When it comes to symbols to mark special wedding anniversaries most all people are well aware that especially important anniversaries such as the 25th and the 40th wedding anniversary are tied together with precious stones such as diamonds and rubies. What a lot of people do not realize is that there are symbols that mark every wedding anniversary up until the 15th and the every 5th anniversary after that. The following list is all of the symbols and the wedding anniversary that they correspond with.
Traditional Anniversary Symbols 1st Wedding Anniversary - Paper
2nd Wedding Anniversary - Cotton
3rd Wedding Anniversary - Leather
4th Wedding Anniversary - Books
5th Wedding Anniversary - Wood
6th Wedding Anniversary - Sugar, candy
7th Wedding Anniversary - Wool, cooper
8th Wedding Anniversary - Bronze, pottery
9th Wedding Anniversary - Pottery, willow
10th Wedding Anniversary - Tin, aluminium
11th Wedding Anniversary - Steel
12th Wedding Anniversary - Silk, linen
13th Wedding Anniversary - Lace
14th Wedding Anniversary - Ivory
15th Wedding Anniversary - Crystal
20th Wedding Anniversary - China
25th Wedding Anniversary - Silver
30th Wedding Anniversary - Pearl
35th Wedding Anniversary - Coral
40th Wedding Anniversary - Ruby
45th Wedding Anniversary - Sapphire
50th Wedding Anniversary - Gold
60th Wedding Anniversary - Diamond
75th Wedding Anniversary ? Diamond
The 25th anniversary which is also known as the Silver Anniversary and the 50th anniversary also known as the Golden Anniversary are the most commonly recognized of all wedding anniversaries. The symbols that mark all of the other wedding anniversary dates have been added to the list more recently and there has also been a more modern list that ties in the missing years of the 16th through the 19th years of marriage. A very interesting fact about this list is that for the 100th wedding anniversary the symbol is a ten carat diamond. Wouldn't that be nice?While many people consult with the more modern list of symbols the majority of people that base their gift giving off of this list prefer the more traditional version.
A wedding anniversary is indeed a fantastic reason for celebration as it is a beautiful symbol of a couples continued commitment and love for one another. A super special occasion such as a wedding anniversary is a time that should be commemorated with special gifts.
You do not have to be par t of the couple celebrating their anniversary to be able to give a gift that corresponds with how many years that the couple has been married. You can easily find a list of both modern and traditional gifts that correspond with how many years that a couple has been married. For an example if you happen to be a married couple in the United States and have been married for fifteen years then the traditional gift that you would receive would be crystal while the modern anniversary gift would be watches. These types of anniversary gifts will vary slightly between the United States and the United Kingdom . There is also a list of flowers that correspond with the number of years that a person has been married. Again using fifteen years of marriage as an example the proper flower gift would be the rose.
While purchasing an anniversary gift following these traditional guidelines is a wonderful idea you do not need to trying to select an official gift. You can not go wrong with choosing a gift that goes along with something that the couple enjoys doing together. A gift like this would be a wonderful way to encourage a shared pastime. So if you are sure that the happy couple enjoys something like camping, wine, or cooking it would be an excellent idea to select a gift that goes along with their particular interest.
When you are part of a married couple that will soon be celebrating an anniversary you could choose to get your other half something that will allow them to enjoy a hobby that they are quite fond of taking part in. Being able to encourage a partner in a hobby that they enjoy doing on their own is a fantastic way to help foster a healthy marriage. For example, if the husband likes to cook then how about a new set of knives or cookware and if the wife like crafts how about a gift certificate to a local craft shop?
The most thoughtful anniversary gifts are the ones that really keep the individual people or the couple as a whole in mind. You should do your best to find a gift that truly compliments a couples life and lets them know that you have taken your time selecting the gift and really thought about them. There are always those generic type gifts that are acceptable to give to any type of couple however when you take the time to find a thoughtful gift you are really showing the couple that you care.
The most successful anniversary parties start with an idea - how the event will begin, continue and end. Having a finite and concrete party checklist to plan in helps you to keep your wedding anniversary party right on track.
1. The best thing to do when creating any party is to develop a theme. By creating a theme you can set the mood, location, food ideas and attire as well as invitations. A theme doesn't need to be fancy; it just needs to be something both you and your spouse / friends are interested in. Some ideas of themes that can be very fun are:
Decade parties - Fabulous 50's, Swingin' 60's, Disco 70's. Famous Movie Themes - pick a movie you love and create your theme around it. High school / Sock Hop Pool Party Pig Roast Western Theme.
2. At this stage you have probably found your theme. Now it is time to create a guest list for your event. 'Theming' your invitations allows you to start the party them off right. Start your invites about three weeks before the event. Ask your guests to be creative and come with the appropriate attire if possible, and encourage them to be creative and have fun. Focus on people you correspond with often, and known people who are fun 'party people' (we all know who they are!) I find homemade (DIY) invitations are always more fun than store bought ones; however both do the trick
3. Create your menu. Search for serving dishes which correspond to your anniversary party theme. Finger foods are always a hit as they are light, easy to prepare and are a quick clean-up. If you wish for a larger event, organize your food preparation help, or even contact a caterer. Create your grocery list about three weeks before the event.
4. Party decorations are important. They help establish the mood and ambience. Again, we go back to the party theme for ideas here. Lighting is also very important. Search for lighting ideas that correspond to the theme i.e. 70's themed parties should have at least one disco ball to be sure!
5. Games, games and fun stuff! Always plan for creative anniversary party games. Spin the bottle, famous dances and Twister are always a blast. If games are not your thing, consider live entertaintment -A D.J., live band, comedian all have worked very well in the past.
6. Beverages are an important part of the party. Decide (based on your personal preferences and location) whether there will be an open bar, BYOB, or virgin refreshments. Inform guests in their invites as to whether to plan to drive or take a cab. Cab services that drive your vehicle home for you (with you in it of course!) are a great alternative and allow you to make 'on the spot' decisions regarding transportation.
6. Most of all, sit back and have fun. Not everything will always go your way, but if you have followed your anniversary party checklist, your event should be very rewarding.
Three to four weeks before event:
Choose your theme Prepare Grocery List coordinate cleaning / after-party helpers Select Caterer (if applicable) Collect food preparation items, serving plates and utensils Develop your guest list Create or purchase your party invitations Plan and purchase or create your decorations.
A couple of days before the event:
Contact any follow-ups for guests. Begin preparing any food that needs to be done. Run over your checklist again to ensure everything is in place Set out your costume or attire
The morning of the party
Relax Begin preparing food Run over your checklist one last time Sit back, have fun and enjoy your creation~!
Both Gen Wright & Jen Carter are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.