Anniversary celebration ideas

Anniversaries don't all deserve the same treatment. The first and the fifth are for the couple; the silver, ruby and golden ones are family events.

Below: ideas grouped by year, the traditional gift materials so you don't have to look them up, low-key options for the in-between years, and card wording.

Pick one thing and do it properly - a good meal beats a half-planned party every time.

Early anniversaries: 1 to 5 years

• Eat the top tier of the wedding cake on the first, if it survived the freezer.
• Go back to the restaurant from the first date.
• A night away, booked by whichever of you forgets less often.
• Recreate the wedding breakfast at home.
• Write a letter each to open on the tenth.
• A framed print of the wedding date or the venue.

10 to 20 years

• A meal with the friends who were at the wedding.
• A weekend in the city where you honeymooned.
• A family photo taken properly, because the last one was the wedding.
• A party at home - by now there are children old enough to help.
• Renew vows quietly, with two witnesses and a pub lunch.

Silver, ruby and golden

• Silver (25): a party with the wedding playlist and silver decorations.
• Ruby (40): red and gold, a long lunch, grandchildren involved.
• Golden (50): afternoon tea or Sunday lunch, gold and ivory, a slideshow.
• Diamond (60): royal congratulations can be requested through GOV.UK.
• For all of them: seats, an afternoon slot, and three hours maximum.

Traditional anniversary materials

• 1st paper, 2nd cotton, 3rd leather, 4th linen, 5th wood.
• 10th tin, 15th crystal, 20th china.
• 25th silver, 30th pearl, 35th coral, 40th ruby.
• 45th sapphire, 50th gold, 55th emerald, 60th diamond.
• Use the material as a prompt, not a rule - a paper print for the first works better than an actual ream.

Low-key ways to mark it

• Cook the meal you had on the first date.
• Walk the route you walked after the wedding.
• One card each, written properly rather than signed.
• A photo in the same pose every year, framed as a set.
• Plant something in the garden for it.

What to write in an anniversary card

• Happy anniversary - still the best decision either of us made.
• Another year of you. Lucky me.
• Congratulations on [number] years. Here's to plenty more.
• To the pair of you - thank you for showing us how it's done.
• Happy anniversary. Same time next year.

Shop anniversary cards

Cake toppers and decorations

Toppers, banners and confetti, designed in house and printed in the UK.

How to write it so it lands

• Use the traditional material as a prompt for a print or keepsake, not literally.
• Big years get an afternoon gathering; small years get a good dinner.
• Take the same photo every year and frame the set at twenty-five.
• Write the card properly - it outlasts the gift.

Where to shop next

• Baby shower ideas
• Celebration cake ideas and toppers
• Celebration of life ideas
• Engagement celebration ideas
• Graduation celebration ideas
• Retirement celebration ideas
• 50th wedding anniversary ideas
• Celebration quotes
• Christening celebration ideas
• Housewarming celebration ideas
• Anniversary cards
• 25th anniversary cards
• 40th anniversary cards
• Planning the party? Birthday party ideas
• How to make a balloon arch
• Photo booth prop ideas

Frequently asked questions

What are the traditional anniversary gifts by year?

Paper, cotton, leather, linen and wood for the first five years, then tin at ten, crystal at fifteen, china at twenty, silver at twenty-five, pearl at thirty, ruby at forty, gold at fifty and diamond at sixty.

Which anniversaries are the big ones?

The first, then silver at twenty-five, ruby at forty, golden at fifty and diamond at sixty. Those four later ones are usually family gatherings rather than a night out for two.

How do you celebrate an anniversary at home?

Cook the meal from the first date, open something you've been saving, look through the wedding photos, and write proper cards rather than signed ones.