The historic origins of wedding anniversaries date back to the Holy Roman Empire, when husbands crowned their wives with a silver wreath on their twenty-fifth anniversary, and a gold wreath on the fiftieth. Later, in the twentieth century, more anniversary gift types were added.
This is a big list and we are adding new ideas for each anniversary as we find great gifts that she will love.
Note – In Australia, you may receive a letter of congratulations from the Governor-General on the 50th and all subsequent wedding anniversaries.
Anniversary Gift Ideas
Year | Traditional | Modern | Alternate | Flowers | Alternate Stones |
1 | Paper | Plastic | Clocks | Pansy | Gold Jewelry Alt: Peridot |
2 | Cotton | Cotton and Calico | China | Cosmos | Garnet |
3 | Leather | Leather | Crystal and Glass | Fuchsia | Pearls Alt: Jade |
4 | Fruit and Flowers | Linen, Silk, Nylon | Appliances | Geranium | Blue Topaz Alt: Blue Zircon |
5 | Wood | Wood | Silverware | Daisy | Sapphire Alt: Pink Tourmaline |
6 | Candy | Iron | Wood | Calla Lily | Amethyst Alt: Turquoise |
7 | Copper and Wool | Brass | Desk Sets | Jack-in-the-Pulpit | Onyx Alt: Yellow Sapphire |
8 | Bronze | Pottery | Linen | Clematis | Tourmaline Alt: Tanzanite |
9 | Pottery | Willow | Leather | Poppy | Lapis Lazuli Alt: Amethyst |
10 | Tin | Aluminum | Diamond | Daffodil | Diamond Alt: Blue Sapphire |
11 | Steel | Steel | Jewelry | Morning Glory | Turquoise Alt: Citrine |
12 | Silk | Linen | Pearl | Peony | Jade Alt: Opal |
13 | Lace | Lace | Textiles, Faux Fur | Hollyhock | Citrine Alt: Moonstone, Hawk's Eye |
14 | Ivory (use only elephant-friendly material) | Ivory (only elephant-friendly material) | Gold | Dahlia | Opal Alt: Agate, Bloodstone |
15 | Crystal | Glass | Watches | Rose | Ruby Alt: Alexandrite, Rhodolite Garnet |
16 | Silver Holloware | Wax candle flowers | Peridot Alt: Red Spinel | ||
17 | Furniture | Shell roses | Watch Alt: Carnelian | ||
18 | Porcelain | Feather flowers | Cat's Eye or Chrysoberyl | ||
19 | Bronze | Chili pepper roses | Aquamarine | ||
20 | China | China | Platinum | Day Lily | Emerald Alt: Yellow or Golden Diamond |
21 | Brass and Nickel | Iolite | |||
22 | Copper | Spinel | |||
23 | Silver Plate | Imperial Topaz | |||
24 | Musical Instruments | 2 dozen roses | Tanzanite | ||
25 | Silver | Silver | Silver | Iris | Silver Jubilee |
26 | Pictures | 26 fine chocolates | |||
27 | Sculpture | ||||
28 | Orchids | Orchid | |||
29 | Furniture | ||||
30 | Pearl | Pearl | Pearl | Sweet Pea | Pearl Jubilee |
31 | Timepieces | ||||
32 | Transportation | ||||
33 | Amethyst | Amethyst | |||
34 | Opal | Opal | |||
35 | Coral | Coral and Jade | Jade | Emerald | |
36 | Bone China | ||||
37 | Alabaster | ||||
38 | Beryl | Tourmaline | Beryl Alt: Tourmaline | ||
39 | Lace | ||||
40 | Ruby | Garnet | Ruby | Nasturtium | Ruby |
41 | Land | ||||
42 | Real Estate | ||||
43 | Travel | ||||
44 | Gourmet | ||||
45 | Sapphire | Sapphire | Sapphire | Cat's Eye | |
46 | Poetry | ||||
47 | Books | ||||
48 | Optical | ||||
49 | Luxury Goods | ||||
50 | Gold | Gold | Gold | Violet | Golden Jubilee Alt: Imperial or Golden Topaz |
55 | Emerald | Turquoise | Emerald | Alexandrite | |
60 | Diamond | Gold | Diamond | Diamond Jubilee Alt: Star Ruby | |
65 | Diamond | Gold | Diamond | Blue Spinel | |
70 | Diamond | Gold | Diamond | Sapphire Jubilee Alt: Smoky Quartz | |
75 | Diamond | Gold | Diamond | Diamond Jubilee | |
80 | Diamond | Ruby Jubilee |