Trying to figure out the different wedding anniversary gifts by year can be a minefield; between understanding the different milestones and what they represent, to then figuring out the appropriate modern gifting alternative, it's no surprise people around the world get confused.
There's no need to panic, because we've all been there, and now we wanted to write a guide to help you understand a bit better! Below, we've collected a list of anniversary gifts by year, both traditional and a suitable modern alternative that your partner is bound to love.
Although of course they're all important, it can also be hard to figure out the ones that matter the most. To make it super easy for you to understand, we've highlighted the classic "milestone wedding anniversaries" in green... so you know which ones should get a bit more of your attention!
| Year | Traditional gift (UK) | Suggested modern gift |
|---|---|---|
| 1st | Paper | Engraved glass clock |
| 2nd | Cotton | Personalised glass tableware for the home |
| 3rd | Leather | Engraved leather keyring |
| 4th | Fruit / Flowers | Engraved glass vase |
| 5th | Wood | Personalised wooden photo frame |
| 6th | Sugar / Iron | Luxury chocolate / confectionery hamper |
| 7th | Copper / Wool | Copper photo frame or pure wool throw |
| 8th | Bronze | Bronze / rose-gold jewellery |
| 9th | Willow / Pottery | Engraved glass or crystal vase |
| 10th | Tin | Tin or aluminium keepsake box |
| 11th | Steel | Stainless-steel tankard |
| 12th | Silk / Linen | Engraved wine glasses |
| 13th | Lace | Romantic engraved glassware / Valentine-style gift |
| 14th | Ivory (ethical alternative) | Ivory-tone jewellery or keepsake box |
| 15th | Crystal | Diamante / crystal glassware set |
| 16th | Wax | Crystal candle / tealight holder |
| 20th | China | Fine bone china dinner set / tea set |
| 25th | Silver | Silver photo frame |
| 30th | Pearl | Elegant diamante glassware (pearl-adjacent) |
| 35th | Coral | Coral-coloured jewellery or scarf |
| 40th | Ruby | ‘Beloved heart’ red wine glass |
| 45th | Sapphire | Sapphire jewellery or blue-stone pendant |
| 50th | Gold | Gold jewellery / gold-plated watch |
| 55th | Emerald | Emerald jewellery |
| 60th | Diamond | Diamond jewellery / diamond-set watch |
| 65th | Blue sapphire | Blue sapphire jewellery |
| 70th | Platinum | Platinum jewellery |
| 75th | Diamond (again!) | Diamond-themed luxury gift (jewellery, watch, crystal) |
| 80th | Oak | Engraved oak photo frame / oak keepsake box |
| 85th | Wine | Pair of engraved wine glasses |
| 90th | Granite / Stone | Engraved stone / crystal keepsake |
If you're interested in a little bit more of the history behind any of the anniversaries above, keep reading to find out why some of the anniversaries are called what they are, where the original wedding anniversary gifts by year came from, and anything else interesting we could find!
Example history.
Example traditional 1st wedding anniversary gift.
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