Classic Wedding Anniversary Gift Ideas by Year
Posted by Courtney McLaughlin
Saying “I do” is just the beginning of a long and happy life together. Celebrate every trip around the sun with these fun and creative gift ideas to let your one and only know you still care — no matter how much time has gone by.
Traditional and modern gifts, as well as color themes and gemstones, are listed below (where applicable) for inspiration to make your sweetie feel special! After 30 years of wedded bliss, the themes, colors and gifts come around every five years — the perfect excuse to create your own tokens of affection and find even more personal and wonderful ways to say, “I love you.” Happy anniversary and congratulations!
1-Year Anniversary
- Traditional Gift: Paper
- Modern Gift: Clocks
- Color: Gold or Yellow
- Gemstone: Gold
- Gift Idea: Go simple and write your BFF and partner in crime a love note letting him or her know what you’ve treasured most about your first year together.
2-Year Anniversary
- Traditional Gift: Cotton
- Modern Gift: China
- Color: Red
- Gemstone: Garnet
- Gift Idea: Surprise your significant other with a t-shirt with his or her alma mater, favorite sports team or order a “bride” and “groom” set to wear around town.
3-Year Anniversary
- Traditional Gift: Leather
- Modern Gift: Crystal or Glass
- Color: Jade or White
- Gemstone: Pearl
- Gift Idea: Delight your loved one with a crystal or glass frame with a picture from your wedding day alongside a recent picture.
4-Year Anniversary
- Traditional Gift: Fruit or Flowers
- Modern Gift: Appliances
- Color: Blue or Green
- Gemstone: Blue Topaz
- Gift Idea: Whether you go with a beautiful fruit or flower arrangement delivered to the house or office, or spring for a new dishwasher — it’s a total win, win!
5-Year Anniversary
- Traditional Gift: Wood
- Modern Gift: Silverware
- Color: Blue, Pink or Turquoise
- Gemstone: Sapphire
- Gift Idea: Celebrate your love by planting a tree in your yard or public space and enjoy watching it grow together.
6-Year Anniversary
- Traditional Gift: Iron
- Modern Gift: Wood Objects
- Color: Purple, White or Turquoise
- Gemstone: Amethyst
- Gift Idea: An iron monogram art piece would look stunning in your bedroom, kitchen or outdoor area.
7-Year Anniversary Gifts
- Traditional Gift: Copper or Wool
- Modern Gift: Desk set
- Color: Yellow or Off-white
- Gemstone: Onyx
- Gift Idea: Your partner will think of you every time they get to work when you surprise them with stylish items for their office.. If the wool gift is more your style, make or find a warm blanket to keep both of you warm on movie night.
8-Year Anniversary
- Traditional Gift: Bronze or Pottery
- Modern Gift: Linen or lace
- Color: Bronze
- Gemstone: Tourmaline
- Gift Idea: Sign up for a pottery class and make beautiful works of art for each other.
9-Year Anniversary
- Traditional Gift: Willow or Pottery
- Modern Gift: Leather
- Color: Terracotta
- Gemstone: Lapiz Lazuli
- Gift Idea: Why not give your favorite travel buddy a leather passport cover with their initials, then get busy planning your next adventure!
10-Year Anniversary
- Traditional Gift: Aluminum or Tin
- Modern Gift: Diamond Jewelry
- Color: Silver or Blue
- Gemstone: Diamond
- Gift Idea: This one is easy — go for diamond anything for a sure-to-please gift or pick out some new Christmas ornaments to symbolize your decade of love.
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11-Year Anniversary
- Traditional Gift: Steel
- Modern Gift: Fashion Jewelry
- Color: Turquoise
- Gemstone: Turquoise
- Gift Idea: Keep your better half protected all year with the gift of turquoise. One of the oldest charms against evil, turquoise brings good health, fortune and peace.
12-Year Anniversary
- Traditional Gift: Silk or Linen
- Modern Gift: Pearl
- Color: Oyster White
- Gemstone: Jade
- Gift Idea: The 12-year anniversary gives you tons of options. Pearls (real or imitation) never go out of style or pick up some matching pajamas and really up the cute factor.
13-Year Anniversary
- Traditional Gift: Lace
- Modern Gift: Textiles or Furs
- Color: White
Gemstone: Citrine
- Gift Idea: Go with the textile theme and buy new sheets for the bed, towels for the bathroom, or placemats for the kitchen table.
14-Year Anniversary Gifts
- Traditional Gift: Ivory
- Modern Gift: Gold Jewelry
- Color: Ivory
- Gemstone: Opal
- Gift Idea: Opal jewelry can be a perfect gift! Just as significant as gold, these stunning gems represent unification, eternity and perfection. Or play off of the elephant theme with a day trip to the zoo.
15-Year Anniversary
- Traditional Gift: Crystal
- Modern Gift: Watch
- Color: Red
- Gemstone: Ruby
- Gift Idea: Keep it simple and beautiful with his or her favorite flowers in a crystal vase or go all out and celebrate your great “times” together with matching watches.
16-Year Anniversary
- Traditional Gift: Silverware
- Modern Gift: Wax
- Color: Silver or Emerald Green
- Gemstone: Peridot
- Gift Idea: Purchase a new serving platter or visit a make your own candle store and bring home the perfect gift.
17-Year Anniversary
- Traditional and Modern Gift: Furniture
- Color: Yellow
- Gemstone: Carnelian
- Gift Idea: If your couch, mattress or rug is still around after 17 years of wedded bliss, this anniversary is the perfect excuse to get something new!
18-Year Anniversary
- Traditional and Modern Gift: Porcelain
- Color: Blue
- Gemstone: Cat's Eye, Opal, Aquamarine
- Gift Idea: Add to your kitchen gadgets with a porcelain mortar and pestle set and try your hand at making homemade pesto, dressings or hummus. Yum!
19-Year Anniversary
- Traditional and Modern Gift: Bronze
- Color: Bronze
- Gemstone: Aquamarine
- Gift Idea: A modern twist on number 19 is jade. Challenge yourselves to find a restaurant with “Jade” in the name and order take out or dress up and enjoy a night out.
20-Year Anniversary
- Traditional Gift: China
- Modern Gift: Platinum
- Color: Emerald Green
- Gemstone: Emerald
- Gift Idea: Replace your dishware with something that reflects your style as a couple. Splurge on a cool china pattern or go with an everyday set to stylishly mark 20 years together.
21-Year Anniversary
- Traditional Gift: Nickle
- Modern Gift: Fire theme
- Color: Orange
- Gemstone: Lolite
- Gift Idea: There’s a lot to work with on this hot anniversary. Enjoy dinner by candlelight, a fire pit with friends or make an enviable s’mores platter for two.
22-Year Anniversary
- Traditional Gift: Copper
- Modern Gift: Water theme
- Color: Green
- Gemstone: Spinel
- Gift Idea: With water as the theme, the living is easy! Take a trip to the beach or lake, rent a kayak or paddleboard or find new “his” and “her” water bottles.
23-Year Anniversary
- Traditional Gift: Silver Plate
- Modern Gift: Air theme
- Color: Silver
- Gemstone: Imperial Topaz
- Gift Idea: Let your love take flight on a hot air balloon ride, hop a plane for a surprise getaway weekend or purchase Chinese lanterns and watch them take to the sky. Very romantic.
24-Year Anniversary
- Traditional Gift: Opal
- Modern Gift: Musical Instruments
- Color: Lavender
- Gemstone: Tanzanite
- Gift Idea: Twenty-four years of wedded bliss is the perfect excuse for a night out to see a favorite band, make each other an old school “mix” tape or head to the symphony. Extra points for writing your muse an original love song!
25-Year Anniversary
- Traditional and Modern Gift: Sterling Silver
- Color: Silver
- Gemstone: Silver
- Gift Idea: Spending a quarter of a century in love is worth celebrating your "silver anniversary." For the dashing couple, treat him to a pair of cufflinks and silver earrings for her.
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26-Year Anniversary
- Traditional and Modern Gift: Artwork/Photographs
- Color: None
- Gemstone: None
- Gift Idea: Create a personal photobook for each other filled with your favorite memories and adventures you’ve shared along the way.
27-Year Anniversary
- Modern Gift: Sculpture
- Color: None
- Gemstone: None
- Gift Idea: Head to your local museum and hold hands as you explore fine works of art. Stop by the gift shop and purchase a memento to remember the occasion.
28-Year Anniversary
- Traditional Gift: Orchids
- Color: Lavender
- Gemstone: Amethyst
Gift Idea: This is the perfect occasion to get outside and explore a botanical garden. Plus, lots of fab picture opportunities!
30-Year Anniversary
- Traditional Gift: Pearl
- Modern Gift: Diamond
- Color: Green
- Gemstone: Pearl
- Gift Idea: Go with pearl or mother-of-pearl jewelry, frames, knives or picture frame.
35-Year Anniversary
- Traditional Gift: Coral
- Modern Gift: Jade
- Color: Coral
- Gemstone: Emerald
- Gift Idea: Grab your bathing suits and dive deep or reserve your chair on the cruise deck and go on a second honeymoon for your “coral” anniversary.
40-Year Anniversary
- Traditional and Modern Gift: Ruby
- Color: Red
- Gemstone: Ruby
- Gift Idea: Jewelry is a popular go-to gift after 40 years or head to the local wine shop and pick up a bottle of red wine as timeless, special and spicy as your love.
45-Year Anniversary
- Traditional and Modern Gift: Sapphire
- Color: Blue or Red
- Gemstone: Sapphire
- Gift Idea: Make your 45th anniversary colorful with a bouquet of flowers or new plants and shrubs for your home.
50-Year Anniversary
- Traditional and Modern Gift: Gold
- Color: Gold
- Gemstone: Gold or Imperial Topaz
- Gift Idea: Congrats, you made it to 50 years together! That is quite an accomplishment. The gold theme can offer lots of options for the perfect gift. Go traditional with jewelry or a gold plate with your wedding date engraved or opt for a smaller memento like a Christmas tree ornament.
Organize a 50th wedding anniversary celebration with an online sign up. View an Example
55-Year Anniversary
- Traditional and Modern Gift: Emerald
- Color: Emerald Green
- Gemstone: Alexandrite
- Gift Idea: Relive the moment where it all began by ordering a delicious cake to share with green champagne flutes. Extra points for using the cake cutter from your wedding.
60-Year Anniversary
- Traditional and Modern Gift: Diamond
- Color: Diamond White
- Gemstone: Diamond
- Gift Idea: Wow, 60 years later and still in love. You know this person better than anyone else on the planet. Take time to make a special list of 60 attributes you love about your significant other. Guaranteed to tug at the heartstrings.
Anniversaries are milestones in your ever-growing love and relationship, celebrate each and every year with something special.
Courtney McLaughlin is a freelance writer in Charlotte, N.C. She gratefully shares her life, home and heart with her daughter and their dog.
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