It can take a few years to plan the wedding of your dreams. You may also choose to get engaged without any immediate wedding plans at all – lots of people see it as the next natural step in their relationship.
Whatever your plans may be for the big day itself, the anniversary of your engagement is something that should be celebrated. What better way to do that than by buying each other engagement anniversary gifts to mark the occasion?
Remember that perfect day when your special someone got down on one knee and asked you to be with them forever? Of course, you do.
Engagements are a significant life event, and people tell the story of how they got engaged for many years to come, marking the date as one for the memory books.
Well, that’s exactly what an engagement anniversary is. It’s the anniversary of the date on which you got engaged to be married. When your engagement lasts longer than one year, as so many do, it’s a date to commemorate and take a moment to show each other just how much you can’t wait to get married.
Firstly, why not? It doesn’t have to be something big and expensive if you’re counting the pennies before the big day – just a little special memento to let your other half know how much they mean to you.
If you’re planning a wedding or just enjoying being a fiance for a while, giving an engagement anniversary gift can be a wonderful thing to do. It’s a simple but highly significant gesture that reminds your special someone just how excited you are to be with them and marry them.
Your chosen gift will depend on what your loved one likes and how much you want to spend. There are plenty of traditional options, such as jewellery and more unique ideas depending on what they like.
If you’re sold on the idea of an engagement anniversary gift, you’re probably thinking, “great, but what should I get?”
Don’t panic. It doesn’t need anything too specific, and it doesn’t even need to be anniversary themed if you don’t want it to be. It should just be something that marks the importance of the day you both decided to be with each other forever.
Below are some ideas to help give you a bit of food for thought.
One year after your engagement, why not celebrate the moment with a photoshoot? You could hire a professional photographer to take some pictures or even enlist the help of a friend or family member who’s got a good eye and is handy with a camera.
A top tip is that if you’re already planning the wedding and have chosen your photographer for the day, why not ask them if they are free for a short engagement anniversary shoot? If they’re available, they could include it in their overall price or give you a discount on their usual fee. It’s a great way to get comfortable with having your picture taken ahead of the wedding day, and you’ll also be able to see your photographer’s work so you can get excited about the big event!
Life didn’t stop after you got engaged. Over the last year, you’ll have been busy making new memories as you live your life together. A perfect way to celebrate everything you’ve done together over the last year is with a photobook. You could make this full of photographs of things you’ve done since the engagement or beyond.
If you’re thinking about doing something a little bit bigger and your budget can stretch to it, why not plan a weekend away for the two of you? It could be going back to the place you got engaged, a trip to your favourite place in the world, or maybe somewhere new that you’ve both wanted to go.
If you’ve already booked the wedding and are getting married at a venue like a hotel, why not see if you could book in for a night? It can build up anticipation about what’s to come and provide much-needed alone time.
When you got engaged, you might have had someone there taking pictures professionally at the time. Even if you didn’t, you are likely to have some pictures taken by loved ones as you let them know you were engaged or even from an engagement party. If you have a particular photograph commemorating the special occasion, why not get it blown up and put in a frame? Every time they look at it, they will be reminded of how wonderful the day was.
A timepiece with an inscription such as the date of your engagement or a simple “I love you” is something that your special someone can treasure forever. A beautiful watch can even be worn on the wedding day and will serve as a great reminder of how much love you have for one another.
When planning an engagement, many people spend considerable time thinking about how to make it just right. The location. The date. The outfit. It’s all important.
Was the location of your engagement somewhere that’s special to you both? If so, a fun and unique way to capture the memory is with a framed picture of a constellation map.
What better idea for a 1st engagement anniversary gift for him than memorialising in time the starry night sky that was above you on that special day?
Imagine presenting your loved one with a beautifully designed box that contains little mementoes of all the memories you’ve made together as a couple. Have your names engraved in the wood and tell them that you’ve gathered a collection of memories from all the good times you’ve spent together.
You could also have one of these boxes made with your wedding date on it if you’ve planned that far ahead. That way, you can both fill it with your favourite memories from the day, and it could also serve as somewhere for people to put their cards and presents for you at the wedding ceremony.
Is your husband-to-be always at the driving range? Why not buy him some personalised golf balls? You can have them inscribed with his name or even something that means something to the both of you.
When you’re engaged and busy planning a wedding, it can be really stressful. There are always a million things to do, and it’s easy to forget to make time for one another and still go out on dates. A scratch-off date poster is a fun way of choosing a date night and might even give you some new ideas you haven’t thought of before.
For something extra special but more expensive, you could arrange for your loved one to have an experience day. What you choose as a gift for your husband-to-be on your engagement anniversary will depend on their hobbies. Popular choices often include luxury car experiences, hot air balloon rides, and brewery tours.
They can use it as a day to themself before the wedding or save it as something to look forward to later.
If you’re just about to start the wedding planning process, a wedding planner can come in handy and is an excellent idea for a gift. It helps you to keep everything on track, make sure you’ve got everything you need and gives her somewhere to write down all her ideas for the day.
Many planners also have a budgeting section and somewhere to store all of your receipts so you can easily track how much you’re spending.
And if you can get one that’s personalised, even better.
Diamonds are a girl’s best friend, after all. It’s more of a luxury gift but getting your wife-to-be something with diamonds for an engagement anniversary gift is a generous and supremely romantic way to celebrate the occasion.
A pair of diamond earrings or necklace will also be perfect for her to keep and wear on the wedding day.
If she’s been busy planning the wedding, she will appreciate a little time to herself that’s just about her. Why not treat her to a spa day or shopping trip?
You know her the best and how she likes to spend her time alone, but she deserves to pamper herself and take a minute away from the stress of table planning and emailing vendors.
Who doesn’t like cupcakes? You could order a delivery of cookies or cupcakes that are decorated however you like. Common decoration ideas include having your engagement anniversary date, your initials, and his and hers suits and dresses.
If there’s something special and unique, that’s important to the two of you, speak to the bakery company and see if they can accommodate you. You can either eat them together or share them with your family and friends (if you’re feeling generous).
It’s a classic, but it still works. Delivery of a lovely bunch of her favourite flowers is a simple gesture that goes a long way. You could even incorporate some of the flowers you’ve chosen for the big day as a sweet reminder to let her know how excited you are to marry her.
Whatever you choose, it should be a token of your love and appreciation for your husband or wife-to-be. When considering the right gift to buy, it can be something as big or small as you like and that your budget will allow.
The critical thing to remember is that its purpose is simply to take a moment to show your loved one how excited you are to be marrying them.
If you’ve splashed out on a beautiful ring for your ‘other half’, make sure you find the right insurance to keep it safe. Here at TH March, our team of experts are on hand to provide you with specialist insurance for your engagement ring so you and your fiancé can relax and cherish your special jewellery for many years to come.
TH March offers its customers access to elite levels of support. A dedicated claims handler will deal with your claims, easing the process for you. Get in touch with TH March today to discuss your jewellery insurance needs.