Second Marriage Anniversaries

Second marriages get less fuss than first ones and often deserve more. Nobody arrives at one accidentally, and by then both people know exactly what they're signing up for.

The practical questions are the same every year: which year are we counting, do the adult children get involved, and how do you write a card that doesn't feel like a repeat.

The symbols are the symbols - paper at one, wood at five, silver at twenty-five - and they apply exactly the same way to a second marriage as to a first.

Anniversary cards, printed in the UK

Blank inside, so the joke and the year are yours. Drawn and printed by us in the UK and posted first class.

I Still Fancy You Peach Emoji Anniversary Card I Still Fancy You Peach Emoji Anniversary Card £3.87 There's Someone For All Of Us (Funny Wedding Card) There's Someone For All Of Us (Funny Wedding Card) £3.87 I Still Fancy You Eggplant Emoji Anniversary Card I Still Fancy You Eggplant Emoji Anniversary Card £3.87 365 Days Still Not Bored Anniversary Card 365 Days Still Not Bored Anniversary Card £3.87 Personalised Polaroid-style wedding card featuring an illustrated wedding cake and the text Just Married with custom names. Just Married Cake Polaroid Wedding Day Card (Personalised Names) £3.87 Personalised Wedding Card Featuring Pigeons Personalised Wedding Card Featuring Pigeons £3.87

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Which year do you count?

  • Count from the wedding date of this marriage. That's what almost everyone does.
  • Some couples who were together long before marrying mark the together-date instead. That's fine too - pick one and stay with it.
  • Don't run two counts at once. It turns an easy day into an admin problem.
  • The traditional symbols apply normally: paper at one, wood at five, tin at ten, and so on.

Gift ideas for a second marriage anniversary

  • A print of somewhere that belongs to this marriage, not an earlier one.
  • A photograph of the day, printed and framed - second weddings are often smaller and less photographed.
  • Something for the home you built together, which in a second marriage is usually a real achievement.
  • A meal with the blended family, if everyone's on decent terms.
  • A night away, which second-marriage couples tend to value more than objects.
  • The symbol for the year, taken literally and kept small.

Card wording for your husband or wife

  • Second time round, and finally the right one. Happy anniversary.
  • Another year of us. Worth the wait and the detour.
  • Happy anniversary. Best decision I've made twice.
  • I knew what I was doing this time, and I'd do it again tomorrow.
  • Happy anniversary. Everything before this was research.
  • A year on. Still the calmest, best thing in my life.

From stepchildren, or about the blended family

  • Happy anniversary to you both, from all of us - however we're related.
  • Congratulations on another year. Thanks for making this lot work.
  • Happy anniversary. You've built something good out of something complicated.
  • To the two of you, and the strange and excellent family that came with it.
  • Happy anniversary. Nobody's done this better.

What to avoid writing

  • Any reference to a previous marriage, however jokey.
  • 'Second time lucky' from anyone other than the couple themselves.
  • Comparisons to the first wedding, even flattering ones.
  • Anything that involves ex-partners or the children's other parent.

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Prints for the wall

A5, A4 and A3 art prints, drawn in house and printed in the UK. They post flat and frame easily.

All You Need Is Love / Love Is All You Need Print (A5 - A3) All You Need Is Love / Love Is All You Need Print (A5 - A3) £8.00 Look At The Stars Song Lyrics Print (A5 - A3) Look At The Stars Song Lyrics Print (A5 - A3) £8.00 Music Sounds Better With You Music Print (A5 - A3) Music Sounds Better With You Music Print (A5 - A3) £8.00 99 Problems but Excel Ain't One (A5 - A3) 99 Problems but Excel Ain't One (A5 - A3) £8.00 12 Days of Christmas Lyrics Print 12 Days of Christmas Lyrics Print £6.00 Play That Funky Music Print (A5 - A3) Play That Funky Music Print (A5 - A3) £8.00 99 Problems, Prompting Ain't One A6 Postcard 99 Problems, Prompting Ain't One A6 Postcard £3.00 Play That Funky Music Print A6 Postcard Play That Funky Music Print A6 Postcard £3.00

How to write it so it lands

  • Count from this wedding date and stick to it.
  • Never mention a previous marriage in the card.
  • Second weddings are under-photographed - printed photos land well.

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Frequently asked questions

Which anniversary do you count in a second marriage?

Almost everyone counts from the wedding date of the current marriage, with the usual symbols applying normally. Some couples who were together for years first count from that date instead - either works, as long as you pick one.

Do the traditional anniversary symbols apply to a second marriage?

Yes. Paper at one, wood at five, tin at ten, silver at twenty-five - the list applies exactly the same way regardless of whether it's a first or second marriage.

What do you write in a second marriage anniversary card?

Write about this marriage only. Never reference a previous one, even as a joke, and avoid 'second time lucky' unless the couple say it about themselves.

Should stepchildren give an anniversary card?

If the relationship is good, yes - and a card signed by everyone in a blended family tends to mean a great deal. Keep it warm and about the two of them.

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