How to Celebrate a Wedding Anniversary

Co-authored by Ivy Summer

Last Updated: February 21, 2022 References

Whether you've been married for one year or fifty, planning and executing a wedding anniversary can feel challenging and difficult! But, if you're planning a special day in advance or even if you just remembered the night before, you can have a fantastic wedding celebration by focusing on your spouse and what makes your love special. Give them a traditional gift, incorporate your kids into your special day, or go on an impromptu vacation to celebrate your love and marriage.

Method 1

Method 1 of 4:

Giving a Gift

1
Choose to follow the traditional anniversary gift lists. Following the traditional lists can be a great source of gift ideas, while also also giving you some creative wiggle room. For example, the traditional gift to give after one year of marriage is paper, but you can give anything from a stationery set to a wall-hanging map to a scrapbook of your first year together! Important traditional anniversary gift years include:^{[1]
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- 1 year: Paper
- 5 years: Wood
- 10 years: Tin or Aluminum
- 15 years: Crystal
- 20 years: China
- 25 years: Silver
- 30 years: Pearl
- 35 years: Coral
- 40 years: Ruby
- 45 years: Sapphire
- 50 years: Gold
- If purchasing two gifts seems like overkill, talk to your spouse about buying a gift together for your house or family.
2
Exchange love letters. Write down some of your favorite things that your spouse has done for you this year, how they impress you, and why you love them. Go into detail and show your spouse you appreciate and notice them.^{[2]
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- For a bonus, instead of exchanging the letters, save them until next year's anniversary. At next year's anniversary, you can write new letters, save those, and then open the ones you wrote this year. This is a great way to start an anniversary tradition!
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3
Transform your favorite picture into a work of art. Is there a picture you love of the two of you, or of you and your family? Blow it up and have it printed on a canvas or, for an extra special touch, commission a local artist to turn the picture into a painting!^{[3]
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4
Make a mix tape. Include songs that you think your spouse might like or songs that remind you of how you feel for them. Try to make your playlist into a story about your history with your partner.
- Your spouse can also listen to this mix tape whenever you're spending time away from one another.

Method 2

Method 2 of 4:

Taking a Vacation

1
Tell your spouse to pack their bags without telling them where you're going. A surprise vacation can be more exciting, and you don't even have to go anywhere! For a quicker trip, book a local hotel room, and tell your spouse the night before to pack their bags and be ready to get picked up from work. Then, whisk them off to the hotel room for a romantic night alone.^{[4]
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2
Revisit your honeymoon location. If you had a great time on your honeymoon, take a splurge trip and go back there. Try the activities you did on your honeymoon, but don't be afraid to look outside your comfort zone and try new things!
3
Go on an adventure trip. If you love the outdoors, try an adventure trip where you can go hiking, zip lining, whitewater rafting, and scuba diving. Visit volcanoes, canyons, forests, or mountains for a great outdoors experience!^{[5]
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4
Vacation with the whole family. If you have children or other close family members, take a celebratory vacation to a family- or group-friendly place! Go to large tourist attractions like Disney World or relax on a beach. Take a cruise for an easy vacation you don't have to work too hard to plan!
5
Rent your dream car and go on a road trip. If you've always wanted to drive a sleek Porsche or your spouse has always dreamed of racing down the highway in a red Corvette, rent a car and go for a spin! If you can, drive all night until you find a hotel or, if not, do a day trip!^{[6]
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6
Take a staycation if you don't want to travel. Choose a weekend to stay at home, just the two of you. If you have kids, ask a close friend or family member if the kids can stay at their house. Do the same for any pets or other responsibilities you two might have. Take your time alone at home to have romantic dinners and watch your favorite movies together, or order takeout and relax in the bath. Relax, unwind, and celebrate another year of marriage.^{[7]
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Method 3

Method 3 of 4:

Celebrating with the Whole Family

1
Throw a party. If it's a big anniversary year, or if you just want to celebrate your love with the people closest to you, throw a party and invite them all! Sent out invitations and transform your home or rent a locale for the special day. Bonus points if you listen to the music that was popular the year you got married, or ask your guests to dress like they would have in those days.^{[8]
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2
Watch your wedding video together. This can be especially great if you have young kids who might see their mom as a princess or think of their parents kissing as gross. Toast the wedding videos with some champagne, and then turn the night into a dance party in your living room!^{[9]
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3
Go berry-picking for a relaxed day of celebration. Pick your berries and talk about your memories or, to entertain young kids, make it a competition. Then, go home and bake a pie or cobbler. Enjoy your berry concoction while you watch a movie or sit in front of the fire together.
4
Set up a movie theater in your backyard. Hang a white sheet against a fence or wall. Buy or rent a projector from your local library and screen your favorite movie, the first movie you ever saw together, or the most popular movie from the year you were married. Make popcorn and have snacks, or get a little tipsy with some “grape juice.”
- Even if you're not in the habit of publicly displaying affection, take the time to cuddle and hold hands with your love. It is your anniversary, after all!

Method 4

Method 4 of 4:

Taking a Creative Approach

1
Make a change to your home. One way to celebrate your love is by working together to make something new and exciting. Whether you've always hated the paint on the living room walls and want to refresh it, or if you think adding lights to the back porch would help make it more inviting in the summer months, get together to design and create something for your home.^{[10]
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2
Learn something new together. Married life can sometimes fall into a routine and, even if you love your daily routine, you might notice you don't learn new things or try new experiences. Take a class with your spouse to break that bubble and bring new life and fresh air into your life! Classes you could take include:^{[11]
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- A beginner language class in a language you've always wanted to learn
- A sailing or surfing class together
- A pottery-making class
- A dance class like swing or salsa
- A cooking or baking class
3
Eat dinner with your wedding china. If your wedding dishes are fancy enough, chances are they're on display or maybe even hidden away “for safekeeping” in a high cabinet or the back of your pantry. While there's probably a reason you don't want to use your wedding china every day, make your anniversary special by bringing the china out and using it for a night!^{[12]
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4
Go to the spot where you got engaged. Take this time to renew your vows or, if you don't want to do something that formal, take the time to tell each other why you'd marry each other again in a heartbeat.^{[13]
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5
Share your hopes for the future at a wishing well. Collect pennies from the year you were married and throw them into a fountain or well while making a wish. Instead of making the wishes in your head, say them out loud, and then talk about them together, and how you can support each other in the coming year.
- If you and your partner like travelling, you can also use pennies from your travels around the world!
6
Write a note in a bottle. Take an afternoon to write your love story together, and then enclose the piece of paper in a bottle and send it on its way! Not only will you be sharing your love story with the world, but you might find it exciting to think that you're sharing your love and life with someone you'll never meet!
- Make sure you don't include too-personal information, like your last name or your address.

Expert Q&A

Question

How can I celebrate my wedding anniversary at home?

Ivy Summer
Certified Wedding & Event Planner
Ivy Summer is a Certified Wedding Planner and the Owner of Voulez Events. Ivy has over 10 years of experience consulting, planning and coordinating weddings around the globe. She has also created a DIY online wedding planning workshop for couples, called "Plan Your Wedding Like A Pro." She currently resides in Greece where she continues to work with a worldwide network of planners and wedding professionals.

Ivy Summer

Certified Wedding & Event Planner

Expert Answer

Surprise your partner with a homemade dinner! This is a great way to celebrate your wedding anniversary.
Question

When taking a trip for an anniversary, who pays for it?

Community Answer

You and your partner would usually split the cost of the trip in half. However, if one spouse is financially able to treat the other, they could take on the entire cost of the trip.
Question

I don't really understand the suggestion about writing letters. Can you explain a little clearer?

Community Answer

You can write each other letters to express your love. This is kind of similar to what you did when you wrote your wedding vows. Try to be specific and highlight concrete facts and details about what you love so much about your spouse.