Wedding Anniversaries by Year: Names, Gifts and Flowers

Every wedding anniversary has its own name in Ukrainian tradition — from calico to crown. The name hints at the gift: the longer the marriage, the stronger and more precious the anniversary "material". Here are the anniversary names by year, gift and flower ideas for each date and tips for congratulating a couple or your parents. Ideas for other people and occasions are in our guide what to give: gift ideas. For unmarried couples, see relationship anniversary gifts. Ideas from children are in anniversary gifts for parents.

Anniversary bouquets can be found among our red roses and large rose bouquets, and for parents a flower basket.

View full-size photo

Anniversary names by year

The names come from folk tradition and vary slightly between sources and countries. Below is the version most common in Ukraine:

The English-language list differs: for example, the first anniversary is paper and the second is cotton. For cotton in wedding floristry, see our vintage wedding guide.

View full-size photo

The first anniversaries: gift ideas

• 1 year, calico — textiles: bedding, throws, a tablecloth; a bouquet with cotton.
• 2 years, paper — books, a photo album, concert tickets, cards; a bouquet in kraft paper.
• 3 years, leather — a wallet, belt or passport cover.
• 4 years, linen — linen napkins, clothing; a bouquet wrapped in linen.
• 5 years, wood — a wooden box, board, furniture or a tree sapling for the garden.

View full-size photo

Anniversary flowers

Flowers suit any anniversary, and some dates have them in the name: 9 years is the daisy anniversary, 10 years is the rose anniversary (roses are given), 13 years is lily-of-the-valley or lace. The number of flowers often matches the years of marriage: 25 roses for silver, 50 for golden (in large bouquets of 15+ stems, odd or even no longer matters). For milestone anniversaries, arrangements in a basket or box are practical for the festive table.

View full-size photo

Milestone anniversaries

• 10 years, rose — red or pink roses, jewellery, a romantic dinner.
• 15 years, crystal — a crystal vase with flowers, glasses.
• 20 years, porcelain — a tea set, porcelain figurines.
• 25 years, silver — silver jewellery and cutlery; white and cream flowers with silvery foliage (eucalyptus, cineraria).
• 30 years, pearl — pearl jewellery, a bouquet in white and pearly tones.
• 40 years, ruby — ruby-red roses, ruby jewellery.
• 50 years, golden — gold jewellery, yellow and cream roses, a family celebration with children and grandchildren.

View full-size photo

View full-size photo

How to congratulate your parents

• Put together a family photo album or a video of greetings from relatives.
• Order flowers and a cake for delivery if you live in another city.
• Book dinner at the restaurant where they celebrated their wedding, or a trip.
• For milestone dates, a party with guests and a photo shoot.

View full-size photo

View full-size photo

FAQ

What comes after the 5th anniversary?

6 — cast iron, 7 — copper, 8 — tin, 9 — faience (daisy), 10 — rose (tin).

How many roses for an anniversary?

Often one per year of marriage; small bouquets traditionally use an odd number.

Which anniversary is silver?

The 25th. The 50th is golden and the 60th is diamond.

Author: Maria Svitlovir

Graduated from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Institute of Biology and Medicine (2001). BSc in Biology, MSc in Horticulture. Writes about plants, works at a garden centre selecting and repotting plants, and contributes to plant reference guides.

About the author →