Best Gift Idea First Wedding Anniversary | How To Celebrate (And Why)

First Wedding Anniversary | How To Celebrate (And Why)

first anniversary

Get ready to celebrate your first wedding anniversary – celebrating the year of adjustment ! Take some ideas on how to celebrate this special date! And why!

The first wedding anniversary is a very special occasion for you two. It is only a year ago when you were a bride and a groom. Still playing newlyweds. Having fresh memories from the Big Day. Learning how to live together as a married couple. Adjusting to each other. Being frequently asked: “So, how’s married life?”.

** This following post contains some affiliate links. Despite that, the written in here is honest and based on my own opinion or/and experience, research and wish to share my findings with you!

“So, how’s married life”?

The truth is simple – there’s no guide for a perfect marriage. And the first year proves it. The first year is a transition period. Time to learn, compromise and adjust to each other. Working through our individual differences and start thinking as WE, as a team, not as I – the individual player. (Oh, it’s so wonderful to have someone supporting you, especially if this one is the person who you unconditionally love!)

Great joy and tough moments at the same time – the very special mixture for the first year of marriage. 🙂 And many “first” things that happened.

Nobody knows how the first year will pass. One thing I am sure: The first wedding anniversary will be a BIG thing! And it’s worth the efforts of spending some more time on preparing a gift for your spouse, planning a whole day celebration, organizing a gift surprise or even throwing a party. Because the First year anniversary is a one to enjoy and be proud of!

The microscopic structure of paper – image source Wikipedia

First Wedding Anniversary Symbols

Each anniversary year has its own symbols. There are traditional and modern materials related to each wedding anniversary, usually progressing from the weakest to the strongest as the years go by, to symbolize the strengthening of the relationship.

Traditionally, the first wedding anniversary is called the Paper anniversary or Paper wedding because it falls under the symbol of the paper material. But paper is not all. We can play with the colors and flowers in order to come up with some unique ideas on how to celebrate this special day – the first wedding anniversary ! AND what gift to prepare for your beloved.

TRADITIONAL SYMBOL: Paper (It symbolizes the strength that comes from the interlaced connection of the paper threads.)

Carnation & Pansy – The 1st Wedding Anniversary flowers

FLOWER: Carnation (represents the ties of lasting vows of commitment, meaning also admiration and gratitude)

Alternative Flower : Pansy (symbolizes the love or admiration of one person for another, loving thoughts, meaning Thinking of you)

COLOR: Yellow (the color of happiness, optimism, enlightenment, and creativity) ; alternatively gold

MODERN SYMBOL: Clock (remember “For those who love, time is eternity.” Henry Van Dyke from The Mansion)

Mother of Pearl Gemstone – look closer HERE

Gemstone: “Mother of pearl” (a.k.a. Nacre symbolizing comfort, caring, delight, gentleness, love, peacefulness, and solace according to ZenJewelz )

Ways to Celebrate Your 1st Anniversary:

Plan a picnic with paper plates and cups.
Plan a paper treasure hunt for your spouse by leaving clues (preferably paper ones) throughout the house that eventually leads to a romantic location. (that could be your balcony, backyard or the bedroom…)
Use paper flowers for a centerpiece for your anniversary dinner.
Start your own new family tradition like the Time Capsule with mementos that you’ll want to look back at for the years to come.
Plan a dinner at a special restaurant (where your reception was held) or plan a trip together.

scavenger hunt first anniversary celebration

Take this free printables – thanks to Moms And Munchkins

Gifts for The First Anniversary

First anniversary symbols – paper, clock, mother of pearl gemstone, gold, carnation or peony, yellow

Some great gift ideas (and quite traditional, but boring to me) are customized stationary, printed paper coasters, a handwritten love letter or a nice book. You can get a little more creative with the paper theme and find unique paper themed gifts like a customized calendar, event tickets or a map with the places the two of you would like to go together. I’ve made a huge research here and I found stunning gift ideas for the first anniversary that I wish I had known before (and it’s sooo difficult to choose which of these are the best)

Watching Your Wedding Video And Wedding Albums

If you are like us (my hubby and me), then you’ve watched your wedding video only once, fast forwarding. Why not make some popcorn, snuggle on the couch and play your lovely video, retrieving memories from your Big Day? You’ll be surprised to notice new details and find interesting moments you’ve missed the first time. Going through you wedding albums is just another option. Just remember to do it together, and only if you both wish to.

Going through you wedding albums is just another option. Just remember to do it together, and only if you both wish to.

Throwing a First Anniversary Party

Planning a party for the first wedding anniversary? Having an anniversary party sounds not as romantic as the handmade paper anniversary gift. But it will be funny for sure. Well, if you never had a wedding reception, the first anniversary is actually the best date to throw a celebration party. Choose yellow decoration, centerpieces with peonies or carnations (check these flowers’ meaning here), prepare some favors for your family and friends (saying “thank you” for the support you had in this first year), choose yellow foods, cake or cupcakes. It will be amazing!

Unfortunately, I can’t share most of the image sources, because I was collecting these long time ago via Pinterest. I’ll be glad to give credit to the original photographers, so if you know them, please comment below! Anyway, here you can find a great selection of anniversary party foods and here yellow anniversary party favors .

Set a Time Capsule

Start a new tradition – gathering significant items in a storage box / container that would be your Anniversary Time Capsule. This is something cool and when you open it, you’ll have fun for sure – both of you, your kids, your family. No matter what date you decide to be your opening date (10th anniversary if you are impatient, or 50th anniversary as classic) just make sure that you stick to the process of adding items each year. The more time passes, the more rewarding it will be when you open it! 🙂 Check some ideas for the Anniversary Time Capsule.

Cheers to the happy couple!

Whatever you are planning for your first wedding anniversary and no matter how many people you’ll involve, just remember that on this day only you and your honey will make a fuss over it. And this is normal. Anniversaries are intimate occasions and other people are not obliged to remember them. Well, I am sure your mamas and papas (and closest family members) will always make a phone call to wish you happiness. Thanks to Facebook you can share the important occasion on your Timeline and receive big attention.

Just remember – it is a celebration just about the two of you! It’s more important to wake up your wyfie or hubby showering her/him with love rather than posting on Facebook how happy you are.

The first anniversary night is a special one, too. It is like the New Year Eve when trying to figure out some things – whether did them right or wrong, questioning your own judgment. But since you have your sunshine beside you, supporting you, loving you unconditionally, everything makes sense.

And if you enjoyed that first year – think how many more you have ahead!

My first wedding anniversary flower bouquet

p.s. On our first wedding anniversary, our daughter was just born, only 20 days old. We went to a fancy Italian restaurant. Together with her. I have some white spots in my memory from those first months (moms would understand me, I am sure) – some details are honestly missing. I only remember that the food was yummy, Adriana was in my lap almost the whole evening and the staff was so nice with her. Although she was crying with her little tiny voice. We enjoyed that warm summer night, moreover, it was the first night out after giving birth; moreover – together with our sunshine! The best gift ever 🙂

p.p.s. If you have a great idea on how to celebrate the first wedding anniversary, please comment below. I’ve selected for you ideas what gift to buy for your darling . Plus more than 20 paper anniversary DIY gifts. (you’ll be stunned, I promise!)

Hugs, Annie