There are a range of traditional gifts to celebrate wedding anniversaries. Many of these items include precious gemstones or metals, or high net worth items.
Silver is used to celebrate 25 years of marriage and gold is the traditional symbol for celebrating 50 years together. Platinum would be given after 70 years of marriage.
While there are individual gemstones that can be given as a gift for each year a couple is together, the first precious stone traditionally given to celebrate a long wedding anniversary would have been a pearl, after 30 years together. Going up in incremental numbers of five, the precious stones given would be jade or coral, after 35 years, then ruby for 40 years and sapphire for 45 years. Emeralds are traditionally given after 55 years together, followed by diamond on the 60th wedding anniversary. A blue sapphire would be given on the 65th anniversary, and for celebrating 85 years of marriage, a moonstone is traditionally given.
The traditional gift for celebrating the first year of marriage is paper. This could include first editions of favourite books.
Leather is given to celebrate three years together, which could include bespoke luggage, shoes or bags.
Crystal, perhaps in the form of a vase or decanter set, or as part of an item of jewellery, is given to celebrate 15 years of marriage. Traditionally no expensive gifts would be given then until the 20th wedding anniversary, which would have been China.
If your wedding anniversary is coming up soon or if you’re buying a gift for friends or parents and you want to know the traditional anniversary gifts, we’ve got them listed below.