Wedding anniversaries are momentous events that highlight a couple’s success as one entity. Whether it is first or fiftieth, a wedding anniversary is a chance for everyone to note that another year was survived together.
While normal, common gifts are most acceptable and pleasing to accept, everyone knows that with a little bit of effort and time, custom-made or Do-It-Yourself gifts make wonderful, memorable presents. You may need to buy a book and learn some lesser known skills like quilting, photography or knitting, but just the attempt at those will show the amount of love and care you have for the person or persons receiving your gift.
One unique wedding anniversary gift can be done through photography. Take old photos dating back to the wedding day itself (or as close as possible if that is not possible) and in chronological order, montage them together with yearly pictures of the couple with or without their children. Try and pick one photo for each year of their married life. How you decorate and line the pictures up will be totally up to you. You may wish to put their wedding photo in the middle of the frame with all the years around it, or start in the top left corner and end with the newest pictures in the bottom right. Set the montage up in a nice, decorative frame and you will have the perfect gift to last a lifetime.
If you still have the original wedding program or wedding vows, you can also frame them in a delicate frame of pearl, ivory or sterling silver. Or have the frame personalized with a monogram. This would make a beautiful showpiece in the heart and home. If you have the gumption for it, take up a totally new skill like quilting. Scanned pictures that are sewn into a quilt make for everlasting memories – plus the quilt can actually be used to keep one warm or hung up as a decorative piece.
An anniversary party may appeal to some but not to others, who may wish for a quieter celebration. If the former is up your spouse’s street, humor him or her with a party of close friends and family members and surprise everyone with an exact replica of your wedding cake and topper. Otherwise, have a quiet dinner at a favorite restaurant and still surprise her with the wedding cake double. It would be even better if you celebrated back at the restaurant of your first date or where you met. At any costs, save any personal gifts for the privacy of your home when no one but the two of you are around as you do not want to spoil the romantic moment.
Another unique but equally meaningful present is matching jewelry. If both of you are into wearing jewelry, have matching bracelets, rings or pendants custom made with both your initials. If this seems over the top for you, consider a matching set of bracelet and ring (or any other combination) for the both of you. It evokes the thought of “I’m with you every time I’m wearing this” and is tantamount to matching wedding rings.
Other less costly presents can be made yourself. Dig up old newspapers, magazines, brochures or any other printed material dating back to your wedding day and put them all into a stick-it photo album. Let your partner peruse through the whole file of the day you got married and come to the final page of your wedding day announcement in the local paper. Or improvise and have one article per year on each page of the album. Start with your wedding photos, move through an article (make sure each article is a significant happening, preferably not a tragedy) for each year you were married and end with a recent picture of the both of you. Leave the next pages empty so you can fill them in as the years go by to signify going through every single event in the world together.
Naming a star (you can do this online), compiling a love song CD with all the hit songs of the year you were married or buying vintage wine with your names engraved on the bottle as a keepsake are all unique ideas and simple enough to do without being too costly.
A simple thought goes a long way. And at the end of the day, it is really the thought that counts. The whole idea of celebrating an anniversary with a gift is to remember the importance of the moment when two became one, and to signify the joy of that union.
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