It’s your first year wedding anniversary and you’re looking to celebrate with your spouse! First of all -- congrats! A study found that “people married for less than a year have lower levels of wellbeing than people in any other year of marriage.” Really?! That seems crazy -- you married the love of your life and you get to see them every day! So, why would couples in their first year of marriage have low levels of wellbeing?

Well, here’s the thing:

There’s a lot of adjustments individuals have to make in that first year of marriage to ensure a happy and successful relationship. But, when you look over at your partner still sleeping in the morning, you know he’s worth it. You just need to find more time to communicate with your partner. That could include discussing what you like (and don’t like!), your dreams and aspirations, and even your doubts. No matter how strong you believe your relationship is, there are periods when your bond with your partner is challenged; oftentimes, challenges occur in that first year of marriage and the best way to deal with those challenges is to communicate openly and to establish time to spend with your partner and just for yourself.   

That's why it's so important to celebrate your first year wedding anniversary.

Your first year of marriage is up and maybe the two of you are still adjusting to married life, but you couldn’t be happier and you want to celebrate the love you share. There’s a lot of great one year anniversary gift ideas out there, and we’re going to walk you through some exceptional traditional and modern anniversary gifts to make your one year wedding anniversary truly spectacular.

What is the One Year Anniversary Gift?

Maybe you’re familiar with the idea of traditional and modern anniversary gifts but you’re not sure what the one year wedding anniversary gifts are. For the first year wedding anniversary, the traditional gift idea is paper and the modern gift idea is a clock. For a list of anniversary gifts per year, check out this wedding anniversary gifts traditional and modern list.

1st Year Wedding Anniversary Gemstone: Gold

The first year wedding anniversary gemstone is traditionally recognized as the metal, gold. However, modern interpretations have encouraged alternative gold-colored gemstones, like citrine, yellow topaz, gold south sea cultured pearls, or yellow sapphire.

1st Year Anniversary Color

Gold or Yellow

1st Year Anniversary Flower

Orange Blossom, Pansy, or Carnations

Paper Anniversary Gifts

If you’re wondering what is the traditional first year wedding anniversary gift, it’s paper! Paper represents the fragility and newness of your relationship. However, if that doesn’t speak to you as a first year wedding anniversary gift, check out some ideas for modern anniversary gifts below! Here are some paper anniversary gift ideas:

• Canvas prints
• Anniversary journal
• Paper jewelry
• Giant photostrips
• Newlywed cookbook

Clock Anniversary Gift

Though the traditional first year wedding anniversary gift is paper, the modern gift idea is a clock anniversary gift! The clock represents how the two of you commemorate the passing of your first year together as a married couple. Check out these anniversary clock gift ideas:

• Kate Spade bracelet watch
• Vintage clock
• Fitness training watch
• iPhone XR
• Engraved pocket watch

One Year Anniversary Gifts for Him

So, you want to make sure your one year wedding anniversary is extra special and you need to make sure you get a gift for your new husband. We know that the first year of marriage can be filled with trials and tribulations of the two of you adjusting to each other, but your first wedding anniversary is a great way to celebrate your love and renew your bond. If you’re looking for one year anniversary gifts for him, we’ve got some ideas for you!

Check out these special gift ideas just for him:

 1. A Little Box of Date Nights

This is a really cute idea for the couple that loves going out on date nights! Or, perhaps you’re looking for something that will get you and your boo to spend a little more time together. Whether you love going out together or you feel like you and your new partner should spend some more quality time together, this set of 52 date night idea cards encourages you and your partner to be more spontaneous with each other!

2. Customizable World Push Pin Map

Push pin maps are great for the world travelers! These customizable world maps make for great additions to his home office, where he can hang this beautiful print on the wall and be reminded of the lady he takes with him everywhere. Pair this beautiful gift with tickets to Italy to really surprise him on your first year wedding anniversary!

3. Our Story Custom Star Map

With a custom star map on canvas, you can wow him with those special times you shared together. This custom star map would make a great addition in the bedroom, living room, or his study where he can be reminded of where you began.

One Year Anniversary Gifts for Her

Your first year wedding anniversary is a special time for you and your new wife. Whatever fights or squabbles you’ve had have served to only make your bond stronger. A great way to show her how much you care is with a simple, personalized gift just for her.

Here are some great anniversary gifts for her:

4. The Honeymoon Handbook

This is one of those excellent one year wedding anniversary gifts for her because it encourages spontaneity and travel! Pair this gift with tickets to another country to celebrate one year together by going on a second honeymoon! This book is filled with advice to help you bypass the stress of travel and really just enjoy your own company. For instance, this book offers advice on when to travel, how to build a multi-stop honeymoon, and how to work out a realistic budget for honeymoons and travel -- all the essentials for newlyweds still learning how to compromise for one another.

5. Vows on Canvas

She will absolutely love the gift of your personalized vows on canvas. Do you remember her face when you read her your vows on your wedding day? Her love for you blossomed and that made you the luckiest man in the world. Now imagine her face when you reveal to her those incredible vows for her to have on her walls and see every single day. She will fall in love with you all over again.

6. Love Letter Keepsake Box

This love letter keepsake box is a great way to house all those sentimental love letters you two shared over the years. She will be head over heels for this cute little box because there really isn’t anything like an old-fashioned love letter. For the couple that keeps their romance alive through the written word, this special wooden box is the perfect first year anniversary gift to capture all your precious handwritten notes.

One Year Wedding Anniversary Gift Ideas

So, you’re not too fond of the first year wedding anniversary gifts for husband, nor of the first year wedding anniversary gifts for wife. We found some other great first year anniversary gift ideas that either spouse will be sure to love!

Check out some of these other gift ideas to celebrate your first year together:

• Stationary
• Postcards
• Books
• Photo books
• Tickets to a concert or a sporting event
• Calendar
• Magazine subscription
• Art prints
• Paper flowers (No water necessary!)
• Notebook & pen set
• Leather-bound journal
• Coloring book
• Deck of cards
• A hollow book with a surprise inside!

Cute & Creative Ways to Celebrate Your First Year Wedding Anniversary

Other than first year anniversary gift ideas, you want to make sure that you celebrate your first year with your partner in a really special way. Sometimes, just simply giving your partner a gift doesn’t really do the trick, and you’d rather plan an event that your spouse will love. Gifts are great, but as soon as you exchange them, the event seems to be over. If you’re looking for a way to really express your love and spend some quality time with your partner, then maybe you’d rather plan a whole romantic evening, rather than purchase a gift. Below we have some spectacular ideas to commemorate your first year together.

Check it out:

• Make time to exchange gifts
• Have a romantic dinner at the site of your reception
• Go on another honeymoon
• Plan a picnic with paper cups & plates
• Create a paper treasure hunt for your spouse!
• Create love notes and hide them around the house for your spouse to find
• Watch your wedding video together
• Print tickets for a movie night
• Buy a replica wedding cake and eat it with your spouse!

One Year Wedding Anniversary Quotes

Since the traditional first year wedding anniversary gift is paper, one year wedding anniversary quotes make for great gifts! Pair a simple and romantic quote on a card of your choosing for the perfect one year wedding anniversary gifts! There’s a lot of great one year wedding anniversary quotes to choose from, but we’ve listed a few really great ones below.

There’s a lot you can do with these quotes, too! For instance, you could write out one of these quotes on a simple card and surprise her at your anniversary dinner. You could also make a cute little booklet of all your favorite quotes. Or, you could write your love quotes on scraps of paper to pin up around the house, like on your refrigerator and cork boards, so your spouse is constantly surprised throughout the day.

Check out these one year wedding anniversary quotes:

• “May our first anniversary be the first of many. May the love that we share now be just a taste of the kind of marriage we will have in the years to come. I am so blessed to be married to someone kind, patient, loving, and generous like you. I love the way you love me, my darling. Happy anniversary!”

• “It has been the best honeymoon year with you. It’s everything I imagined and more. Every day I wake up thanking the Lord for giving me such a wonderful, caring, and loving partner. We’re both not perfect, but why does it feel like our love is? Thank you for all the love this past year, and I look forward to more love in the next hundred years! Happy anniversary.”

• “What a difference a year makes! Today I feel happier, lighter, more inspired, and more in love, and that’s all thanks to you! So many things have changed in our lives but who’s complaining? I love how every day spent with you is like opening a present. Thank you for the great year that was, my love. Happy anniversary.”

• “If we've had so many smiles and frowns, twists and turns, and ups and downs in the very first year of our marriage, imagine what the rest of our married life has in store for us. Here's to a lifetime of crazy memories together. Happy first anniversary, sweetheart.”

• “Spending one year with you in pure bliss equals a thousand years of experiencing all the other pleasures of life. On our first marriage anniversary today, I promise to be as much of a blessing to you as you have been for me.”

• “Let's top off the first 12 months of a wonderful marriage by celebrating our first anniversary. I love you a lot, and, if the first year is anything to go by, our lives are going to be one big celebration of love and romance.”

Where to Buy Anniversary Gifts?

You’re still not quite sure what will make great one year anniversary gifts, and you want to peruse the web in search of some other ideas. That’s alright! Below, we’ve listed some great websites for you to check out. 

• Gifts.com
• Personalizationmall.com
• Things Remembered
• Personal Creations
• Edible Arrangements
• Etsy

We hope you got some great ideas for one year anniversary gifts for your new husband or wife! Feel free to comment your thoughts, like and dislikes in the comments section below!