I came to the conclusion a couple of years ago that I’m not a very good gift giver. I took a quiz to determine what my love language was and learned that mine are quality time and acts of service. This definitely made since because I generally prefer to give gifts where I get to spend time with the person doing an activity that they’ve been wanting to do or enjoy. However, I have really jumped on board with the themed wedding anniversary gifts by year. To be honest, David and I don’t generally get each other gifts because we opt for trips and experiences instead. We’ve learned that we can get themed gifts for each year without breaking the bank so we can still opt to have those trips as well as stick to the traditional gift giving! Here are wedding anniversary gift ideas for your other half for years 1-5.
Wedding Anniversary Gift Ideas for your Other Half:
Years 1-5
Year 1: Paper or Clocks
Stationary is such a great gift idea no matter the occasion and these personalized notecards by Erisha are so good! I linked her entire collection below with over 450 options. We had a custom watercolor portrait made of one of our 1st anniversary pictures. It’s such a great, personal gift idea to celebrate a first anniversary! I really enjoy notebooks, especially Rifle Paper Co, so these are such pretty options. David really likes these and keeps one with him at all times. For a bit of a splurge, an Apple Watch is a functional gift for your person. David and I both are obsessed with ours so we definitely recommend! I love a good coffee table book and this bucket list one is such a perfect one to add to your collection.
one // two // three // four // five
Year 2: Cotton or China
For year 2, a traditional gift would be made from cotton while modern are China. For a personalized gift option, a canvas wall art with coordinates from your wedding location are a thoughtful gift. You can’t go wrong with a Chinoiserie vase for the China option. I feel like you can never have too many robes and this unisex one from Parachute looks so cozy! I also think you can never have too many good sets of sheets and this set of Egyptian cotton sateen sheets is so soft! One of my favorite gifts I’ve ever received was our MacKenzie-Childs tea kettle and this set with different tea leaves would be make such a thoughtful gift.
six // seven // eight // nine // ten
Year 3 – Leather or Crystal/Glass
The most perfect gift for year 3 is a pair of Estelle Colored Glass champagne coupes. I personally love the Amber Smoke color. Pair it with your favorite bottle of bubbles to enjoy! This sustainably sourced leather wallet is ultra slim and has hidden pockets for extra storage. Pottery Barn has the prettiest leather jewelry boxes in 5 different sizes with 5 different color options. Plus you can get it monogrammed. I love the travel cases! A flask in the iconic Barbour plaid with leather trim is a chic take on a traditional flask. We received a unique crystal decanter as a wedding gift and it is still one of my favorite gifts we’ve received to date. This one is such a beautiful shape from Waterford Crystal, though there are several options here at different price points and Estelle Colored Glass has stunning options as well.
eleven // twelve // thirteen // fourteen // fifteen
Year 4 – Fruit & Flowers or Appliances
For flowers, consider having their bridal bouquet re-created! Or order a bouquet featuring their favorite flowers from your local florist. I also love Farmgirl Flowers and this minimalist bouquet is simply gorgeous. Pick up a batch of chocolate covered strawberries and a bottle of champagne (and maybe use the champagne coupes from the previous year!) and enjoy. You can make your own using this recipe. For a more luxurious gift, these roses will last up to a year. Diptyque are truly worth the money and are an elegant touch for a bedroom. I had gardenias in my wedding bouquet, so I love the gardenia scent.
sixteen // seventeen // eighteen // nineteen // twenty
Year 5 – Wood or Silverware
Head to a local nursery (if you’re local to Raleigh, head to Fairview Garden Center!) and pick up either a tree to plant outdoors if you have the space or grab one for indoors. If you’re worried about keeping an indoor plant alive, Pottery Barn has some good options for faux trees. We received a really nice cake serving set, so if that isn’t something that you got as a wedding gift, pick up a set and serve with a small cake for your anniversary celebration. Another gift idea would be a set of charcuterie knives. These gold ones are so pretty! I’ve gotten a lot of use out of our bathtub caddy–pair it with a bottle of wine and a bubble bath. A wooden docking station/organizer for a nightstand is another idea for your person.
twenty-one // twenty-two // twenty-three // twenty-four // twenty-five
Shop the Post
See our previous anniversary travels here:
One: Charleston | Two: Staycation | Three: Nashville | Four: Lakeview at Fontana
You can also see my previous anniversary tributes here:
First Anniversary | Second Anniversary | Third Anniversary | Fourth Anniversary | Fifth Anniversary
For more of our wedding posts here. Find some of our favorite summer date nights here.
This post was originally published in 2019 and has since been updated and recirculated for 2022.
