Fun and unique ways to celebrate your wedding anniversary

Let’s talk about some fun and unique ways to celebrate your wedding anniversary!

Since every marriage is a little different, everyone will have different ideas of what “fun” is. I hope to inspire you here to come up with some things to do together that are truly special and unique to your marriage. 

*This post is pertaining to married couples, not dating anniversaries or domestic partnerships.

Since anniversaries only come around once a year, it can be a little easier to see them coming and plan for them. If your anniversary DID sneak up on you this year… don’t worry! There are so many fun things we can do with minimal prep and any budget.

It’s so important for us to be celebrating our anniversaries in marriage (even the odd ones!)

Let’s break this down into three categories.

• We will start with discussing creative ways to celebrate in the comfort of your own home and on a lower budget
• Next we will talk about the in between (medium) range of ideas, 
• and finally we will discuss a few bigger ideas.

The first anniversary and beyond

The first few years, our anniversaries will (most likely) be a little more modest in grandeur. As newlyweds, we are trying to get our careers established, or having babies, which will definitely be taking a lot of our energy.

All this to say, we can still have a wonderful celebration! We can just get a little creative.

*These moments are super bonding, and create such intimate experiences together. Don’t discount the preciousness of doing something “simple” at home.

In the comfort of your own home, with love

A romantic picnic in the living room could be a really fun and inexpensive way to create a sweet memory together. Taking the picnic outside would be even better, but not all climates are conducive to that!

Looking back through the album of the wedding day is such a great way to walk down memory lane together. Reiterating your wedding vows to each other would be so precious. If you have a wedding video, maybe this is the perfect time to find it! 

Sometimes we really just need the reminder of where we started out.

Ending the “walk down memory lane” the same way you ended your wedding night would be just perfect!

Yes, don’t forget to get intimate on your anniversary. 

Ladies, I’m talking to you. It all starts in our minds, so start getting your mind “in the mood” so you can joyfully come together on your anniversary. 

Need a little encouragement? 

Writing a thoughtful love letter to each other would be a super sweet notion and practically cost nothing at all. If buying an anniversary gift is not a responsible use of funds in this season of life, we can still exchange a sweet note with each other.

This would be especially touching for your spouse if their love language is “words of affirmation”. But regardless, a love letter would be a really touching way to acknowledge your special day together. Bonus: it will create a keepsake that you can come back to for years to come!

Snuggle up and talk about your love story. Reminisce about the funny stories and inside jokes. Embrace those things that are totally unique to your own love story! Don’t forget to include some of your favorite snacks you both enjoy. 

In home activities

If you’re looking for more of an activity to do on your anniversary, you could do a little cooking together. Make a nice meal to enjoy, or try out a new dessert recipe to share. 

You could even recreate your wedding cake flavor, and have some champagne with it!

You could have an in-home spa night together completed by exchanging massages. (Hey, there’s that intimacy component again!) Light some candles, and get some calming spa music going. All this would cost little to nothing. 

A fun game night at home would be a good time, as long as you and your spouse enjoy playing board games together. If that tends to create a bit of conflict, then maybe it’s not the right night for it.

We want to relax with our spouse, not be pitted against one another. Let’s set ourselves up for success! 

The great outdoors:

Going on a scenic hike together would be a wonderful experience for you both (if you like the outdoors!). Enjoying nature is usually a free activity. You might need to do a little driving to find a good spot for a hike, but then you can take advantage of all that uninterrupted visiting time in the car! 

Basically, there’s no shortcut to quality time. You have to pick a date and block it out on the calendar. Even if you celebrate your anniversary on a date that isn’t your exact anniversary. 

The most important thing is to protect that time at all costs! Don’t pick up a work shift, or help a friend move that day. Nope! Treat it like you did your wedding day. 

You. Have. Plans.

Anniversary party ideas for a more robust celebration

If you’re looking for something a bit more involved for your wedding anniversary celebration, I have plenty of fun ideas!

You could invite some of your closest friends and have a little party.

This could be a simple “at-home” party, complete with some hors d’oeuvres and drinks. Depending on the budget, it might be fun to find a musician to entertain the party. String up some lights and make it a festive scene!

 You could revisit your wedding reception venue, and even have a fun photo shoot to commemorate the occasion. (Could you even hire a professional photographer?) 

You could contact some of the people that were at your wedding that you haven’t seen in a while! How fun it could be to bring back all those memories of the most special occasion of your life.

You could bring your wedding photo album and old photos of the big day. How fun to look back together.

If you like a more private celebration, you could still revisit your old wedding venue just the two of you. Going back to where it all began would be a beautiful way to create new memories in such a special place. 

Going out to a favorite restaurant is an obvious idea, but there’s a reason the “dinner and a movie” date night is the good ol’ classic. Some people say going to a movie with your spouse doesn’t leave much room for conversational connection, but I personally love popcorn.

And hey, did I mention you could sit in the back of the theater and smooch? Yes, the dinner and a movie is always a great idea. (A personal favorite because there’s no need to prepare anything.)

Explore a new skill together

One super fun (and unique) idea for you to try on your anniversary, is do something NEW together!

Think about something neither of you have ever done, but have always wanted to try. (Maybe just one of you has always wanted to try something in particular) 

You could do an art class together, or a cooking class. You could try out a self-defense class together (you would be getting really close to each other in a whole new way!)

Or maybe a simple kick-boxing class at your local gym. Try to find something that would truly bless you both.

Perhaps your husband really does NOT want to learn ballroom dancing… (maybe he does, though!) 

Just try to be sensitive and loving as you discuss your options together.

Some couples would love some target practice and gun safety training.

Take a little time to see what your community offers for fun adventurous outings. 

Maybe there is a water aerobics or scuba training class you could try out.

Going to a winery or brewery would be a great time together if you both enjoy a little wine or beer on occasion. These events are typically quite educational, and paired with lovely tastings.

Personally, I’ve always been intrigued by pottery, and would love to see a live demonstration. 

What are you particularly drawn to or curious about? 

Discovering a unique experience together will create such a wonderful bonding experience for both of you. 

Going back to a memory

Where was your first date? Do you have a favorite spot you used to frequent together? How about favorite songs?

Embrace some of the things that are especially unique to your own love story. What are the things that have special meaning to the both of you. Think about the things that always make you exchange a wink with each other. 

Is there a special meal that you enjoyed together?

When my husband and I were first dating, we went on a road trip and found a neat hidden restaurant and they served a shrimp cocktail with chopped shrimp instead of the classic version. Recreating that appetizer would bring us both back to that sweet time in our relationship.

For the most grand of the anniversary celebration ideas

Perhaps these are reserved for the milestone anniversary… or any in-between.

If your budget allows for a big road trip or outing, then by all means, do it!

Flying to a new place for a weekend getaway would be a really big way to celebrate your anniversary. Where do the people that live in Hawaii go for vacations?

For the sake of marital unity and peace, be sure you’ve discussed the budget and agreed upon the spending amount for tickets, hotels, or meals. 

We want our marriage to last forever, right?

Wedding anniversaries are so important

Remember, it doesn’t matter what you do on your anniversary as long as you’re doing it together.

Take this time to stop and look at your spouse (really look at them) and admire the gift that God has blessed you with. 

We can get so used to seeing them daily that we can start to lose appreciation for the most foundational relationship we will ever experience. (Second to our walk with God, of course.)

Every year we add to our marriage is something we should be so proud of. Embrace this great opportunity to celebrate together!

Discuss with each other what would be a fun and unique way to celebrate your years of marriage together. 

Let me know what you come up with for your unique wedding anniversary ideas!