Year by year

Wedding Anniversaries by Year: Traditional and Modern Gifts in the U.S.

October 22, 2026 · 5 min read

Paper for year one, wood for year five, silver for year twenty-five. In the U.S., many wedding anniversaries come with their own theme, and anniversary gift guides commonly include both traditional and modern suggestions. Many couples happily mix and match.

Below you’ll find the most common themes at a glance, where the lists come from, ideas for celebrating, and popular anniversary traditions in the U.S.

Traditional and modern anniversary gifts by year

This chart covers the first 15 wedding anniversaries and major milestones through the 75th.

Year	Traditional	Modern
1	Paper	Clocks
2	Cotton	China
3	Leather	Crystal, glass
4	Fruit, flowers	Appliances
5	Wood	Silverware
6	Iron, candy	Wood
7	Wool, copper	Desk sets
8	Bronze	Linens, lace
9	Pottery, willow	Leather
10	Tin, aluminum	Diamond jewelry
11	Steel	Fashion jewelry
12	Silk, linen	Pearls
13	Lace	Textiles
14	Ivory (historical theme)	Gold jewelry
15	Crystal	Watches
20	China	Platinum
25	Silver	Silver
30	Pearl	Diamond
35	Coral	Jade
40	Ruby	Ruby
45	Sapphire	Sapphire
50	Gold	Gold
55	Emerald	Emerald
60	Diamond	Diamond
65	Blue sapphire*	Blue sapphire*
70	Platinum*	Platinum*
75	Diamond	Diamond

* These themes come from British lists. U.S. guides don’t agree on a theme for the 65th and 70th anniversaries.

The traditional and modern lists share several milestone themes, including silver for the 25th anniversary, gold for the 50th, and diamond for the 60th.

Where the anniversary themes come from

The themes are often seen as symbols of a marriage growing stronger and more valuable over time. Paper is light and fragile, wood is sturdier, and silver and gold last for generations.

The tradition is older than you might think. The silver and golden anniversary traditions have roots in German-speaking Europe.

In the U.S., Emily Post listed eight wedding anniversaries in her 1922 etiquette book and later expanded her list. In 1937, the American National Retail Jeweler Association, now Jewelers of America, expanded the list of anniversary gift themes. Today, traditional and modern versions offer different suggestions for many of the same years.

Keep in mind: none of these lists is official. Different guides suggest slightly different materials, especially for the in-between years.

The big milestones

Silver anniversary: 25 years

The 25th anniversary is one of the best-known wedding milestones. According to the Census Bureau, 35 percent of currently married U.S. couples in 2009 had been married for at least 25 years.

Golden anniversary: 50 years

The 50th is the classic milestone. In 2009, 6 percent of currently married U.S. couples had been married for at least 50 years.

Diamond anniversary: 60 and 75 years

Diamonds are linked to two anniversaries. The 75th is the original diamond anniversary. The 60th was added after Queen Victoria celebrated her Diamond Jubilee in 1897, marking 60 years on the throne. Today, both are called diamond anniversaries.

70 years and beyond

Anniversaries past 60 years are exceptional milestones. A quick bit of math shows why: if you marry at 22, you’ll be 92 at your 70th anniversary and 97 at your 75th.

Celebration ideas based on the theme

Anniversary	Theme	Idea
1st	Paper	A handwritten letter, a photo book of your first year, or concert tickets
2nd	Cotton	A new set of bedding or matching T-shirts from a place you love
5th	Wood	Plant a tree together or hang an engraved wooden sign at home
10th	Tin, aluminum	A vintage tin filled with notes, one for every year
15th	Crystal	Two crystal glasses and a bottle from your wedding year
25th	Silver	A party with silver accents, or your wedding photo in a silver frame
40th	Ruby	A piece of ruby jewelry or a red-themed dinner
50th	Gold	A photo album with gold lettering, with memories from every decade together

One tip that works for every anniversary: keep a record of how you celebrated it. One photo a year adds up to a little chronicle of your marriage.

Popular anniversary traditions in the U.S.

Popular anniversary traditions in the U.S. include:

Saving the top tier of the wedding cake. Many couples freeze the top tier and eat it together on their first anniversary.
The anniversary dance. At many weddings, the DJ invites all married couples onto the dance floor and then asks those married less than a certain number of years to sit down. The last couple standing is the one married the longest.
Vow renewals. Milestone anniversaries, especially the 25th and 50th, are a popular occasion to renew wedding vows, often with family and friends.
A greeting from the White House. Couples can request a presidential greeting for milestone anniversaries. The White House’s online request form currently lists the 25th, 50th, and later anniversaries. It’s a good idea to send the request well before the date.

Same-sex marriage has been legal nationwide since the Supreme Court’s June 26, 2015, decision in Obergefell v. Hodges.

Marriage in the U.S. by the numbers

Provisional CDC figures show 2,128,446 marriages in the U.S. in 2024. The marriage rate rose to 6.3 per 1,000 people, up from 6.1 in 2023.

Figure (2024, provisional)	Value
Marriages	2,128,446
Marriage rate	6.3 per 1,000 people
Divorces and annulments*	662,950
Divorce rate*	2.3 per 1,000 people

* Based on 45 states and Washington, D.C.

FAQ

What is the 1st anniversary gift?

Paper is the traditional first-anniversary gift, while clocks are the modern alternative.

What is the 10th anniversary gift?

Tin or aluminum is the traditional 10th-anniversary gift, while diamond jewelry is the modern alternative.

What is the 25th wedding anniversary called?

The 25th wedding anniversary is called the silver anniversary.

What is the 60th wedding anniversary called?

The 60th wedding anniversary is called the diamond anniversary. The 75th is a diamond anniversary as well.

What’s the difference between traditional and modern anniversary gifts?

Traditional anniversary gifts follow long-established themes, while modern lists offer alternative gift ideas. The exact suggestions can vary from one guide to another.

Can you get an anniversary greeting from the President?

Yes. The White House’s online request form currently lists the 25th, 50th, and later anniversaries. Send the request well before the date.

Never miss an anniversary

From paper to diamond, there are dozens of themes to keep track of. Anniversaries & Photo Collages shows every upcoming anniversary with its name, with the option to display all 80 wedding anniversaries. You can rename the anniversaries to match your own list, get reminders in advance, and save photos and memories from each anniversary. Your entries and memories are stored locally on your iPhone.

Get Anniversaries on the App Store

Your special days deserve a place of their own

With Anniversaries & Photo Collages, you count down to your anniversaries and save photos, notes, and voice messages for each one. Free, ad-free, and no account needed.