You’ve been married for an entire year. A whole year! They say that this is the hardest year to get through. You’ve learned things you probably didn’t want to learn and you have figured out that this is indeed the person that you want to spend the rest of your life with. So how will you celebrate your first wedding anniversary with the love of your life?
Go Back To Where It All Started
Where did you first meet? Where did you have your first date? These places are a vital part of your relationship. Without that place, you wouldn’t be together. Go pay homage to those places where your “beginning” started. Were you high school sweethearts? Go to your high school and snap a photo of the two of you together. Make it a tradition every year and see how much the pair of your change over the years!
Pretend You Aren’t Married
Go on a date as if you aren’t married. Get dressed up, look spiffy, and date your spouse! Make sure he comes to the door and waits there for you. Make sure he opens doors for you and holds your hand. The fun part of this is learning how to be that happy, dating couple if you’ve forgotten over the year.
Do A Gift Exchange
Give your spouse something to remember their first anniversary. Do they have a hobby or an interest that you can commemorate through a gift? Something that would be useful for them for years to come. This doesn’t have to be a yearly tradition, but this is fun to do for the first year!
Write A Letter To One Another
Writing a letter to one another does not mean that you have to be the Houdini of writers, it isn’t always easy to just make words appear. Speak from the heart. Keep it short and to the point, don’t run on and repeat yourself. Your letter will be more of a hinderance to your spouse rather than a fun reminded of why you got married and what a joy it has been.
Eat Your Wedding Cake
Remember that cake that you cut and smashed in each other’s face at your reception? Did you save it? If you did, go pull it from the freezer! Eating your cake on your first wedding anniversary gives you good luck in your marriage. You don’t have to eat the whole thing, at least take a bite after you’ve had your dinner… or be rebels and have a bite before!
Look At All Your Wedding Photos and Videos
Have a date at home! Order take-out and make a blanket fort around the tv. Sit and look at your wedding photos or watch your wedding video if you have one. Reminisce over dinner and remember all the things that you are thankful for. This is a good time to remember how much your family helped and supported the two of you too!
The Yearly Photo
Have a framed print of your wedding photo? Take a photo each year with the two of you holding the photo from the year before. Keep each photo in a photo album for you to look back on. (Hint: This is also a good way to keep track of which anniversary you are on!)
Take An Anniversary-moon!
Take a long weekend and go celebrate the two of you. You may not be able to afford to go to your honeymoon destination. That is ok! Find a new place to celebrate each other. Take a bunch of day trips over that long weekend or go to a B and B a few hours away. No matter what you do, you’ll have a blast!
You’ve survived your first wedding anniversary. How did you do? There were probably bumps along the way… Big bumps, little bumps… There are probably bumps that you don’t want to relive and there are probably bumps that you laugh about now. Marriage is one of the craziest roller coasters that you will every ride, but it is probably the most fun and frustrating ride too. Enjoy each day and cherish one another!
