30 Years Aren't Enough – Celebrating Our Wedding Anniversary

December 21, 2022 - Reading time: 10 minutes

It really does feel like yesterday, but then when I look at all that we have achieved these last thirty years, it really is humbling. We have started a family, raised a family, and welcomed grandchildren into the world. Now we are getting ready to mark our thirtieth wedding anniversary and we felt like celebrating with our family and friends. This took me through the process of researching what one can do for the celebration. We haven't really went big before. On our tenth anniversary my parents took us out to eat but it was a subdued event.

Celebrating the love and commitment that marriage entails is best done on an a daily basis, an anniversary, which is a special occasion is when you celebrate with the family and friends that have been their for your throughout the years. That got us thinking, especially since we don't do anything really special, at least not really big. Even though there are a lot of tried-and-true methods for organizing an anniversary celebration, it may be just as meaningful to make something that is original and personal. That left us scratching our heads. The following are some suggestions I found interesting when I was working on coming up with an idea or two for the festivities. Because in the end it really just comes down to making your wedding anniversary a special event while retaining its individual character.

Here is the list of ideas we came up with:

1. Relive the Moment

   • Take a trip back in time by visiting the place where you first met or where you got engaged. This will allow you to relive the moment and bring it back to life. Reminisce about the joyful times that brought you closer together over the course of your relationship.

2. Create a Scrapbook

   • Create a scrapbook that includes photos, quotes, and anecdotes from your relationship. It is certain to bring about happy memories for both of you and put a smile on both of your faces!

3. Recreate Your First Date

   • If it is at all possible, you should try to recreate the first date that the two of you went on together, the one that started your love story. You could go to the same restaurant, or you could take a trip down memory lane at the bar or coffee shop where you both spent a lot of time when you were dating.

4. Cook a Special Meal Together

   • To celebrate your anniversary, what could be a more perfect way than to prepare a meal together? We have been doing this since the kids moved out more and more so it really isn't that special but it was definitely something that we were thinking about before we decided to go for a full out celebration. Choose dinner recipes inspired by the places you've been together or by the meals that bring back fond memories of the good times you've shared in your life as a couple, and you'll have an unforgettable meal on your hands.

5. Exchange Gifts with Meaning

   • Celebrate each other with gifts that have sentimental value behind them rather than buying generic items from stores. This will make the gift exchange more meaningful. Pick something that holds a special place in your heart, like a photo album, or something that can be personalized, like a keychain or a piece of jewelry with your initials engraved on it.

6. Compose Letters to Each Other

   • Have fun composing letters to each other in which you articulate, in your own words, what it is about the other person that makes them so unique. When you read these private reflections out loud, it is almost inevitable that you will well up with tears as you recall the reason why it all began in the first place.

7. Plan an Unforgettable Getaway for Two Somewhere Neither of You Have Been Before

   • Organize an unforgettable getaway for the both of you someplace that neither of you have been before! This could involve anything from driving across the country to flying to an exotic location overseas; the important thing is to go somewhere romantic and completely new.

Here is the invitation we choose in the end. I like it, the colors are pretty and the decorative aspect is more subdued than some of the other options.

In the end it really doesn't matter what you choose as long as you are happy with your plans.

We decided to go bigger, a little more formal, and all around fun. My husband suggested invitations, which well, I never thought that I would be buying anything like that again. But it felt right so we we set out looking into that too.

The celebration felt like a great chance to throw a memorable party. And as you know, the invitations set the tone for any celebration. To make sure our guests are as excited about our event as we are, we wanted to choose an invitation that perfectly reflected our relationship and celebrate our decades of love.

There are many types of anniversary invitations unfortunately, and it became more of a chore to find the right one. My husband stepped back when our daughter-in-law offered to help. She felt like the large selection was a good thing (as evident there), she was certain that we should be able to find one that fit our liking.

Here are some good choices that I feel help narrow the search down:

• Traditional Invitations – Classic fonts, colors, and symbols like hearts and doves make traditional wedding anniversary invitations more formal than modern ones. Lace or embossing details make them timeless and elegant.

• Modern Invitations – Modern anniversary invitations are a more modern option. Bold colors, minimalistic fonts, and interesting shapes or patterns characterize these designs. Laser-cut or metallic accents are also trendy.

• Custom Photo Invitations – Couples can personalize invitations with their own photos, making them popular for all occasions. This type of card usually includes fun photos from the past or pictures of shared hobbies or interests.

• Funny Invitations – If you want to lighten the mood on your party, funny wedding anniversary invitations may be perfect! If you want your guests to laugh all night, these cards have witty sayings or puns and cute illustrations.

No matter how big or how small, the planning of an anniversary should come from the heart, and it should always reflect how much effort was put into making it memorable for both partners involved in the relationship. We hope that you will be inspired to come up with something special and personal to commemorate your wedding anniversary by the following ideas.

The achievement of one's 30th anniversary is a significant landmark that many married couples aspire to reach. When we got married I didn't think about the first one let alone one, thirty years down the road. But I have learned that it is evidence of the resilience, dedication, and love that the couple has shared over the course of their three decades of marriage. As a result, it is an occasion for you to spend extra time together and think about everything you have conquered and accomplished as a couple.

As I learned many married couples choose to commemorate their wedding anniversary in all sorts of ways. Some sweet, others fun, a couple were a little strange. I am not intending on taking up sky diving anytime soon for example. But in it really can be anything from a small dinner or a lavish party attended by their immediate and extended families. They take this opportunity to reflect on the journey they've been on together, including the good times and the difficult times, and share stories about how much they've grown as a unit over the course of their time together. It is traditional to raise a glass of champagne or another specialty beverage in a toast to the newlyweds, who are being honored for their resilience in the face of adversity as well as the accomplishments they have accomplished together as a couple.

When a couple has been married for thirty years like we have, they often take the opportunity to reflect on how much they have grown, their achievements and lives together as a whole. It's possible that the couple will find it enjoyable to reflect on how different their lives were when they first got married and how much has changed since then, such as jobs, children, and home ownership, among other things. In addition, this is a wonderful occasion for couples to make a commitment to one another to maintain and deepen their connection for the many decades to come.

Even though there are times when marriage can be difficult, those who make it through thirty years can take great pride in the fact that they have accomplished something truly remarkable: the fulfillment that comes from loving another person deeply and wholly over the course of time. This remarkable accomplishment requires an enormous amount of dedication, patience, and understanding; all of these qualities are essential components that are necessary for any successful marriage.

Celebrating our 30th anniversary together as husband and wife is an opportunity for us to rejoice in what makes us strong, both as individuals but better still when united — hopefulness for the future mixed with appreciation for where they've been; joyful moments spent with loved ones combined with solemn reflections given only between spouses; enduring faithfulness towards each other despite trying obstacles overcome along the road less traveled ye. As we embark on their thirtieth year together, celebrating an anniversary is an opportunity to rejoice in our lives together.