The Meaning of Anniversary Flowers

Choosing Flowers for Anniversaries

The marriage between two loving people is perhaps one of the most important and beautiful events in anyone’s life. At Vancouver Florist, we recognize this and we always make ourselves available to help our customers celebrate this tremendous occasion! One of our favorite gifts to design and deliver every year, is the flowers our customers choose as a way to honour an anniversary. Did you know that there is a deeper meaning behind each flower selected then just their beauty? We will go over which ones to use for each anniversary, as well as other traditional gifts to go with them.

Here you’ll find a list of the most well known anniversaries and their associated flowers.

The First Year

The first year of marriage will often be not only a year of discovery and bliss, but also a year of fiery passion. The traditional gifts for the first anniversary have always been something to do with paper. Another classic to represent the wonderful time you just shared in the form of the clock. If you want to say how much that first year has meant by giving flowers to your loved one, then we recommend the carnation, the flower most often found in the bridal bouquet, as well as on the buttonhole of the groom’s lapel.

Second Year Anniversary

Tradition will often dictate that as a couple passes through their second year of wedded bliss, this should be celebrated with the traditional gift of cotton. More modern experts, however, advocate for a surprise gift of china, perhaps a piece especially suited to the taste of your loved one. No matter which gift you decide upon, we recommend that you also include some lily of the valley, the flower that celebrates continual love and is a symbol for re-growth renewal and has a beautiful fragrance to lighten the home.Tradition will often dictate that as a couple passes through their second year of wedded bliss, this should be celebrated with the traditional gift of cotton. More modern experts, however, advocate for a surprise gift of china, perhaps a piece especially suited to the taste of your loved one. No matter which gift you decide upon, we recommend that you also include some lily of the valley, the flower that celebrates continual love and is a symbol for re-growth renewal and has a beautiful fragrance to lighten the home.

Third Anniversary

As we all know, life has a way of throwing obstacles and triumphs on your path, especially after passing the third-year mark in a marriage, at least according to experts. We say that this is the perfect time to celebrate your love, in spite of all odds, with something more lasting, emotionally, than the traditional leather or crystal. To us, there is no flower more perfect than the sunflower, the eternal symbol of everlasting happiness.

Fourth Anniversary

Nearly all gift experts who discuss anniversaries will tell you that this is the best time to finish outfitting your love nest with linens and silk. Being romantics at heart, the perfect surprise to us would be to fill the room with hydrangeas instead and let their beautiful scent fill your hearts with joy and happiness at passing this milestone together.

Fifth Anniversary

Halfway to the first decade, the perfect romantic gift to celebrate this occasion is one that should be done in a whimsical way, and presented at the spur of the moment. Why not combine the traditional gifts of wood and silverware, with a joyful bunch of daisies and surprise your love with romantic picnic on a beautiful hillside, or visit to a winery.

Sixth Anniversary

Traditionalists all say that your gift in this sixth year should be made of iron and the more modern thinkers believe it should be wood, again. We suggest that you skip all of that, and instead take your loved one for a romantic walk along the beach, build a bonfire, and present her with a beautiful bouquet of callas. These flowers are sensual and thoughtful, they are sure to be impressed.

Seventh Anniversary

To us, the flower known as the freesia is one of the most beautiful and unique flowers that nature ever created. Why not celebrate this milestone along your first decade together with a beautiful bouquet of these little miracles, in a brushed copper vase. Freesia is a delicate succulent flower with petite buds and delicate fragrance. They are an amazing choice and a salute to tradition.

On the Eighth Year of Bliss

There was a time when the gift of bronze, or linen, would be given to mark this special day. There are some who insist that places the most perfect and timeless gift for this anniversary. We will beg to differ with the experts, and offer up our own chosen expression of timelessness from nature: lilacs. Beautiful delicate miniature buds build up towers of the sweetest smelling flower. They are available in lilac colour, pinks and whites.

Ninth Anniversary

After this much time, love and support, the two of you have truly found both your home and your heart. The blessings outweigh any troubles along the way and the perfect gift to celebrate this particular milestone should be something both solid, to represent your bond and colourful to represent the level of joy in your lives. We recommend one of our beautiful pottery vases, overflowing with a vibrant collection of birds of paradise and other mixed tropical flowers. They are once long lasting and vibrant in colour.

The First Decade

Ten years together will be the first of many important celebrations to follow. For some reason, in the past this was always celebrated with something created out of materials that do not seem appropriate, like tin or aluminum. Modern thinking, fortunately, prefers a token with more permanence than those: the diamond. To go along with this, we recommend that you also bring along a bouquet of either yellow roses or wonderful, as tokens of your love, friendship and anticipation of the next decade to come.

Eleventh Anniversary

By this point, you know that the union of your two souls is solid, and can withstand anything. Tradition states that the occasion should be honoured with something equally unbreakable, like steel or other precious metals like silver. Why not celebrate your bond, with some nice jewellery, very appropriate, along with an elegant gift of tulips in a silver accented vase.

Twelve Years and Counting

This is the time to celebrate your union with multiple bounties of nature, like silk pearls and perhaps some brightly coloured gems. We also recommend that they be presented nestled along with some beautiful peonies, the flower that speaks of both love and honour. They have a large head and smell divine, just like your love.

Lucky 13

Just because you have reached an anniversary with a very superstitious number, this does not mean that you should be cautious when celebrating. Instead, we recommend that you go wild and present your love with gifts of fancy, like heirloom lace, furs and fill their world with chrysanthemums; the long lasting flower with many varieties. There is a type and colour suitable for ever individual.

On the Fourteenth Year

By now, you both should realize that what you have is everlasting and your gifts one another should reflect that. Gold and ivory have always been traditionally given at this time and the flower that will never pale in comparison to those gifts is the gentle dahlia. This summer choose this flower for the love of your life, and send a thoughtful sentiment of delightful beauty. This delicate flower is sure to be a hit.

Timeless Fifteenth

Once again, you have reached a milestone that has been tested in time, faith, and love. This is when most of us will realize that time really does fly, especially when it has been filled with so much fun. We recommend the truly timeless gift of one of our cut crystal vases, filled with the mighty long stemmed rose, one for every year together and branch out, try some different coloured roses, so many to choose from. You’re sure to find the most appropriate colour.

Twenty Years Together

What can we say; there is no stopping this union! Celebrate your continuing journey together with gifts of classic china, brilliant platinum and the everlasting asters. 20 years is nothing to scoff at, make sure you take time to show you loved one you care.

Twenty-five and Counting

Now that you have reached the quarter of a century, it is time to add glamour and sparkly silver to your celebration. We recommend an engraved gift that memorializes the beginning of your journey together, as well as incorporating the iris into the party that follows. It’s narrow long stem and broad stretching blue blooms are certain to be an attractive addition to any anniversary gift you may choose to accompany them.

Thirth Anniversary

Reaching this milestone traditionally dictates that your gift should be pearls and diamonds, because it should now be a celebration of the finer things in life. To us, your gift should also include the finest Sorbonne or Stargazer lilies that you can find. They are the perfect flower to celebrate maturity in life and love.

Forty Years Together

Together for four decades, your destiny together is well and truly set. There is nothing that the two of you cannot overcome, and very little to dissuade you from the fact that you are truly a match made in heaven. Rubies are the most traditional gifts of this time, representing the heart of true love, and we recommend that you include an arrangement of gladiolus, to usher in the beauty of times to come.

Fifty Years of Marriage

The ultimate in wedded milestones, reaching your fiftieth year together should truly be the heart. We hope that you will allow us to create one of those special gifts for you, perhaps with yellow roses and violets, to represent your faithful friendship and eternal love. This rich colour combination is saturated and vibrant just like the love you will continue to share for the next 50 years.

Anniversary Flowers by Year