One-Year Anniversary Gift Guide

Just like that, James and I are officially in our second year of marriage! We celebrated in my hometown earlier this week with a bottle of Prosecco and delicious dinner at Biaggi’s. It was low-key and fun — just our style. And we dug into our year-old lemon wedding cake from Janet’s at the end of the night. We didn’t know what to expect, but it ended up tasting pretty darn good! I think that’s all due to my mom’s expert packaging.

James and I agreed a couple of months ago that we wouldn’t get each other anniversary gifts because we would rather save money to go toward buying a house or going on a vacation. No surprise, we both got each other gifts anyway. And we both went the traditional route, choosing paper gifts to celebrate our first year of marriage. James got me two beautiful art prints from a local shop that I can’t wait to get framed. And I got him tickets to see Brian Wilson at the Ryman in September — a concert we’re both really looking forward to.

The best gifts are never the most expensive — they’re the gifts that are most personal. I came across so many beautiful ideas while trying to figure out what to get James, so I thought I’d share some of my favorite one-year anniversary paper gift ideas. Do you and your spouse stick to the theme of traditional anniversary gifts?

1. Personalized Art Print

I love visiting people’s homes and hearing the stories behind the pictures and artwork on their walls. Art lasts forever and is always a wonderful gift, but personalizing a print makes it all the more special. I especially love this custom vinyl print, which you can personalize with a song that means something to you and your spouse. I also love the idea of getting a print with a quote from a favorite movie or book that speaks to your relationship. I’m always a sucker for Shakespeare.

2. Custom Stationary

This is an especially great gift if you now share the same last name. What better way to celebrate than to get your wife a set of custom stationary showing it off? These personalized pineapple notecards are adorable. And if your guy is a writer, this structured stationary is perfect.

3. Framed Travel Map

If you’re a couple that loves to spend time on the road, a framed travel map is a wonderful gift that will help you document all of your adventures. It would be so fun to look back at all the places you’ve gone together every year!

4. Concert, sport or show tickets

It’s always great to get a gift that you can experience together. Concert, sport or show tickets do just the trick! I signed up for e-mail alerts for all of our favorite artists so we know if they’re touring anywhere close to us. I also occasionally get special pre-sale codes for being on certain e-mail lists. I’ve also had great success with StubHub when looking for last-minute tickets.

5. Thoughtful Card

I think a handwritten, heartfelt card is the best gift you can give. Just taking the time to write a note to your spouse about how much you appreciate him/her and what the first year of marriage meant to you is a beautiful way to demonstrate your love. You can’t beat that.