A note to all grooms, if you haven’t done so already, put your wedding anniversaries in your diaries now! (This may apply to some brides as well!) If possible put it in your automated forward yearly planner so you can never be accused of looking blank and forgetting, when being asked by your bride, “What day is it today?” Try and keep the romance alive, not relying on your overworked secretary to send a late bouquet of flowers!
Wedding Anniversary Customs
Roses, chocolates, jewelry, a romantic meal for two, a weekend away without the children, are all part of the wedding anniversary traditions. Also bear in mind the tradition of giving presents made out of the materials listed below.
According to whose list you research you will find some variations, e.g. the 1st anniversary is sometimes linked to paper, leather for the 12th, ivory for the 13th, wool for the 40th, silk for the 45th and diamond for the 75th.
Wedding Anniversary ….. Themes
– First ….. Paper ….. (Clocks)
– Second ….. Cotton ….. (China)
– Third ….. Leather ….. (Crystal)
– Fourth ….. Linen/Books ….. Appliances)
– Fifth ….. Wood ….. (Silverware)
– Sixth ….. Sugar/Iron ….. (Wood)
– Seventh ….. Wool ….. (Desk Sets)
– Eight ….. Bronze ….. (Linen)
– Ninth ….. Pottery ….. (Leather)
– Tenth ….. Tin ….. (Diamond Jewellery)
– Twelfth ….. Silk & Fine Linen ….. (Pearls)
– Thirteenth ….. Lace ….. (Textiles)
– Fourteenth ….. Ivory ….. (Gold Jewellery)
– Fifteenth ….. Crystal ….. (Watches)
– Twentieth ….. China ….. (Platinum)
– Twenty-fifth ….. Silver ….. (Silver)
– Thirtieth ….. Pearl ….. (Diamond)
– Thirty-fifth ….. Coral ….. (Jade)
– Fortieth ….. Ruby ….. (Ruby)
– Forty-fifth ….. Sapphire ….. (Sapphire)
– Fiftieth ….. Gold ….. (Gold)
– Fifty-fifth …..Emeral…..(Emerald)
– Sixtieth ….. Diamond ….. (Diamond)
Bearing in mind today’s marriage statistics, a wedding anniversary is an occasion to celebrate and remember the marriage vows you made to each other.