Weddings are one of the most important events in a married person’s life. With the continuance of marriage, comes wedding anniversaries which is celebrated every year to commemorate the wedding.

Apart from the celebration itself, wedding gifts are another important element which needs to be taken into consideration. It is a tradition for family members and friends to present their loved ones with gifts on their wedding anniversary to mutually celebrate the joy and happiness shared by the couples in overcoming all obstacles and complications during the years of their marriage. Therefore, the gift item itself must be special, personalized, meaningful and most importantly, it must be able to portray the uniqueness and strength of the couple’s commitment and relationship.

Gifts giving during wedding anniversaries dated back to the Middle Ages. During that time, there was a guideline in what gifts were given. The value of the gift increases with the number of years of the marriage and bears different meaning. The item given also varies according to different anniversaries which symbolizes the strength and maturity of the marriage.

For instance, during the medieval times, a husband will present his wife with a wreath of silver to celebrate the 25th anniversary or also known as the Silver anniversary. To mark the Golden or 50th anniversary, he would similarly crown the wife with a wreath of gold. This practice, believed to be originated from Central Europe, had since been adopted by many until now. During the Victorian Era, the 60th anniversary was appended to the original 75th diamond anniversary when the English Empire Monarch, Queen Victoria celebrated her Diamond Jubilee on her 60th anniversary of her coronation in 1897. Therefore, people during the era will present their spouse a gift of precious diamond to commemorate their 60th wedding anniversary celebration.

In 1922, Emily Post in her writings Blue Book of Social Usage had listed 1st, 5th, 10th, 15th, 20th, 25th, 50th and 75th anniversaries as what she called as the ‘Eight Anniversaries Know to All’. She also assigned an item to each of the anniversaries. The list had later being elaborated and had become the basis for the wedding anniversary gifts list we implement today. In the late 1930s, people tend to only celebrate what is known as milestone anniversaries consisting of the 1st, 10th, 20th, 25th, 50th, and 70th anniversaries. A gift item for each and every one of these milestone anniversaries was also collectively determined by the general public during that period of time.

It is always a good idea to do some research before deciding on what to buy for your parents, family members or friends to celebrate their wedding anniversaries. There are numerous books, magazines and websites that offer endless ideas of an ideal anniversary gift. You can also seek opinion from various wedding reception and party supplies vendors. These ideas can then be customized and personalized to suit your budget, preferences, celebration theme and other factors. For example, on their 50th anniversary, you can present a wedding anniversary gift for your mom and dad that is made of gold. This can be a gold-plated photo frame with a reprint of their favorite wedding photo, or a matching set of gold ring or band complete with engraving of the anniversary date and their names.

While some might prefer sticking to the gift items on the traditional list, there are also numerous modern ideas on suitable items to be given as wedding anniversary gifts. There are also some who fancies the idea of giving peculiar items. unity candles sets and memorial candles, though customarily used during weddings, can also become an interesting wedding anniversary gift. Other items that can also be given as anniversary gifts are such as a set of china, silverware, home appliances, leather goods, clothing and apparels, jewelries and decorative items and ornaments.