It’s a year since you tied the knot, and while besotted with your bride, the reality of a lifelong commitment to choosing the perfect wedding anniversary gifts each year has begun to sink in.
Remembering the anniversary alone can often feel like an achievement as it is, let alone sourcing the perfect wedding anniversary gifts too. We get it, wedding anniversary ideas can be overwhelming.
Much like the wedding day, wedding anniversary gifts can often feel like the kind of thing you have to get right. You need to place the right amount of careful consideration into your choice so that the traditional wedding anniversary gifts or romantic gift ideas you go for will be loved and welcomed.
And while we’d all love to take notes from celebs like Blake Lively who commissioned art for hubby Ryan Reynolds, it’s fair to say they are perhaps a little out of the average budget.
But rest assured, jewellery pieces always provide timeless wedding anniversary gifts that you can be assured will be loved, cherished and act as a perfect symbolic celebration of your union.
Whether your bride is into gold jewellery or silver jewellery, rings, necklaces, charms or gemstones, there are a range of traditional wedding gifts to suit every woman.
The best part too is, if you’re unsure which way to go but know she is on the sentimental side, there are certain traditional wedding anniversary gifts that are considered symbolic, with gemstones representing significant year milestones.
To make life a little easier for you, creating an occasion you can enjoy rather than feel stressed about, we’ve compiled a wedding anniversary gift ideas guide that includes both modern and traditional wedding anniversary gift ideas to match each year of marriage.
Wedding Anniversary Gift Ideas Your Bride Will Love
Wondering just what will suit your beautiful bride best? We’ve curated a list of thoughtful jewellery wedding anniversary gifts to suit every type of woman.
Romantic anniversary ideas
For the bride that’s a true romantic and naturally drawn to sentimentalism, this lover will likely be particularly enamoured by romantic anniversary gift ideas that hold symbolic meaning between you.
Wedding anniversary gifts that likely speak to this bride are jewellery that holds a dual meaning or purpose. The best romantic anniversary ideas for her could be:
Locket pendant necklaces
True magic is capturing a moment and freezing it in time to cherish forever. The locket is the keeper of beautiful moments, with a picture from your wedding together along with a solid gold or sterling silver chain, beautiful wedding anniversary gifts that she can keep close to her heart forever.
Within the Francesca collection, we have both gold and silver necklace options and a choice of an oval locket (the Oval Locket) and rectangular locket (the Bevel Locket), both with the option to keep a precious moment in time from your wedding or a special memory you shared close to their heart.
Charm necklaces or bracelets
Charms are such a divine way to symbolise a loving connection, a story, a memory of your time spent together. Within the Francesca collection, we have a beautiful array of charms that could be linked to bracelets or necklaces and act as symbolic wedding anniversary gifts.
Charm ideas could include: Infinite charm (the infinity symbol represents an eternal bond and limitless love, the Lock charm (to represent that you hold the key to unlock her heart), Luminous charm (to represent that her inner light always shines bright in your life) or the Behold charm (because she has your heart, need we say more?).
Traditional wedding anniversary gifts
For the bride that cherishes ancient marriage commitments and traditions, think ‘something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue’ traditions, this lover will likely enjoy the more traditional wedding anniversary gifts and customs of the same gemstone jewellery that her grandmother and great grandmother received.
Wedding anniversary gifts that will speak to this bride are distinct jewellery pieces that are known to symbolise certain years of marriage.
As history has it, It is said that the traditional wedding anniversary gifts concept first was created by American Author Emily Post who wrote on the topic of etiquette, where she listed recommended anniversary gift ideas in her book 'Etiquette’ published in 1922.
In the book she outlined the best jewellery inspired wedding anniversary gift ideas for the first anniversary, followed by the fifth anniversary, and then every five years, concluding at the 50th wedding anniversary. Over time the American National Retail Jeweler Association expanded on this list in 1937 by filling in the missing years.
Read on further below for a summary of the traditional wedding anniversary gifts from the first to the 20th wedding anniversary. For now, we have listed key Francesca pieces that tie in nicely as traditional anniversary gifts.
All that glitters is gold
According to sacred customs, gold jewellery in any form, are considered the best traditional wedding anniversary gifts to give your beloved bride on your first year married.
Solid gold jewellery is often considered much more traditional than silver and timeless in its beauty.
Within the Francesca collection, we have a beautiful array of solid gold jewellery from rings to necklaces and bracelets that could be the perfect wedding anniversary gifts.
With the first year or marriage a very symbolic time, we recommend adding a subtle solid gold ring band to stack on top of her wedding ring and engagement ring duo.
Solid gold ring bands we adore include the Binding band (braided gold ring), Align band (solid gold plain ring), Entwine band (one way braided gold ring) or to be a little ‘extra’ the Twine band - braided solid gold ring that features a beautiful diamond at the centre.
Diamond rings and diamond jewellery
‘Diamonds are a girls’ best friend,’ according to Marilyn Munroe and well... every woman ever.
Be it your tenth wedding anniversary or any other year of marriage, diamonds are iconic milestone pieces and traditional wedding anniversary gifts that forever symbolise love and adoration.
Within the Francesca collection, we have beautiful and unique diamond and solid gold pieces that suit all jewellery preferences - from diamond earrings to diamond necklaces and rings.
For further ideas and gemstone suggestions to suit your year milestone, read on for the traditional wedding anniversary gifts according to the original 19th century romantics.
Top 20 Traditional Wedding Anniversary Gifts By Gemstone Type
Read on for the best gift ideas for wedding anniversary according to tradition.
1st wedding anniversary gifts - Gold
2nd wedding anniversary gifts - Garnet
3rd wedding anniversary gifts - Pearls
4th wedding anniversary gifts - Blue topaz
5th wedding anniversary gifts - Sapphire
6th wedding anniversary gifts - Amethyst
7th wedding anniversary gifts - Onyx
8th wedding anniversary gifts - Tourmaline
9th wedding anniversary gifts - Lapis lazuli
10th wedding anniversary gifts - Diamond jewellery
11th wedding anniversary gifts - Turquoise
12th wedding anniversary gifts - Jade
13th wedding anniversary gifts - Citrine
14th wedding anniversary gifts - Opal
15th wedding anniversary gifts - Ruby
16th wedding anniversary gifts - Peridot
17th wedding anniversary gifts - Watches
18th wedding anniversary gifts - Cats eye
19th wedding anniversary gifts - Aquamarine
20th wedding anniversary gifts - Emerald
To buy your bride a gift she will remember forever or to find wedding anniversary idea inspiration, go to Francesca shop to view our full range of wedding anniversary gifts including latest gemstone, diamond and gold jewellery pieces.