articles of clothing, and cozy blankets to cuddle by the fireplace. The modern take on a 2nd anniversary gift is china.
  • 3rd Anniversary is leather. Just imagine the possibilities here: shoes, jewelry, clothes, engraved key chains, purses, etc. The modern take on the 3rd anniversary is crystal.
  • 4th Anniversary is fruit and flowers. Take this opportunity to send beautiful floral arrangements and fruit baskets, plant fruit trees, or indulge in romantic and fruity desserts like bananas foster. The modern take on the 4th anniversary gift is an appliance!
  • 5th Anniversary is wood. This is an easy one: you can frame pictures, buy little hand-carved trinkets, jewelry boxes, furniture, and more. The modern take on the 5th anniversary gift is silverware (not recommended as a gift!).
  • The 10th Anniversary traditional gift is tin or aluminum. Perhaps it's a better idea to go with the modern gift of diamonds here.
  • 15th Anniversary is crystal. Think vases (with flowers of course), glassware, jewelry and figurines. The modern take on the 15th anniversary gift is watches.
  • 20th Anniversary gift is china. Now's the time to get that beautiful set of fine china dishes for formal holiday dinners and parties. The modern 20th anniversary gift is platinum. You can't go wrong with platinum!
  • The 25th Anniversary is your silver anniversary in both traditional and modern customs. Silver can encompass anything, but jewelry is the most obvious winner here.
  • Finally, the big 5-0. The 50th anniversary is your golden one and is truly a milestone. Matching gold anniversary bands are a great way to recognize those most happy years together.