The first anniversary is traditionally called “The Paper Anniversary”. Maybe that’s because the ink is barely dry on the marriage certificate, and maybe it’s because the marriage is so young that it’s not solid enough to warrant a medal—or a metal. This list of first anniversary gifts has lots of the traditional paper represented, but we included some other elements to keep it interesting.
Not paper! Paris is the city of love. Walk the streets hand in hand, go down to the banks of the Seine and share a bottle of wine and a baguette, and you’ll understand why lovers claim this city as their own. This first anniversary gift brings the magic of Paris to your home.
$24.00
Giving roses is the traditional way to say I love you. This first anniversary gift combines that tradition with the whole paper thing: a red paper rose. This one comes in a little pot and has a Happy First Anniversary card included.
$23.64
For better or for worse (ha!) anniversary gifts seem to be focused on the woman’s side of the equation. This is a gift for the husband—because hey, he’s fifty percent of the deal. It’s a handmade steel keychain with a sweet quote that will remind him of his marriage every time he reaches for his keys.
$30.00
A picture is worth a thousand words, but a picture with a poem below it might get you a thousand kisses. This personalized, framed couple’s photo comes with a heartfelt love poem mounted tastefully below your favorite photo. Receive the frame in the mail, add the photo, and you have a perfect gift.
$37.99
The first anniversary is the paper anniversary, an Origami is the art of paper—which makes Origami jewelry the perfect way to celebrate the paper anniversary. These handmade butterfly rings will make her hands feel like magic—just like the day you said your vows.
$19.95
We’ve covered paper, rock, a little bit of metal, and now we’ve got some wood. It’s a downright elemental list. This elegant music box plays “Unchained Melody” and can be personalized with pictures and a special message to your spouse. Open it up and slow dance: ladies choice!
$35.00
This anniversary is the first of many, many more to come. Start recording the memories now with this classic, elegant, and traditional memory book. It’s one hundred pages long, and includes celebration prompts, picture frames, and much more. It’s oversized—17X8.5—so it will make a great coffee table conversation starter.
$25.00
These handmade paper earrings are definitely for a woman who’s a little bit funky and non-traditional. Gold, beet, and purple toned hoops mounted on sterling silver ear hoops give these a hip, modern look. The best part about them is that they’re light, so they’re great for women who don’t like heavy earrings.
$22.00
From the hip and funky to the cute and conventional, this figurine pair from Special Moments is about as traditional as it gets. It’s perfect for the couple who had a fairy-tale wedding, dinner, and reception right out of a bridal magazine. It’s the ultimate romantic gift, perfect for home display.
$54.46
Literature lovers, couples who go bonkers for books, and reading renegades will love this first anniversary gift. It’s a book folded creatively to display the couple’s initials one either side of a heart. Each book is made to order, comes in a gift wrap, and opens and closes for easy storage.
$59.99
Your love and marriage can stand the test of time, and you can show your spouse you know it. Keep track of the best years of your life with this cool Origami clock. We guarantee this will be one of the most memorable, creative gifts you can find or give.
$40.00
12 months, 52 weeks, 365 days, 8,760 hours, 525,000 minutes, 31,536,000 seconds…but who’s counting? You still have a life time to go. This burlap wall hanging lets your spouse know you’ve cherished every single moment of your first year of marriage, and you can’t wait for the tally to grow.
$18.50
Drop it…. Hammer Time! Oh, yes we did. This personalized hammer makes a great first anniversary gift for a man, but we’d be remiss if we didn’t accept the fact that the fixer-upper in your house might be the woman. Whoever drives the nails in your marriage, this gift will give them a smile, and a new tool to boot.
$34.95
Relive your honeymoon night when you give her this smooth, sexy robe as a first anniversary gift. She may be expecting something paper, but we say be bold and daring: give her something slinky and satin. Keep the romance alive and let her know you’re still as passionate as the day you met.
$16.90
You are my everything. That’s what this one boils down to. When your spouse is the one who keeps you sane, comforts you, counsels, you, holds you, makes you laugh, makes you feel safe and taken care of no matter what, then they’re your anchor. They’re your everything—this first anniversary, say it all with this print.
$18.00
What a cool idea! This first anniversary gift is a handmade watercolor based on a picture of your house that you send in to the artist. She’ll send you a draft sketch and painting with you, you approve it, and she puts on the finishing touches. Home sweet home—cool, right?
$120.00
Get ready, because this first anniversary paper gift will make you guffaw. Put down your coffee unless you want to spray it all over the newspaper. They say true intimacy shares everything. If you two can laugh at this one, we think you’ll be celebrating many, many anniversaries to come.
$16.71
Personalized Love Art/Messsage
For couples who have a personal song, poem, favorite quotation from scripture, this makes an adorable first anniversary gift. The words of your choice serve as the background for two hearts hanging from a tree branch—like two lovers on swings, dreaming of a life together.
$35.00
This paper flower necklace is a unique combination of girly, funky, and just plain pretty. Pink and purple swirls evoke flowers, modern art patterns—it all depends on how you want to see it. Each necklace is custom made upon order, and no two are precisely alike.
$35.00
This sweet family portrait is like the famous American Gothic painting minus the whole spooky gothic vibe. They look so happy with their cartoony smiles, their award winning pig, and well-behaved chicken. Bring a smile to your face with this personalized portrait. Every young family’s kitchen needs one of these.
$50.00
We can hear the conversation: “Hon, let’s not do anything major. It’s just the paper anniversary. Dinner, no big gifts?” “Good idea. Let’s save it for when it counts.” If you’re that couple, then this is the gift for you. This mouse pad will be close at hand all the time so your spouse can remember this one—even though it’s no big deal.
$19.42
Paper anniversary, Origami is paper art—we get all that. But silver jewelry is always a winner. Here’s a way to kill all three birds (but not the crane!) with one stone: a silver pendant crafted to look just like an Origami crane. This first anniversary gift adds a unique wrinkle to the situation.
$37.13
Maybe you and your spouse don’t want to do anything fancy for your first anniversary. Maybe you just want to stay at home for a quiet homemade dinner and a bottle of wine. But you can’t help yourself: you have to give a gift. Combine it all with this personalized wooden wine box: quality alone time, wine, and a cool gift.
$78.95
For the spiritual couple who said their vows in a traditional church setting, this first anniversary gift is a fitting way to commemorate the occasion. This special gift is carved from cherry wood and is made to be displayed on the wall as a testament and reminder of the special day you said “I do”.
$49.99
If your funky bride doesn’t want a necklace, has plenty of earrings, but just loves a cool bangle, look no further. We can even see a man wearing this first anniversary gift. It’s made from upcycled and it’s coated to keep it safe from the elements. Definitely an alternative gift for an alternative couple.
$30.00
And in closing, I’d like to confirm: The State of Our Union is Strong! You might not be the President and the speech you make may not be before a joint session of Congress, but you can verify that the state of your marriage is unshakable with this custom print. Choose your location, provide your names, and you’ll have a lovely first anniversary gift.
Prices Vary
Personalize your paper anniversary with this art print. The two of you are represented as love birds sitting together on the branch of a tree, happy together. Provide the artist with your names and your wedding date. She’ll send you this tasteful wall art you can display with pride.
$27.99
Say it all at once. Say it over and over and over again. Or do both at the same time—plus flowers. This first anniversary gift takes the three words all wives want to hear, combines them with the gift all wives want to get, and puts them in one special bouquet to mark that one special day.
$75.00
We’ve offered some pretty cool paper flowers on this list—but these are something different. They have a one-of-a-kind art-deco feel to them and they’re a sure-fire conversation starter. Each flower is two inches wide, comes mounted on a nine-inch stem and is wrapped in a decorative satin ribbon.
$28.00
If you wrote your own vows, you probably agonized over them for hours on end, making sure you got them just right. If you went traditional, you trusted your priest or the person who conducted your ceremony to say the right thing. This gift puts those vows on paper—on a tie clip. He’ll have them as a reminder wherever he goes.
$59.00
This creative first anniversary gift idea is truly inspired. The artisan takes your wedding photo, creates a silhouette from high-quality black cardstock, and mounts it on a professional grade portrait backing. The result is a new take on your wedding picture: that perfect moment, re-imagined for your paper anniversary.
Prices Vary
This one is for the cyclists out there. You know that if life is one big bike ride, then your marriage, well, you marriage must be a tandem bike. Which means your life together is one sweet ride. This personalized bike print says all that in one classic image we’re sure will become a family keepsake.
$38.00
8 DIY First Anniversary Gifts
Location, location, location. It’s important in real estate, and it’s important in relationships. This DIY tutorial shows you how to make a paper first anniversary gift showing where the lucky couple first met, where they got married, and where they moved. You’ll just need a picture frame, the right maps, and basic craft supplies.
You have plans to take your spouse out somewhere special, but just like location is everything in real estate (and relationships), presentation can be everything when it comes to first anniversary gifts. This creative tutorial give you a great idea—and the how-to—for presenting your spouse with a wonderful anniversary date idea.
They’re playing your song! You want to memorialize that one song that tells the story of your love, and the paper anniversary is a perfect opportunity to do it with just seven simple steps. The materials are easy: your song lyrics typed out, a couple sheets of photo paper, a picture frame, scissors, tape, and a ruler.
Here’s a DIY so simple even a man can do it. No offense to all the crafty men out there, but we have the feeling most of you don’t spend much time making lovey-dovey gifts. Get yourself some spray paint, glue, a piece of printer paper, a picture frame, and a bit of sandpaper—then look at the picture. It almost makes itself!
Okay, so we admit that not all women are super-duper DIY masters either. So here’s one that’s totally girly but not quite to craftsy. All you need is a spare shoe box, craft paper and fabric, a collection of envelopes, and your own ideas. This anniversary gift is for the first one and many years to come.
The first wedding anniversary is all about the big “O”—got you! “O” as in “One” you naughty rascal. This DIY delivers step-by-step for making the paper anniversary special by creating a big, fancy, decorated cardboard “ONE”. It will remind you that you aren’t newlyweds anymore, and you have your whole life ahead.
Your first year together was filled with highs and lows, ups and downs, challenges and amazing moments you’ll never forget. Chances are—if you’re living in the 21st century—that many of these memories are digitized. On Instagram, that is. This tutorial shows you how to take all those wonderful images from your first year together and put them in a cute paper first anniversary album.
(You may also like: 42 One-of-a-Kind Jewelry Gifts for Her)
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