Your first 365 days of being husband and wife are fast approaching! Your very first wedding anniversary is a huge milestone for you both as a couple but what can you do to reflect the importance of this important moment? First wedding anniversaries are traditionally celebrated with paper. Here I inspire you with some first wedding anniversary 'paper' gift ideas, and some may not be as you imagine!
'Paper' is traditionally the first-anniversary gift to give. It is a tradition that stems right back to the Victorian era, and there is a long-established list of the gift types to be given each year on a wedding anniversary. Paper, being the first, can symbolise a beginning, a start, as it is a blank sheet, and the threads within the paper can be associated with the strength that binds your relationship. It is a very natural and humble item to give your loved one at the beginning of your marriage. It is definitely open for interpretation though, so you can always apply your own special meanings and ideas to the giving of paper.
A book-inspired candle
Yes, you are seeing correctly, no I haven't gone doolally (not yet I think anyway)! A candle can be a paper anniversary gift if it is the right kind of candle. Some clever sausages out there have created candle scents that match certain aromas you would find in books. So the way you could tie this kind of anniversary gift into the 'paper' element would be, say, to get your loved one their favourite book to go alongside a candle with a matching scent. For example, I love books by J.R.R.Tolkien, especially The Lord of the Rings Trilogy and The Hobbit, so if my hubby was wanting to find me a gift for our first wedding anniversary (way past that now though), a beautiful copy of The Hobbit along with this candle from the Etsy seller LieratiandLight that evokes the aroma of Rivendell would be perfect! I would take myself to a cosy nook, light my candle and immerse myself in all things Elvish and Hobbity, all the time thinking how much my husband knows and understands me, and how much I bloody love him! (if he reads this, I would still love it anyway, no anniversary needed!)
Click here to take you to this specific candle.
A custom illustration
Here is a perfect example of the type of custom couple illustration you could have made as a great 'paper' gift. Etsy seller 'LVCKYRAIN' creates beautiful custom line art prints in a minimalist style. You just send in your photo that you would like to be turned into linework, and LVCKYRAIN turns it into a beautiful picture like the one below. He even gives you extra options such as adding text. This is great if you want to add a memorable date such as your wedding date or say write something like 'Geoff and Ada's first wedding anniversary' followed by your 1st wedding anniversary date. Linework is just one of the styles available out there, there are so many, so chances are if you or your partner like animé style or comic book style etc, you will probably be able to find it.
*Tip - Some sellers will offer the print as a file that you download and print yourself, and others will offer to send you a physical copy. Ensure you double-check this before ordering so you know exactly what you will be receiving.
Book box subscription
Okay, so here is an example for her, but these book box subscriptions come in so many different types, you'll be spoilt for choice! My husband, for example, is a horror fan and he receives a subscription horror book box every month from The Abominable Book Club and he loves it! Not only do you get the 'paper' element of your first wedding anniversary gift covered by way of a book, but you tend to also get some extra little goodies in the box too. I personally would love to receive 'The Book and Pamper Box' from happily ever after book box , it contains not only a book but also includes vegan-friendly chocolate, a hot drink sachet, a bookmark and a surprise pamper treat every month! Yes, yes, and yes!
Could it get any better?...Yup! This book box subscription provider is not only vegan-friendly, but with every purchase made on their website they donate money to local animal rescue organisations, and if that was not enough already, they also save as many books as they can from going to landfill by creating these beautiful book boxes for you. Essentially, this gift also helps the planet and animals.
Write them a love letter
Do you have to spend a small fortune to give your loved one something they will cherish and adore? Nope! If you have a way with words, and even if you don't, you could always try penning a love letter from your heart as a most fantastically romantic gift. It is not only so incredibly thoughtful, but it will also be a unique gift and that is priceless. The receiver will be able to see and appreciate all the time, effort and love that you have poured into this gift.
I would say that handwritten over typed out on the computer would bring a much more personal romantic feel to your letter. Still, if you don't trust your handwriting skills and wouldn't mind someone else seeing what you have written you could always rope in a friend or family member to neatly write it out for you. There is also the option of people who offer to type out and beautifully print your love letter for you, such as this lovely Etsy seller from Manchester called 'PapersomeDesign'. They offer to create a beautifully typed letter from your choice of several fonts. They type the words you send them, and they say there is no limit to the number of words you can have. So feel free to get it all out there! Your letter is printed on high-quality paper. They then package up the letter in a stunning wax-sealed envelope (or can leave it unsealed if you wish to pop any extras in the envelope yourself). Both the envelope and wax seal can be in your chosen colour. Click here to take you to one of their love letter listings on Etsy.
Custom constellation map of your wedding date
I think this one is such a beautiful and incredibly romantic idea. You can have a star map made of a date that is memorable to you so you can forever look upon the stars as they were that very night, like this one made by Etsy seller 'PaperNoteCoUK' with the text reading 'The stars the night we said "I do"'. This is perfect as a paper wedding anniversary gift, or any anniversary really for that matter. You could choose the date you got married, the date you first got together, or any date that signifies a special moment in your lives together, all would work really beautifully. It is very unique, and a real romantic winner!
Personalised deck of cards
Sticking with Photobox, here is another fun paper offering from them. Personalised playing cards! It's still paper folks! I'll leave the photo option up to your imagination, but all I'm saying is that you could choose something super romantic, or maybe even go down the funny route. I would laugh my socks off if my husband got me a pack of playing cards with us both pulling a really stupid face together on the back of them - and as a lot of you know, laughter can often be the way to a woman's heart ;).
Personalised photo jigsaw puzzle
Here's another where you have to bend your thinking a little but it totally works! It's still made of paper, it's fun, it's uniquely personal to you and your other half, and if they just happen to be into jigsaw puzzles too then what better gift than this is there!? Photobox.co.uk not only offers a personalised jigsaw puzzle but can also personalise the metal tin it comes in.
Wedding first dance lyrics in print
See, this is why I love weddings, it is all so flippin' romantic, and this paper gift idea is no exception! This Esty seller 'GingerBelleDesign' beautifully creates 'record-shaped' prints of the couple's first dance song lyrics from their wedding. I love how they have not only just incorporated the words to reflect the shape of a record, but also beautifully placed an image of the couple at the heart of it all to represent the centre of the record, and in a deeper way it's also putting the couple at the very centre of it all, and the words are twirling around them just like the couple would have been twirling around on the dance floor. I think this one is incredibly touching.
Click here to take you straight to the listing of the image below.
Personalised pull-out photo album
This one is so incredibly sweet! It is a tiny little box that when opened reveals a set of your most cherished photos of you and your partner together. The photos come in the diddy size of 4.3cm x 4.3 cm, you can choose to have 5 or 7 photos, a short hidden message inside and a personalised outer box sleeve. This is such a cute paper option! And at least you won't have to worry about handing your partner a small square box anymore without them thinking you are about to propose! Done that already!
Click here for the link to this cute product on 'Not On The Highstreet'.
Sterling silver paper plane necklace
How beautiful is this! Origami is the wonderful art of paper folding, so this paper plane jewellery would work really well within the 'paper' gift category. And it would obviously last a lot longer than a plane made out of paper would! Yep, a paper aeroplane just won't cut it so don't even try! These beautiful planes by 'Lily Charmed' not only come in sterling silver but also include a range of options available - the plane can also be put onto a bracelet, keyring or even cufflinks! The bracelet and necklace options come with personalisation available so that you can add a title and message to their presentation cards if you wish.
Click here for the product image listing.
Oragami memories tin
Here's another origami offering, as, well, I think you could probably do no wrong on the 'paper' element with anything origami-related! It's another gift where you get to have the chance to really put your thought and love into it. The idea is that you write out 10 special memories you have shared together or 10 reasons why you love your partner. The product is advertised as 10 favourite memories for your first 10 years of marriage, but this gift would work equally as well using it as a general 10 things of your choice. All you need to do is choose a font option and send in each of your 10 messages and they will be printed separately onto each piece of paper, and then folded into beautiful origami hearts ready for your loved one to unfold revealing your heartfelt sentiment!
Click here for the product link. Click here for Not on the highstreet seller 'Danielle Susan Barker Gifts'
Literary paper rose in a bottle
This one really reminds me of the rose under the glass in 'Beauty and the Beast'. And what's more, is that you can even add that as your book of choice for the rose to be made out of! - actually, there are a ton of book options for you to choose from, so if your other half has a favourite book that happens to be on the list, I'm guessing they would probably love that extra personalised touch. And if there is not a book choice you would go for? this Not On The Highstreet seller has got you covered offering to personalise the rose paper with your own choice of words, lyrics, sheet music etc too!
Click here for the link to the product in the image.
There are so many ways that you can apply your own interpretation to the first anniversary 'paper' gift element, and there are some fantastic sellers out there that have already done that for you as you can see. Feel free to have fun with it, you can really think outside of the box with this one (or in the box as some are ;)). These gift ideas should get you started. I hope you find that perfect first wedding anniversary 'paper' gift for your special someone. I am sure you will!
I hope my post has been of value to you, and as always I would love to hear from you. Feel free to drop me a message below. What ideas did you come up with? Did you choose one of mine? Let me know :)
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