Of all the anniversaries you will share with your loved one, the one marking the completion of that first year of marriage is probably the most significant.

During your first 12 months together, the chances are that both of you have grown and your lives will have changed. There will have been some adjustments to make and you will have shared some good times and maybe some bad.

As a husband and wife team, you will have come through them stronger with deeper understanding of yourself and your soul-mate. Hopefully you will have added a new dimension of sharing and intimacy within this time period, and come to respect each other’s individually while blending to become a strong loving unit.

The first year of marriage can be one of great enrichment and you should be proud to have reached this milestone together. Now is the perfect time to gratefully acknowledge the benefits that this union has brought to the both of you.

Each couple’s wedding anniversary ideas can be as personal and unique as the circumstances that brought you together. Perhaps you are young childhood sweethearts; on your second or even third marriage; or even a senior couple that has found loving companionship in your golden years. Whatever your circumstances, your first wedding anniversary and how you celebrate it is a reflection of you the couple.

Some First Wedding Anniversary Ideas

1. Many couples celebrate their wedding anniversary by going out to dinner. Why not pack a picnic basket with paper plates, cups and serviettes and have an intimate picnic for two in some secluded spot. If the weather is not favourable you can still have your picnic in the car with the radio playing low in the background.
2. Some couples like to celebrate in the midst of friends and family, so a dinner party including your bridal party and parents may be appropriate. You can save yourselves a lot of work if you make it pot-luck and everyone brings a plate and a bottle something to drink.
3. For the stay-at-home types, a quiet romantic dinner at home may be more suited to you. You don’t need to cook up a feast, some of your favourite dishes will suffice or you can order in. Set the mood with scented candle light, nice music in the background, flowers on the table, and of course a bottle of bubbly.
4. For a really intimate anniversary celebration try a candlelit bubble bath for two. Use scented bath salts, bubble bath and Rose petals. Light scented candles, and have chilled bubbly and chocolate coated strawberries to share.
5. For others, a quiet evening on a rug in front of the fire or under candle light with a favorite bottle of wine while going through your wedding album is a nice way to spend your anniversary. This is also a great opportunity to put together a photo album or scrap-book with photos and mementos of your first year together. The simple act of remembering your year together will bring you closer and strengthen the bond between you.

Some First Wedding Anniversary Gift Ideas.

Your first wedding anniversary is most often known as the “Paper Anniversary”, the completion of the first page of your love story. While paper in itself might be relatively inexpensive, you can make it precious by the way you make use of it.

• Personalized note paper or letterheads
• Tickets for a performance; the ballet, a show, or a concert. (Gents, no sports tickets please)
• A scrapbook or photo album
• A book of love poetry or inspirational verse
• A paper tole picture frame
• A perpetual diary or calendar
• A Wedding Anniversary Remembrance book
• A paper flower arrangement
• A card with a hidden personal romantic message
• A framed hand-written love poem or letter.

You see, just because an anniversary is signified by a certain element, it doesn’t mean you are limited to the literal. Use your imagination and creativity to think outside the box and find your perfect romantic wedding anniversary idea.