Readers Respond: First Anniversary Suggestions

Responses: 137

By Sheri & Bob Stritof, About.com Guides

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I have just had my wedding dress drawn by Penelope-Anne Altmann at www.mydreamlines.com an amazing sketch of my dress. It is framed and hanging in my bedroom, such an unusual and wonderful memory of my wedding last year. Editor's Note: A less expensive option would be to look for local artists who could sketch your wedding dress. Art students at the high school or community college might be interested in the extra income.
—Guest Nellie

My husband took a photo album making class with me and the 2 4 x 6 albums are just sitting on our bookshelf. We took a month to tour the US and we both had a blast. Since we can't go on a trip like that again soon, I'm going to print out pictures from the trip and put them in the photo album with little captions and sayings. That way we can always pull it out and relive our honeymoon! :-)
—Guest Melissa

I took all my husband's old newspaper clippings from his "glory days"of high school and a poster created at the local office depot and he and his family loved it!
—Guest Margo

Wrap up a couple paper plates and cups and then surprise your spouse with a picnic at a special place.
—Guest Katie

This one took a little planning, but I kept a journal of our first year married & gave it to my hubby for our first. I was surprised by how much he appreciated it -- he read the first 2 months the night I gave it to him!
—Guest nicole

For our 1st anniversary I went with a new twist on a paperback book. I bought my husband the Sony Reader.
—Guest Jayde

So, I found this company that makes special customized books. It's called lovebookonline.com. You basically create a book that lists all the reasons you love someone. I put in all our little inside jokes and experiences we've had together over the years. She loved it! Easily the best gift I've ever given.
—Guest Chris

Our first year anniversary isn't until December but I plan on surprising my husband with a weekend trip to Myrtle Beach and a tattoo that he wants to get.
—Guest Loretta Brown

For my traditional 1st anniversary gift, I folded 1000 origami paper cranes and strung them in 10 groups of 100 on fishing line that was tied to a 3" ring. There is a Japanese tradition that if someone folds 1000 cranes, they get to make a wish. So, when I gave her the cranes, I gave her the wish. She wished for a baby girl, and we got her a little over a year later. :) It took several months to fold them at an hour or so a day. I would fold them in boring meetings at work. :)
—Guest Steve

I kind of went with a combination of Traditional and Modern so I first found a square shaped mason jar type jar with a locking top. Typed a letter to my husband recapping our first year together including events, ups and downs and everyday life. Rolled it up in a scroll and tied a ribbon around it. Then I printed pictures from our wedding to current date and tied a ribbon around those as well. In the bottom of the jar was sand from our beach wedding, shells from different trips to the beach we took during the year. I put the pictures and letter inside the jar and my husband loved it. It's now sitting on our dresser as a reminder of our first year together. For me he took one of our wedding photos and had a canvas made into a 16x20.
—Guest Dunn

I found a "papermaking from plants" class a local art center that happened to be on the weekend of our anniversary. It was a pretty cool way to both have fun together and understand why paper is the 1st anniversary gift of choice. We could actually see the fibers intertwine and meld together to make really cool leaflets of paper which we still have.
—Guest Rob

My husband is really into cycling. I gave him a 1 year subscription to his favorite cycling magazine.
—Guest Brittany

My Husband collects antique tools from Europe. I am getting him an antique engineers level which he will enjoy in itself and it will also symbolize how our lives are "level" because of our love and friendship.
—Guest Lisa

We were engaged on a vacation and part of the vacation was supposed to be a hot air balloon ride, however, we ran out of time. So, for our first anniversary I got him a gift certificate for a hot air balloon ride. It's near a place with a bunch of wineries so maybe we can go for a weekend trip next year on our anniversary and I could incorporate a cotton robe/spa trip in the weekend.
—Guest MTurner

Sunday is our first anniversary. We'll go to church. Our church lets you buy altar flowers. I didn't let my husband know I did this. I also had the flowers in honor of our pastor who married us. Then we plan on going to the same spot were he proposed, Clearwater Beach. We'll go to the same restaurant for dinner. It was a great seafood buffet. When we get home, we'll have that the top of our wedding cake which we will cut with the knife from our wedding. I feel this is a great tradition to start.
—Guest Colleen Heggan