Manly Bands | December 20, 2022
Wedding Anniversary Gifts for Him: The Ultimate Guide
Wedding Tips
You have a wedding anniversary coming up, but you haven’t found a gift for your husband yet. Okay, no need to panic. Unless it’s the night before your anniversary, and you still haven’t bought anything. In that case, a little panic may be in order.
It’s said that guys are hard to shop for, and while that may be true sometimes, it’s mostly just overthinking. They’re really not that complex and will likely be happy with whatever you get them. However, if that isn’t enough to calm your nerves, we have a few starting points to help you on your gift-buying journey.
Who Is He?
This is just a guide, and these tips aren’t one size fits all. Are these suggestions good starting points? 100%. Will they replace thoughtful, intentional gift buying? Probably not. The algorithm just isn’t that advanced yet. Soon enough, though.
Take everything you see with a grain of salt and change things as needed. Just because we suggest getting him a leatherbound journal doesn’t mean he’ll actually want (or ever use) one. They’re pretty cool, though.
Gifts Aren’t a Weapon of Change
You’re great, and you would never do this — obviously. However, there are some people out there who aren’t as cool as you are. They might need a refresher on the fact that you should not use gifts passive-aggressively. No one is happy there.
We’re gonna say this louder for the people in the back. Gifts aren’t a weapon of change. We get it — he’s got his quirks and he’s imperfect. Passive-aggressive gifts won’t fix anything. Gifting him a set of tools is nice. Gifting him a set of tools with a note that says, “You promised you’d fix the drain a month ago.” Not so nice. Though he really should fix that drain.
Gifts aren’t a time to take a principled stand about a disagreement in your relationship. That’s all we have to say about that.
Anniversary Types
A great way to start your anniversary guide shopping is by consulting the anniversary type guide. There’s an anniversary type for each of your first 25 years. Seriously, a unique one for each year. Wild, right? Then, after year 25, you dial it back to every fifth year.
Technically, the guide goes until your 90th anniversary, which is the stone anniversary. If you’ve made it to 90 years, your bones are likely made of shale at this point, so it seems fitting. Also, how is that even possible? Regardless, we aren’t going that far, but here are a few good starting points for some of the big anniversaries.
Year 1: Paper Anniversary
If he’s an aviation nut, maybe a sweet paper airplane? Okay, don’t actually do that, as funny as it sounds. Paper starts us off strong with something cheap and attainable. The average wedding in the U.S. costs like twenty grand, though it can be more depending on the state you’re in. With that kind of wedding bill, they should call it the plastic anniversary, amiright? Get it — like credit cards? Oh well.
Don’t feel pressured to spend extravagantly when gifting for your first anniversary. There’s a reason it’s the paper anniversary. Just enjoy each other’s company and exchange small, meaningful gifts like prints or other pieces of art that represent your first year of marriage. A nice dinner, while not exactly paper, isn’t out of the question either.
Year 5: Wood
I don’t know, plant a tree in another country with one of those charities or something. If that’s your vibe, hey, problem solved. No, but a common choice is some sort of wood sign here. Something meaningful and well-constructed that can hang in your home for years to come.
You’ve really planted some good roots at this point, so now it’s time to dial up the gifts just a bit, but more so in quality and longevity than cost. If you’re looking to really up the ante, year five is a good time to explore new types of men’s wooden wedding bands.
While not everyone goes the replacement ring route, some couples choose to get a less expensive ring upfront and then replace it with a more expensive one when they’re more financially stable. It might seem a bit on the nose, but a wood ring is super cool and fits the anniversary. Just saying.
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Year 10: Tin
This one seems a bit odd at this point, though back in the day it made more sense. Tin was a great way to store things and keep them from the elements. You could get a tin of those really good cookies that only come out at Christmas. Maybe think a little bigger, but honestly, those things are so good.
For the tin anniversary, decorative presents are often a common choice. If your husband is a gardener, this is quite easy. Anything rustic and farmhouse-looking really works if you’re going the decorative route, though.
Year 25: Silver
You’re really starting to rack up the years at this point. Silver marks the 25th anniversary for its ability to basically stay intact forever if you’re good with it. Doesn’t sound, unlike a good marriage, ya know? A good watch, necklace, set of cufflinks, etc. is a popular choice for this one.
You could also slap a bar of silver down on his desk and get him to watch the price of silver for the rest of your marriage. Your call.
Year 50: Gold
If you’re old enough to be married for 50 years and you’re reading this, then our marketing is out of this world. Let’s hope for the best. You’ve made it half a century, and you’ve earned a gold medal for it.
The gold anniversary is another big-time opportunity to buy a new gold wedding band if your old one is on its last legs. Really though, anything gold will do and the sky is really the limit on gold gifts. Try combining gold with one of his interests to make it more personalized. A whiskey connoisseur? Try a gold ring made with a real Jack Daniel's Whiskey Barrel!
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More of a history buff? Don't worry, our Military Heritage ring collection contains rings made with authentic materials from WWII - like The Admiral, made with solid gold and Genuine USS Kitty Hawk Metal.
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What Gifts to Consider
Alright, enough chit-chat. Let’s get into the fun part: stuff. Glorious, glorious stuff. It’s said that gifting something can be more fun than receiving a gift. No argument here! As a general rule, when you’re reading these, keep in mind things he would love but wouldn’t get for himself. The intersection of those two things makes the perfect gift.
Go Simple
This is especially pertinent in those first few years of marriage. Within the first five years, simple is perfectly fine. Maybe the first 10 if you got married in a tough economy. Really, there’s no wrong time to go simple. It’s just more expected earlier on.
You have tons of space to decide whether you want the gift to be sincere, funny, or a little bit of both. Whatever you like.
What to Consider Buying: Consider things like mugs or prints when going simple. Affordable but customizable is the name of the game here. If you’re ballin’ on a budget, personalized knickknacks are a great way to show you care without terrifying your bank account.
Go Specific
You have to really know your man for this one. It's a big risk and a big reward. If he’s really into a particular hobby or niche, consider getting him something that he can utilize in that hobby. You want to really do your research ahead of time. Scour the internet, ask his friends or anyone who has the same hobby.
What to Consider Buying: There’s nothing worse than getting a gift you know isn’t good but not wanting to hurt the giver’s feelings. Neither of you is happy in that situation. That being said, if you know there’s a piece of gear he wants but wouldn’t buy for himself, you will light up this dude’s world and that’s going to feel great. Specificity wins here.
Do note that there are certain specific things you just want to avoid buying. Not because you don’t know exactly what he would want, but because they’re just things he would need to try beforehand. Take knives, for example. If he loves to cook, he’s going to have strong opinions about how a chef’s knife feels in his hand.
It’s partly about the quality (which you can figure out objectively), but when it comes to things that are pure preference, you’re better off steering clear unless he’s mentioned something specific.
Go Meaningful
This is something that can be combined with really any other of these gift categories, but it also merits mention on its own. Gifts don’t always have to be practical or obvious (though those both have their merits), so feel free to dig deep for a present that can be a part of your relationship for years to come.
What to Consider Buying: If you can find something that reminds him of a trip you took, a memory you two have, something you’re both looking forward to, etc., that’s a gift he’ll treasure for a lifetime.
Go Practical
Sure, gifts don’t always have to be practical, but sometimes that’s the right call! Are you married to a pragmatist? Plenty of pragmatic dudes out there, so there’s a half-decent chance you’re married to one of them. Remember that even if it doesn’t seem exciting to you, he’s gonna be jazzed about it, and that’s the whole point.
What to Consider Buying: The pragmatist will probably appreciate a work gift or something useful. Look, it might seem weird to give software or a good laptop case or something, but the pragmatist will likely be thrilled. If he’s on his laptop a lot, high-quality headphones or good blue light glasses are both great options to consider.
Go Higher End
This may not be for your first anniversary. It may not even be in your first 10. Going higher end is often appropriate for double-digit anniversaries. Think about going higher end somewhere between your 10th and 25th anniversary. If you go too big too early, how are you gonna outdo yourself the next year anyway?
Higher-end gifts are awesome, but they can cost a good chunk of change, so we recommend waiting until year ten at an absolute minimum. That 10-year minimum also starts you on a path where you can consider a replacement wedding band. If you want to give him a classic men’s wedding band he’ll love, those double-digit anniversaries are the time to start thinking about it.
What to Consider Buying: Consider what he likes and work from there. Unless it’s hyper-specialized, there’s probably a gift guide out there to point you in the right direction. Big whiskey guy? There’s a whole section of the internet dedicated to whiskey gifts. Get him a bottle of Pappy Van Winkle and he’ll be over the moon. Also, he’ll just be impressed by the fact that you could get a bottle, so win-win.
If possible, feel free to consult an expert — e.g., go to a watch dealer or high-end men’s fashion boutique to learn about watches. People love talking about their craft, so they should point you in the right direction.
Go with Your Gut
Seriously, all the anniversary advice in the world can only do so much. At the end of the day, you’re the only one who knows what he wants and needs, so always trust your gut when making these kinds of decisions.
Your situation is unique, and you should always have the final decision here. Guides are great guides, but they’re just that: guides. Take a shot for every time we said guides — just don’t use the Pappy Van Winkle.
Image Credits
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