Our sixth wedding anniversary is coming up. We don’t normally do anything super special – it’s kind of hard with two little kids and limited babysitting options – but we do like to try to least have a couple of hours of alone time sans kiddos at some point around our anniversary date.
We also don’t go all out with presents, but I can’t lie: receiving a little special gift (cost doesn’t matter!) is always nice. The unique gifts are especially fun. Since the hubs is a pretty creative and talented woodworker, he’s made me some beautiful items before, including a gorgeous maple jewellery box. He also always tries to stay within the “traditional wedding gifts” categories, and I’ll admit he’s better about that than I’ve been!
Since we like to keep things crunchy and green over here, I’ve scoped out ideas for the best traditional eco-friendly wedding anniversary gifts. Plus, I’m so happy to be able to give away a store credit to one of my favourite eco-friendly online shops – keep reading to find out the details!
I’d love to hear what everyone else with kids does for their wedding anniversary. Are you able to get away for a weekend or even a night out? Or are you lucky if you get a warm meal together after the kids are in bed? We normally fall into the latter category. One year, we’ll go all out – Hawaii is the goal!
Eco-Friendly Wedding Anniversary Gifts
There are a lot of good options for green and natural wedding anniversary gifts without you having to break the bank.
1st Year – Paper : Being a writer, I absolutely love my journals. This simpled recycled one is beautiful. I also love this leather-bound journal that is made with recycled paper. If your significant other is into jewellery, this vintage paper floral necklace made out of recycled paper is really nice. Another idea is to check out a local artisan shop for one of those fun bowls made out of recycled newspaper.
2nd Year – Cotton: Organic cotton is awesome and you can easily find a great item in this category for anyone. A new soft bathrobe, simple t-shirt for a guy, an organic cotton dress for a woman, or the luxury of all luxuries – soft organic cotton sheets. There’s nothing like climbing into a cozy bed with super soft sheets. Check out Lole for an awesome selection of nice organic clothing.
3rd Year – Leather: Even though many people opt for faux leather, the reality is that if you go with a sustainable and reputable company, real leather is actually better. The process for both is equally destructive but real leather will normally last way longer. This means you’ll be buying less. A simple leather wallet or messenger bag are good ideas. Alternatively, one of my favourite eco-friendly companies – Espe – makes vegan leather goods and their stuff holds up SO well.
4th Year – Fruit or Flowers: I love them both and you can’t go wrong with a fruit arrangement. These things are seriously the best. On the other hand, a bouquet of local flowers, especially wildflowers, also wins heart points. Just make sure they are sustainable and not sprayed with a bunch of pesticides.
5th Year – Wood: Who doesn’t love natural wood items? I gifted my hubby this gorgeous Dover watch from Jord Wood Watches. Being a craftsman himself, he is in love with this wood watch. It looks great for any occasion – casual or dressed-up. Jord has a great selection of beautiful unique watches for both men and women and now I want one of my own! Wood is such a unique material to use in a watch and my man has gotten so many compliments on his own wood watch. I’m super excited to be able to partner with Jord to offer a giveaway for a store credit. Scroll on down to the end of this post to find out how to enter.
6th Year – Candy or Iron: Okay, I love candy. I know it’s not good for me though, so I try to eat more natural candy. I’m a big fan of Surf’s Sweets (they’re also awesome for special occasions like Easter). For iron, a great idea would be a cast-iron skillet (an amazing and healthy alternative to non-stick cookware) or other piece of cast-iron cookware.
7th Year – Wool or Copper. Wool is an amazing natural material and there are tons of fun things you can find made out of wool. We are huge wool slipper fans; we all have a pair of these amazing Padraig slippers. This wool blanket also looks so incredibly comfortable. If you prefer copper, check out this awesome copper water pitcher. Copper has amazing health benefits. There are also tons of options on Etsy, like this beautiful copper bracelet and this hammered copper ring.
8th Year – Pottery or Bronze: I LOVE pottery. We have been given a few gorgeous pieces over the years and they are my favourite kitchen/dining items. I love that pottery is one of a kind and handmade. A nice bowl or mugs will make an awesome gift. You can also check out local potters or artisan gift shops in your area. If you choose to go the bronze route, this custom bronze guitar pick from NiciLaskin is pretty sweet for that musician in your life. A keyring is also a nice idea, or how about these gorgeous custom bracelets.
9th Year – Willow or Pottery: Willow trees are beautiful and resilient. You can be creative with this, finding something made from willow wood, or something to represent willow, like a piece of art.
10th Year – Tin or Aluminum: There is some gorgeous and unique aluminum jewellery to be found on Etsy, like this bracelet from hope of my heart. Or, think outside the box. A selection of local craft beer (in tin cans) for the beer aficionado. A natural beeswax candle in a tin also works.
Are you looking for more ideas past the ten year mark for eco-friendly wedding anniversary gifts? Leave a comment and I’ll reply or add some suggestions! Once you hit the 15 year mark, the traditional gifts focus on items like china, glass and various precious stones. Look for unique jewellery or sustainable companies when it comes to items like these.
I’ve teamed up with the lovely folks at Jord Wood Watches to give away a $75 store credit to toward one of their amazing unique watches. All you have to do is click on this link and enter your details . Also, everyone who enters will be sent a $20 store credit to use. I seriously cannot get over how beautiful their watches are. Good luck!
This was an awesome read thanks for sharing some top tips.
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Wow, this is a fantastic list! 😀
Thank you so much for these suggestions, it’s so hard to fin eco-friendly choices 🙂