Ah yes, your wedding day... the flowers, the people, the band your husband insisted would be better than a DJ (but you secretly disagreed). Can you believe it’s been one year since you exchanged vows and tied the knot? Your first wedding anniversary is a milestone in your relationship. You made it... 365 days together! Your marriage has officially lasted longer than most Hollywood couples, and for that a special celebration is in order.
With all joking aside, first wedding anniversaries are incredibly important. An excellent opportunity to show your partner just how much you love them despite how they may leave the toilet seat up, or how loudly they snore at night. At this point you may or may not have children (or you might have one on the way!) but if you are still child free, this could be one of your only anniversaries without having to get a babysitter. So it’s important that it’s celebrated with nothing less than grandeur.
Where to Go
Choosing the right destination for your first anniversary celebration is important. It will be an occasion you will never forget. If you can take time away from the office for a few days then taking a short trip to a romantic destination is never a bad idea! It will give you and your partner an ideal situation to relive your honeymoon and remind each other of how much you love each other. Whether you simply want a romantic day out, a naughty night away somewhere secluded or a dreamy weekend at one of Britain's top hotels there will be 1000's of ideas that you can find with a quick internet search offering anniversary deals. So do what you can to find the best possible hotel rates at your dream destination.
If you can’t celebrate in a fancy hotel with a luxury king-size bed and an all-you-can-eat mini bar, going to your favourite restaurant is also an excellent way to spend your first anniversary. (Edit: we’ve come to learn that the mini bars are not in fact all you can eat, the hotels will not, in fact, refund you for drinking 7 bottles of champagne in your hotel room because you thought they were included).
What Gift to Give
After determining the location of your celebration, it’s time to consider what kind of gift you’d like to get for your partner. It’s tradition to give each other a paper gift, something like a letter or poem to express your continuing love for each other. This may be a romantic idea, but don’t feel obligated to keep with tradition, especially if you're not a budding poet – there are hundreds of other gifts you can give each other that will mean just as much as beautiful words.
While your husband may complain that he needs more socks every day, don’t be tempted into getting him something so unmemorable – again, this is a milestone in your relationship, and you want to treat it as such. Try getting him something he has secretly wanted and hinted at wanting for the past year, and try to make it unique.
One of the best ideas we’ve heard for first wedding anniversary gifts is to get a dog or cat together, as it’s a great way to get your partner something special that you can both enjoy, while expanding your little family at the same time. You'll certainly need to give a stack of paper too for the training! If that’s not possible, some special cologne, a sweater he’s been eyeing, or tickets for you both to see your favourite sports team or musical artist live all make for memorable, thoughtful gifts.
For you husbands out there, we’ll make it simple: we ladies love shoes and jewellery as well as bubbly and chocolates. Take a look at our wardrobe and get an idea of what you think may make it look a little more complete! Or, make sure you are aware of your wife's important measurements and visit your local lingerie store and simply ask for some assistance. Think pretty negligees and luxury bath robes. A stack of glossy magazines too perhaps for a bit of leisure time.
All in all, first wedding anniversaries are one of the most important milestones in a couple’s relationship. The first anniversary signifies commitment and love long after your big day. Celebrating the first anniversary is important because it defines how willing the two of you are to continue going out the way to show each other that you care. It’s easy to say that you don’t care about gifts or fancy meals, but it’s not about needing or wanting those things, but about the thoughtfulness behind them.
