Traditional, Modern and Symbolic 1 Year Anniversary Gifts
Below is a list of both traditional and modern gift materials, as well as classic flower and gemstone symbols, which mark a couple’s 1st wedding anniversary in countries around the world…
| Traditional Gift – UK |  | Cotton & Paper |
| Traditional Gift – US |  | Paper |
| Traditional Gift – Australia |  | Paper |
| Traditional Gifts – Canada |  | Paper |
| Traditional Gift – Spain |  | Paper |
| Traditional Gift – Germany |  | Paper |
| Traditional Gift – France |  | Cotton |
| Traditional Gift – Italy |  | Paper |
| Flower Gift |  | Carnations |
| Gemstone Gift |  | Mother Of Pearl |
| Modern Gift |  | Clock |
Discover the 1st year anniversary
- About 1st Wedding Anniversary
- How to Celebrate Your 1st Wedding Anniversary
- Common Questions About the 1st Wedding Anniversary
- 1st Wedding Anniversary Gifts for Him
- 1st Wedding Anniversary Gifts for Her
- 1st Wedding Anniversary Gifts for In-laws
- 1st Wedding Anniversary Gifts for Couples
About 1st Wedding Anniversaries
The 1st wedding anniversary is a major milestone and cause for celebration. After one year of marriage, you have navigated the ups and downs of your first year as a married couple and have hopefully settled into a comfortable rhythm of wedded bliss. Traditionally known as the paper anniversary, the 1st anniversary is a time to express your love and devotion to your spouse.
Paper gifts are symbolic of how fragile and blank your marriage was at the beginning, like a blank sheet of paper. But over the first year, you have started writing your story together and the paper has become a cherished love letter or photo album filled with memories.
The 1st wedding anniversary is all about togetherness, intimacy and connection. Focus on romance, sentiment and quality time together. And don’t forget to pop the cork on a bottle of champagne to toast to the first of many happy years to come! Wishing you both a very happy 1st anniversary!
SEA GLASS HAPPY ANNIVERSARY [Etsy]
A wonderful handmade artwork displaying two birds in love and a heart shaped balloon, all made with sea glass and pebbles. The sea glass and pebbles are collected by the artists from the beautiful Mediterranean beaches in Southern Spain.
The perfect frame for an Anniversary gift.
How to Celebrate a 1st Anniversary
Your 1st wedding anniversary is a monumental milestone to celebrate. The first of life’s chapters creates cherished memories you will look back on fondly for years to come.
After 12 months of marriage, you understand your spouse’s interests and passions on a deeper level. Combine a romantic getaway to an exotic destination with an activity you both enjoy. For example, visit a cultured pearl farm by the sea and take a diving course to search for your own precious gems.
Closer to home, modern gift ideas include concert or theater tickets followed by a candlelit dinner overlooking a body of water. Capture the flickering candlelight reflecting off the rippling waters in stunning photos for your wedding album.
Making memories together doing things you both love will strengthen your connection and set the tone for more decades of adventures to come. Your 1st anniversary is a time to celebrate how far you’ve come as a couple and look ahead to the bright future that lies before you.
If I had a flower for every time I thought of you, I could walk in my garden forever.”
Quoted by: Alfred Lord Tennyson
1st Wedding Anniversary Gifts for Him, Her… and the Couple
For your 1st wedding anniversary, choose gifts you both can enjoy together. After all, your first year of marriage was all about meshing your lives and bonding as a couple. Some sentimental paper gift ideas for the two of you include:
- Photo album or scrapbook: Work together to create a scrapbook highlighting moments from your wedding and first year of marriage. Share the experience of choosing and arranging photos and adding captions while reminiscing about your favorite memories.
- Puzzle books: Crossword, Sudoku or other puzzle books provide an activity you can do together. Curl up on your anniversary, pour some drinks and work through the puzzles as a team. Not only fun but also a perfect metaphor for how you come together to solve any challenges life presents.
- Tickets: Buy tickets to an upcoming show, play, concert or sporting event you’ll attend together. Frame the tickets or put them in your wedding album as a reminder of the quality time you make for just the two of you.
- Loveseat: For a bigger gift, a loveseat is ideal for cozying up together to read, watch movies or just chat and reconnect. Leave little love notes or treats tucked between the cushions as an added surprise.
- Custom stationary: Personalized stationery for writing letters and notes to each other. Start a tradition of writing heartfelt love letters on your anniversary each year. Seal them with wax for an extra special romantic touch.
- Bath & body set: A basket filled with luxurious bath products, plush towels, bubble bath and bath salts provides everything needed for a relaxing couples bath on your anniversary. Light some candles, pour a glass of wine and unwind together.
The perfect 1st wedding anniversary gifts celebrate intimacy, romance and togetherness. Choosing paper gifts you can share in creating or experience together will make your first anniversary one you’ll always remember.
Common Questions About the 1st Wedding Anniversary
Q: What is the 1st wedding anniversary called?
A: The 1st wedding anniversary is known as the Paper Anniversary.
Q: What is the 1st wedding anniversary gemstone?
A: The 1st wedding anniversary gemstone is Mother of Pearl, an iridescent substance that forms on the inner layer of shells.
Q: What is the 1st wedding anniversary symbol?
A: The 1st wedding anniversary is symbolised by paper anniversary.
Q: What is the 1st wedding anniversary colour?
A: The colour synonymous with the 1st wedding anniversary is Yellow.
Q: What are the traditional and modern gifts for a 1st wedding anniversary?
A: The traditional gift for the 1st wedding anniversary is paper, and the modern gift is a clock.
Q: What is the 1st year anniversary flower?
A: The classic flower for 1st wedding anniversary celebrations is the Carnation. Carnations are used to symbolize affection.
1st Wedding Anniversary Gifts for Him
What should I buy my husband on our 1st wedding anniversary?
For your 1st wedding anniversary, stick with the traditional paper gift. A heartfelt love letter or poem expressing your feelings for your husband is a sentimental gift he will cherish for years to come. You could also create a photo album or scrapbook highlighting memories from your first year of marriage. Other paper gift ideas include:
- Tickets to his favorite sports team or a concert he’s been wanting to see. Frame the tickets for display.
- A book by his favorite author. You can include a handwritten note about what he means to you inside the cover.
- A map showing the location of a special spot where you shared a memorable experience in the past year. Note the significance of that place in your relationship.
- Stationery or a journal for writing letters or notes to each other. Continue the tradition of writing letters on your anniversary for an ongoing, romantic keepsake.
- Crossword or Sudoku books for quiet moments together. Curl up and work through the puzzles as a team.
A paper gift personalized with a heartfelt message or inside jokes you share will make your 1st anniversary one he’ll never forget. Focusing on intimacy and connection will set the right tone for your next year of marriage and beyond.
A first year gift for him can be romantic yet simple. Here are some ideas to get you started…
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1st Wedding Anniversary Gifts for Her
What should I buy my wife on our 1st wedding anniversary?
For your paper anniversary, a sentimental gift from the heart is always a good choice for your wife. Consider writing her a love letter telling her what this first year of marriage has meant to you. Seal it in a decorative envelope for her to open on your anniversary.
Some other thoughtful paper gift ideas include:
- A scrapbook or photo album of memories from your wedding and first year together. Include captions describing what you cherish most about your new life as a married couple.
- A star named after her. You can name a star through official star registry services and they will provide a paper certificate commemorating it.
- Spa set with stationary for writing love notes. Include scented paper, pens, sealing wax and a seal with your monogram or wedding date.
- A book of love poems. Choose a leather-bound volume and include a dedication page at the front handwritten by you.
- Maps from your honeymoon or other travels in the past year. Frame them or save them in a decorative folder or album. Highlight meaningful spots on the maps to revisit together.
- Love coupons she can redeem for a back massage, her favorite treat, movie night with you or whatever else she would enjoy. Make the coupons from decorative paper.
Sea Glass Peacock [Etsy]
A wonderful framed unique design of a colourful peacock made with genuine sea glass. The message reads “Sometimes all you need is a splash of colour”. The sea glass is collected by the artist from the beautiful Mediterranean beaches in Southern Spain.
This makes for a lovely and unique anniversary gift to give to your loved one.
A gift personal to your wife and relationship will make your 1st anniversary unforgettable. Focus on pampering and expressing your undying love and devotion. With love and laughter, here’s to many more joyous years together!
Below are some ideas for gifts that your wife may appreciate and cherish….
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To mark this special day, plant some flowers in your garden or in a planter (the traditional 1st wedding anniversary flower is the carnation). Or maybe put together a framed print of another treasured moment together. Check out some of our other gift suggestions below…
1st Anniversary Gifts for In-laws
Choosing a 1st wedding anniversary gift for your daughter and son-in-law or your parents-in-law doesn’t have to be challenging. Traditionally, the 1st anniversary is the paper anniversary, so there are many thoughtful yet affordable paper gifts that your in-laws would surely appreciate.
For your daughter and new son-in-law, consider:
- A scrapbook or photo album highlighting moments from their wedding day and first year of marriage. Include spaces for them to add memories from years to come.
- Love note stationery. Give them decorative paper, pens and sealing wax to write love letters to each other for their anniversary each year.
- A story or poem about their relationship personalized with details only you know as her parent. Read it aloud to them over a special dinner or cocktails.
- Maps from their honeymoon or travels together in the past year. Have the maps framed so they can display them as art in their home as a reminder of their adventures.
For your parents-in-law, thoughtful paper gifts could be:
- A framed family tree or timeline showing the growth of their family over the years. Include names and photos of their children, grandchildren and other special family events.
- A book of crossword or Sudoku puzzles for them to do together. Include a handwritten dedication celebrating their years of love and teamwork.
- Gift certificates to see a play or musical and then go out for a nice dinner. Give them an experience they can enjoy and share in together.
- A photo album or framed photos of the two of them from their wedding and over the years. Let them know you cherish them and the loving relationship they’ve built.
Any of these sentimental paper gifts would be a meaningful way to honor your in-laws 1st wedding anniversary and forge an even stronger bond. Wishing them many more happy years together!
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1st Wedding Anniversary Gifts for Couple
Buying something for friends or your daughter and son in-law that got married last year? Here are some gift ideas to help you get some inspiration for something that you can buy for both of them:
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Travel & Experience Gifts
Who doesn’t enjoy getting away, even just a weekend away for a romantic night in a quaint hotel? Or a hot air balloon ride that you can enjoy together?
Still looking for some more travel and experience inspiration? Here are some additional ideas…
- Location visit (romantic and passionate)
- Tickets (concert, sports event, museum, musical, etc.)
- Short romantic hotel stay
- Restaurant (candlelit dinner for two)
- Glamping break for two
- Spa day for two
Something Different & Unique
- Learn a new craft or take a course involving a shared interest.
- Enjoy a surprise holiday getaway.
- Initiate a traditional celebration (theatre, adventure day).
- Arrange an animal experience day (falconry, zoo, horse riding).
A little history of anniversary gifts
So why were certain materials chosen as presents to symbolise specific anniversaries? To a certain extent, the reasons and meaning are clouded in mystery.
However, it is generally believed that increasingly durable gifts were chosen for successive years to represent the progressive strengthening of the marriage relationship. As the years go by, gifts increase in strength and value – from paper to diamond.
In whatever way you decide to celebrate your 1st wedding anniversary with your partner, make sure it is accompanied by oodles of romance and love.
Looking for more inspiration? Check out our 1st Anniversary UK Gift Ideas.
Next Anniversaries
2nd wedding anniversary
3rd wedding anniversary
4th wedding anniversary
5th wedding anniversary
6th wedding anniversary
About The Author
This page has been written by Justin Aldridge. Justin is passionate about helping couples to make their anniversary as special as possible. Justin enjoys being creative and coming up with different and inspiring ideas for couples to celebrate their anniversary in style each year.
An anniversary sundial is a good idea, a clock that uses the sun. There is one that you can find online that sits on the windowsill and makes rainbows in the room when the sun shines, and you can have it made with an anniversary line that the sun will follow on the special day. We love ours!
Great tips! I have one to add to your article. My sister-in-law received a sketch of her wedding dress created by a Dreamlines artist. It was so impressive that my husband gave me one on our wedding day. It was the most detailed, pretty and just perfect gift. I can’t say enough nice things about this company and gift idea.
Awesome list! I’d also add getting a personalized comic book as a great ‘paper wedding anniversary’. I got one for my partner and he loved it 🙂
I love the ideas in this post! Thank you for sharing!