Anniversary Gifts By Year: What to Give Your Partner and Why

Anniversaries are a time to celebrate the love and life we build together year after year. As weddings for love became popular in the late 19th century, wedding anniversary themes were standardized to help commend couples on their lives together with traditional gifts.

Of course, like any tradition, these gifts have become modernized, and there are plenty of creative ways to gift paper that your partner will love. If you’re looking for wedding anniversary gift ideas, traditional themes are a great place to get inspiration before you visit your favorite boutique.

Anniversaries are the perfect annual marker of your time together, but perhaps more important are the moments that define your relationship. Marriage milestones are wonderful times when you can see your lives growing and changing—like when you buy your first home. So to help you commemorate your firsts as a couple, check out our marriage milestones gift ideas below.

Traditional wedding anniversary gift ideas by year

With each year together, you’ve created hundreds of memories and grown significantly in your lives as individuals and as partners. That’s a beautiful thing to celebrate, and wedding anniversary gifts are the perfect way to show your partner that you love your life together.

Keep things classic with an anniversary gift to suit each traditional theme, or mix things up with our ideas for modern gifting. Alternatively, take inspiration for your anniversary gifts by year from each year’s color, metal, or flower.

1st Anniversary: paper

Paper probably seems a little too simple. However, the possibilities are endless, and there are plenty of sentimental ways to gift paper. Consider a star map of your wedding day, a framed print of your first dance’s sheet music, or a poem of your first-year memories. If you want a little more wow, grab tickets to your favorite show, commission a custom painting, or schedule a one-year photo shoot.

Modern gift: Clocks are the modern alternative to paper, and you can gift a new watch or even DIY a custom clock for something extra special.

1-Year anniversary gift themes

• Color: gold or yellow
• Metal: gold
• Flower: carnation

Traditional: Minted Art Gift Card Modern: Madison Park Mason Wall Clock

2nd Anniversary: cotton

Cotton offers plenty of creative gift opportunities. Your lives are closer-knit than ever, so a custom blanket or a new outfit can make for lovely and useful gifts. You can also go the decor route with unique throw pillows, a canvas print, or a tapestry for your wall.

Modern gift: China traditionally falls further down the list, but why wait for a beautiful collection of dishware you could be enjoying now.

2-Year anniversary gift themes

• Color: red
• Gemstone: garnet
• Flower: Lily of the valley

Traditional: Parachute Cloud Cotton Robe

Modern: Lorenzo Import Margaret 57-Piece Bone China Dinnerware Set, Service for 8

3rd Anniversary: leather

Leather can last a lifetime, so this is a great year to invest in a gift that can be loved forever. A new wallet or bag are go-tos for anyone. You can also consider something specific to your partner’s hobbies, like a leather guitar strap or custom journal cover. If you don’t love wearing hides, check out guilt-free vegan leather gifts from local artists and big brands alike.

Modern gift: Crystal and glass are great alternatives to leather. Consider a decorative candle or a matching decanter and glasses set.

3-Year anniversary gift themes

• Color: white or jade green
• Gemstone: pearl
• Flower: sunflower

Traditional: Outset Leather Grill Gloves

Modern: Estelle Colored Glass Estelle Stemware Wine Glass

4th Anniversary: fruit or flowers

Fruit and flowers are a beautiful way to celebrate how your love grows and blossoms every year. Live flowers are always appreciated, but you can also preserve your flowers to create unique home decor. For a lasting gift, consider planning a garden, planting a fruit tree, or gifting art and jewelry made of fruit and floral designs.

Modern gift: Appliances are always a good investment, so consider what your home needs the most or what new gadget would be the most fun to have. Air fryers and ice cream makers are two popular choices right now.

4-Year anniversary gift themes

• Color: blue or green
• Gemstone: blue topaz
• Flower: hydrangea

Traditional: Mikasa Florale Collection Vase

Modern: Chemex Kitchen Appliances Collection

5th Anniversary: wood

After five wonderful years together, the gift of wood is tradition. This is a super customizable material, so you can gift a charcuterie board and wine rack for wine pairings, an upgrade to your bedroom suite furniture, or a customized piece of wall art for your home.

Modern gift: Consider choosing a new silverware set if you’re a fan of hosting dinner parties, or even if you’ve just lost too many to the sink disposal.

5-Year anniversary gift themes

• Color: blue, pink, or turquoise
• Gemstone: sapphire
• Flower: daisy

Traditional: Crate And Barrel Tondo Collection

Modern: ZWILLING Opus 45-Piece Flatware Set

6th Anniversary: iron

Six years of marriage is a true testament to your bond. Upgrade your kitchen with cast iron cookware that will last a lifetime, or line your yard with a beautiful new iron fence. Light fixtures, picture frames, and golf clubs are also great ways to gift iron.

Modern gift: If wood fits your aesthetic better, you can shop for garden lanterns and furniture or a decorative sign and puzzle to share.

6-Year anniversary gift themes

• Color: purple, white, or turquoise
• Gemstone: amethyst
• Flower: calla lily

Traditional: Staub Cast Iron Frying Pan

Modern: Crate And Barrel Wood Marble Wine Cooler

7th Anniversary: copper or wool

Copper and wool are paired to symbolize a strong, loving, and comfortable marriage together and are great gifts for your lucky seventh year together. Plan a date night in with cozy wool socks and sweaters, then gift a wedding photoetched in copper, matching keychains, or a copper wallet insert of your wedding vows.

Modern gift: If you’re looking for more utility, you can upgrade your partner’s desk set with custom stationery and matching office tools.

7-Year anniversary gift themes

• Color: onyx black or yellow
• Gemstone: cnyx
• Flower: freesia

Traditional: Godinger 9-Piece Copper Bar Set

Modern: Yamazaki Home Rin Desk Organizer

8th Anniversary: bronze or pottery

This year is the perfect year to gift an experience. Register you and your partner for a pottery class and make your own gifts together. If you’d rather buy something, decorative bowls, mugs, and kitchen storage are all great places to start. For bronze, consider jewelry, chimes, or an engraved money clip.

Modern Gift: Linen and lace are beautiful alternatives if you’d like to give something more delicate. You can buy your partner a stunning new outfit and plan a date night, or upgrade your home linens to something more luxurious.

8-Year anniversary gift themes

• Color: bronze or pottery
• Gemstone: tourmaline
• Flower: lilac

Traditional: Farmhouse Pottery Silo Pitcher

Modern: CULTIVER Linen 3-Piece Duvet Set

9th Anniversary: willow or pottery

Beautiful vases, porcelain tea sets, and sculptures are great pottery gifts. Give willow as a new picnic basket, a stylish ottoman or woven chair, or simply as a potted willow tree.

Modern Gift: Leather is great as luggage tags and a passport cover for your next trip, or as designer boots and a jacket for a fashionable partner.

9-Year anniversary gift themes

• Color: terracotta or copper
• Gemstone: lapis lazuli
• Flower: bird of paradise

Traditional: East Fork Pottery The Mug

Modern: Thucassi Leather Satchel Candle

10th Anniversary: tin or aluminum

Congratulations on your tenth wedding anniversary! Tin and aluminum may seem like simple gifts, but they’re used in several high-tech products that allow you to really give something special for your decade celebration. Check out smartwatches, laptop upgrades, or a projector for movie night. You can always keep it simple with a tin of their favorite tea, decorative signs, and fun vintage tins.

Modern Gift: Of course, if you really want to dazzle, the tenth wedding anniversary is also the diamond anniversary. Upgrade your wedding bands or propose to renew your vows.

10-Year anniversary gift themes

• Color: silver or blue
• Gemstone: diamond or blue sapphire
• Flower: daffodil

Traditional: ILive Mini Projector with Bluetooth

Modern: Ritani Ten Stone Diamond Wedding Ring

11th Anniversary: steel

Steel is a great way to represent your strength and resilience after eleven years of marriage. The best part is that steel is super versatile, and your gift options are endless. Cocktail sets and whiskey stones, decorative bowls, and tumblers, or even tables and decor lamps can all make wonderful steel gifts.

Modern gift: While you may skip the diamonds this year, you can still give gorgeous fashion jewelry for a sparkling gift they’ll love.

11-Year anniversary gift themes

• Color: turquoise
• Gemstone: turquoise
• Flower: morning glory

Traditional: Calphalon Premier Stainless Steel Cookware Set

Modern: Kendra Scott Davie Sterling Silver Pave Pendant Necklace

12th Anniversary: silk or linen

Silk is a lavish upgrade for your home and great for pillowcases, pajamas, and robes. Buy matching sets along with higher thread count linens, monogrammed towels, and cozy slippers to plan a spa day at home.

Modern gift: Pearls aren’t limited to stud earrings or necklaces. Look for items with pearl buttons, purl-knit sweaters, or even pearl inlays on a new guitar’s fretboard.

12-Year anniversary gift themes

• Color: oyster white or beige
• Gemstone: jade
• Flower: peony

Traditional: Casper Casper Silk Pillowcase

Modern: Mariposa Personalized Pearled Frame

13th Anniversary: lace

When choosing a lace gift, you may have to think outside the box a bit. Lace clothing is a good start, but you can find lace prints and designs on just about anything. Consider ordering a portrait made of lace, or pick up a bouquet of flowers or potted plant with a lace bow.

Modern gift: If lace isn’t your style, textiles are the modern theme, which gives you plenty of room for creativity. Order a custom quilt, tapestry, or a gorgeous new rug.

13-Year anniversary gift themes

• Color: white
• Gemstone: citrine
• Flower: chrysanthemum

Traditional: Event Blossom Satin Lace Robe

Modern: NuLOOM Rugs Outdoor Striped Yasmin Rug

14th Anniversary: ivory

While the 14th anniversary is traditionally celebrated with ivory, you’ll want to choose a gift that looks like ivory. Faux ivory chess pieces, jewelry, and cufflinks are great alternatives. To celebrate elephants over ivory, you may even consider donating to protect wildlife or a trip to the zoo.

Modern gift: You can always skip the ivory and go for gold. Jewelry is an easy choice, but you can grab gold home decor or a journal with gold trim to document your favorite memories together.

14-Year anniversary gift themes

• Color: ivory or gold
• Gemstone: opal
• Flower: dahlia

Traditional: Rifle Paper Co. X Loloi Les Fleurs Wildflower Rug

Modern: Kendra Scott Elisa Gold Vermeil Pendant Necklace

15th Anniversary: crystal

What an amazing accomplishment to grow together over 15 years! Traditionally, couples give crystal gifts to celebrate their sparkling love. Crystal champagne flutes for a proper toast are a fitting idea. You may also consider wellness crystals, crystal candle holders, or trendy crystal platters.

Modern gift: The great thing about watches is that they can be worn and enjoyed every day. You could choose a smartwatch for utility or a fashion watch to really impress, or for a home-centric gift, choose a stylish clock.

15-Year anniversary gift themes

• Color: ruby red
• Gemstone: ruby
• Flower: rose

Traditional: Waterford Lismore Pitcher

Modern: BIDKhome Marble Wall Clock with Gold Inlay

Marriage milestones to celebrate

Every year deserves to be celebrated for the memories and triumphs of your relationship. Sprinkled within those years are marriage milestones that are special moments you’ll remember forever, and they’re perfect times to celebrate, too!

When you buy your first home

Your first home together is a special first that really sets the foundation for the rest of your life. Celebrate with a portrait of your home, an ornate key ornament with your purchase date, or a custom welcome sign for your new front door.

When your family grows by one

Whether by baby or pet, growing your family is a beautiful moment of love and compassion. When you announce a baby, celebrate with a photoshoot, your last one as just the two of you, and continue to capture the moments leading up to welcoming your new bundle of joy for a precious baby book.

If you’re welcoming a fur baby, consider a custom collar and matching bracelets to keep you all close, or a custom work of art, such as a needle felting or embroidery piece of your new pet.

When you host your first holiday at home

After years of splitting family holidays, your first season as the host is a special occasion to add your own traditions. Of course, a family photo the day of is required, but you can also celebrate by updating your holiday decor. Custom stockings, a new Menorah, or enough lights for a Griswold Christmas will help welcome everyone into your home. Build a scrapbook, frame your holiday photo, or order a special ornament to always remember the occasion.

When you renew your vows

After years of marriage, there’s no doubt you and your partner are different people. It’s beautiful to have learned, loved, and grown together, and renewing your vows is one of the best ways to show that you’re more in love than ever. After you renew your vows, celebrate with a second honeymoon, upgrade your wedding bands, or buy something for your home that you’ve been considering all these years. Whatever it is, make sure it’s special to you two.

When you plan your first road trip

You likely enjoyed your first trip together on your honeymoon, and your first road trip is another vacation full of memories and plenty of quality time in the car together. Collect mementos along the way at different rest stops, tourist shops, and roadside attractions. Keep a journal of your trip, what you saw, what you talked about, and even what you listened to. There’s a ton of fun to be had on a road trip and you’ll want to remember it all. Gifts and mementos are one of the best ways to remember your lives together and how you’ve grown. From your beginning as newlyweds to each anniversary and special memory, celebrate your love with something meaningful you can hold on to forever.

Reading ahead for years to come? Continue your wedding planning here at Zola.