Wedding Anniversaries by Year: The Complete UK Guide

Every year of marriage has its own name, its own material and, if you fancy it, its own excuse for a proper celebration. Whether you're shopping for a thoughtful gift, planning a milestone party, or you simply want to know why year 40 is "ruby" and year 25 is "silver", this is your complete guide to wedding anniversaries by year in the UK.

We've laid out the traditional names year by year, added gift ideas that won't have you scrolling for hours, and finished with the bit we know best: how to turn the big ones into a celebration your guests will still be talking about.

The custom of attaching a material to each year of marriage is surprisingly old, but it wasn't always as detailed as the lists you'll find today. Before the 1930s, only a handful of anniversaries had an official symbol - usually the 1st and the big milestones such as the 5th, 10th, 25th, 50th and 75th. Over time, retailers, jewellers and greetings-card companies filled in the gaps, which is why you'll occasionally see slightly different materials listed for the same year.

There's a lovely logic to the tradition, though: the materials start delicate (paper, cotton) and grow steadily tougher and more precious (silver, gold, diamond). A quiet nod to a relationship that gets stronger and more valuable with time.

In the UK you'll usually come across two lists: the traditional list (the historic materials) and the modern list (a 20th-century update with more contemporary gift ideas). We've flagged both for the years where they differ.

Here's the full run from year one to the diamond milestone and beyond.

Years 16 to 19 don't have widely used traditional names in the UK.

These are the ones most people recognise, and the ones most worth celebrating in style.

A quick note on accuracy: because the modern list varies between shops and stationers, treat the early years as a guide rather than gospel. The milestone names from silver onwards, however, are firmly established in the UK.

Here's a lovely British tradition that surprises a lot of people: the monarch sends a personal message of congratulations to couples reaching their longest milestones. The King sends a card for 60th (diamond), 65th and 70th (platinum) wedding anniversaries - and every year after that.

The custom dates back to 1917, when King George V began sending greetings to long-married couples and centenarians, and it has been carried on by every monarch since, including King Charles III today. The card is free, but it doesn't happen automatically. Someone has to apply on the couple's behalf (with a copy of the marriage certificate) through the Anniversaries Office at Buckingham Palace, ideally a few weeks before the date. If you've got a diamond or platinum anniversary coming up in the family, it's a thoughtful surprise worth arranging in advance.

The material is a brilliant prompt, but you don't have to take it literally. A few easy ways to use the theme:

For the paper first anniversary, think tickets to a show, a beautifully printed photo book, or a handwritten letter.

For wood (5th), a planted tree, a chopping board engraved with the date, or a weekend in a cabin.

Tin (10th) is more charming than it sounds: a handmade, engraved tin or even a tinsmithing workshop.

Crystal (15th) is made for glassware. Champagne flutes or a whisky decanter set that comes out on special occasions.

And china (20th) is your cue for a proper tea set or a piece of fine porcelain worth keeping.

For silver (25th), jewellery is the obvious win, but engraved silver photo frames and personalised keepsakes are just as welcome.

For ruby (40th) and gold (50th), lean into the colour and the occasion — a red-themed dinner, gold-trimmed glassware, or simply the gift of bringing everyone together.

And that last point is the one most couples come back to: by the time you reach the milestones, the gift people remember isn't an object at all. It's the day itself.

Silver, ruby, golden and diamond anniversaries are all a natural reason to gather the people who've been part of the journey. Here's how to make the day feel like an occasion without turning it into a second wedding.

Milestone anniversaries tend to bring together a wide spread of ages - grandchildren, old friends, neighbours, the lot. That's exactly where mobile catering shines. Instead of a stiff sit-down meal, let guests help themselves, go back for seconds, and actually talk to each other. A pizza buffet keeps the line moving and pleases every age group; paella cooked in a giant pan doubles as live entertainment; and a hog roast is generous, crowd-pleasing and made for a big gathering.

If you'd like to have everything handled by one trusted supplier, browsing Nuento for event catering is the simplest way to compare menus, prices and availability for your date in one place.

A mobile bar turns a gathering into a celebration in about thirty seconds flat. For a ruby anniversary, a signature red cocktail (or mocktail) is a lovely touch, and for a golden, prosecco and a toast does the trick. It also keeps the bar out of your kitchen, which everyone hosting at home will appreciate.

If you only remember a handful, make it these:

These are the anniversaries most likely to involve a party, and the ones worth planning the catering for in advance, especially if your date falls in the busy spring-to-summer season.

Whether it's your fifth or your fiftieth, the best anniversaries are the ones spent with good people and good food. When you're ready to turn the date into a celebration, browse street food, hog roasts, buffets and mobile bars on Nuento, compare suppliers by your location and date, and book the whole thing online in minutes.