What is the paper wedding anniversary?

It is the first wedding anniversary. Paper is its traditional gift on Papier's list, and the modern list says clocks.

Is paper the first or the second wedding anniversary?

The first. The second is cotton on the traditional list, and china on the modern one. Papier, Bridebook and Leah Ingram all put paper first.

What is the modern gift for a first wedding anniversary?

Clocks, on Bridebook's modern list. A carriage clock, a wall clock or an engraved watch all follow it.

What can we do for a first wedding anniversary without spending much?

Write each other a letter and read them over dinner at home. It follows the paper tradition and costs a stamp or less.

How early should I order a paper anniversary gift?

About a month before for anything made to order, such as a photo book, a print or an engraving. A letter, tickets or a booking can wait until the week before.

Do we have to give each other a gift?

No. The lists are an old custom and not a rule. A card and a good evening is a perfectly good first wedding anniversary.

Paper anniversary gifts: ideas for your first wedding anniversary

Paper anniversary gift ideas for your first wedding anniversary: letters, prints, tickets and clocks, plus when to order. Free yearly reminder, and we sell no gifts.

Paper is the traditional gift for a first wedding anniversary, and clocks are the modern one. It is the easiest year to buy for: every list we read says paper.

Here are paper gift ideas, a few built around a clock, and things to book instead of buying, with the point at which to order anything made for you. We sell no gifts, so nothing here sends you to a shop.

Your first wedding anniversary in brief

Traditional gift: Paper; Papier's list
Modern gift: Clocks; Bridebook's modern list
Next year, the 2nd wedding anniversary: Cotton (traditional) and china (modern)

Paper gift ideas for a first wedding anniversary

A letter in your own hand. A page on the year behind you and the one ahead. It costs a stamp at most, and it will be kept.
Your vows, set out as a framed print or a small booklet.
A photo book of the day, as an idea only. We sell no gifts, so there is no link: choose the photos you have not looked at since the wedding and add a caption to each.
Tickets for a play, a gig, a match or the cinema. They are paper, and they come with an evening out.
An Ordnance Survey map of the place you met or married, framed.
A favourite paperback, or a first edition if you can find one, with a note inside the cover.
A gift voucher for a restaurant or a spa. Paper, in the best sense.

The modern first anniversary gift: a clock

The modern list names clocks for the first year. A carriage clock is the classic British choice. A wall clock for the kitchen or an engraved watch also works, and each marks the first year you have counted as a married couple.

Engraving takes longer than buying off the shelf, so read the timings below before you choose.

Things to book instead

A table at the venue of your wedding breakfast.
A night in a country pub with rooms.
Afternoon tea somewhere you have always meant to go.
A long walk and a pub lunch, with the card written on the way.

When to order

A letter and a booking can be done the week before. Anything made to order, such as a photo book or an engraved clock, wants about a month, and longer in the run-up to Christmas.

Write the date in your own diary a month ahead. We can also email you on the morning itself, every year.

A reminder for every wedding anniversary

This is the first of many. Sign in once and we will email you on the morning of each wedding anniversary with that year's gift.

Remind me every year

One email a year, on the morning of your anniversary, with that year's gift. It is free, and one tap stops it.

How to choose a paper anniversary gift

Begin with paper. Paper is the traditional gift for the first wedding anniversary. A card with a few honest lines counts, and a letter counts for more.
Look back over the year. Anything that nods to the last twelve months, such as a holiday, a house move or a running joke, will land better than a gift picked from a list.
Decide between a thing and a time. Some people would rather have something to keep and some would rather have an evening. Either is a good first wedding anniversary.
Count back from the day. Allow a month for anything made to order, and a week for tickets or a table. Put both dates in your diary.
Ask for a reminder. Put the date in your phone, or ask for our free yearly email so the second wedding anniversary does not sneak up on you.

Questions people ask

What is the paper wedding anniversary?: It is the first wedding anniversary. Paper is its traditional gift on Papier's list, and the modern list says clocks.
Is paper the first or the second wedding anniversary?: The first. The second is cotton on the traditional list, and china on the modern one. Papier, Bridebook and Leah Ingram all put paper first.
What is the modern gift for a first wedding anniversary?: Clocks, on Bridebook's modern list. A carriage clock, a wall clock or an engraved watch all follow it.
What can we do for a first wedding anniversary without spending much?: Write each other a letter and read them over dinner at home. It follows the paper tradition and costs a stamp or less.
How early should I order a paper anniversary gift?: About a month before for anything made to order, such as a photo book, a print or an engraving. A letter, tickets or a booking can wait until the week before.
Do we have to give each other a gift?: No. The lists are an old custom and not a rule. A card and a good evening is a perfectly good first wedding anniversary.