First Year Wedding Anniversary Gifts - Unusual and Inexpensive Ideas

Wedding Anniversary gifts can be given to each other or to the married couple by close friends and family. My eldest sister receives her wedding anniversary gifts each year from her best friend and  maid of honor who had given a gift of love on the wedding day of a beautiful hand crocheted milk jug cover, with gorgeous beads around the edge the same colour as our bridesmaids dresses. I still remember so much about the day, the beautiful dresses, the flowers and my face aching so much from smiling in the endless rounds of photos. But what I do remember most about that day, strangely enough is the gift from her best friend and maid of honor. I was there when my sister opened the gift and she explained to me how much it meant to her as her friend had lost her husband recently and had to pay for his funeral and because of this she had no money. That was 40 years ago. My sister still has that crocheted cover.

That same friend went on to give my sister and her husband a gift every wedding anniversary and they are always a talking point because of their creativity. Not all of them are handmade in fact most of them aren't but they all fit with the traditional or modern theme.

The FIRST Wedding Anniversary is traditionally PAPER with modern being PLASTIC.

My sister received a bundle of goodies the day before their wedding anniversary from her best friend. They included a newspaper from the day they were married that also contained the wedding announcement, a small bunch of paper flowers, and croissants from the local bakery in a brown paper bag. A thoughtful yet inexpensive gift. My sister still has two of those gifts.

They (my sister and brother in law) decided to exchange gifts for their first, fifth, tenth, fifteenth and so on anniversaries. She gave him (and her) interstate airline tickets and entry tickets to see his favorite football team play. And he gave her a store voucher to spend on one of her favorite things, jewelery. pretty impressive gifts I thought.

So now I have come up with an idea of sorts to compile a list of somewhat different gift suggestions for that first year that don't have to cost a fortune;

PAPER

Make your own pinata and fill with luscious foil wrapped chocolates or have one made by an expert. www.bustapinata.com/ This Australian company also have pinata flatpacks that are easy to assemble and they will deliver overseas.

give a gift of creative paper stationary, a diary, a novel or cookbook, paper napkins. You will find loads of ideas at www.pulpcreativepaper.com.au

You could purchase a large bag and fill with recyclable paper products such as toilet paper, paper towel, tissues, and writing paper.

paper kites

Store Vouchers (although a lot of stores use plastic cards now, that is ok as plastic is the modern choice)

oragami set

personalised postage stamps can be ordered with a picture of the happy couple at www.pstamps.auspost.com.au

a picnic set consisting of both paper and plastic, paper serviettes, paper or plastic table cloth, plastic knives forks, spoons and cups or wine glasses, salt & pepper shakers.

PLASTIC

Tupperware or other plastic kitchen containers or utensils.

chopping boards

plastic pegs,washing basket etc

drinking tumblers and water jug

I am sure you will come up with some of your own fantastic ideas so feel free to share them on the comments page. Most importantly just have fun with celebrating your own or someone elses first anniversary.