10 Ideal Wedding and First Anniversary Paper Gifts

The long-standing tradition of a gift made of a certain material to mark the number of years a couple has been married dates back to the Victorian era. However, in 1937 the American National Retail Jewelers Association modernized the list and named clock as the first anniversary gift. That might be so, but I still see many more references to the traditional present which warms my paper-loving heart.

 

Perhaps you'll be attending a wedding soon and would like to bring a unique gift or maybe you're planning to present a first anniversary gift to your partner or to a special couple. Have a look at these examples that I found on Etsy, the platform where there is no shortage of creative artisans! 

 

 

 

Folded books are incredibly popular gifts (and they are the most frequently searched term on this blog) so let's start with a beautiful example from Jennifer Geddes, TheBookArtisan, in Utah. Its design that commemorates a special date has such crisp and clear numbers. Free delivery too.

 

 

Maria of ohhappyprintables owns a busy shop in England that personalizes a couple's photo by magically turning the image into the lyrics of their wedding song. So pretty. The file will arrive in your inbox  ready to print. It is on sale (50% off) through the end of September. 

Amarin MacKenzie of LilacandVinePaperCo is a scherenschnitte artist in Pennsylvania who creates lovely hand cut floral initials or numbers that are meant to be framed. She also offers an array of hand painted watercolor greeting cards that are the perfect accompaniment for a personalized gift. Delivery from Lilac and Vine Paper Co is free.

 

How cute is this pebbles couple on driftwood handmade by Sarah Jackson of You'veBeenFramedbySJ? Very! And what a perfect gift for a couple whose wedding will take place on a beach. She includes a selection of frame colors and even with shipping from Portsmouth, UK, it is a reasonably priced wedding present or first anniversary keepsake. 

 

Sandra of GiftedPapers in Brooklyn, New York offers free delivery of this personalized origami wall clock. Commemorate a wedding, first anniversary, or any special occasion / sentiment. With over 6000 sales, I'm clearly not the only person to think she has come up with a clever idea.

 

 

Marina of WordsWorkPrints, a popular shop in Virginia, lists more than three dozen romantic personalized prints... it's hard to choose a favorite (so I picked three, ha). I love the pairing of the bright red cardinals with the red heart between the couple's names... a little detail like that can make or break a design.

 

 

The Where It All Began map print is another favorite. Each art piece in the WordsWorkPrints shop is printed on archival acid-free paper and arrives unframed.

 

Wedding song lyric art is another idea that surely must resonate with many couples.

 

Amelia Gier of AGierDesign in Scroggins, Texas offers an array of personalized map prints (this is just one example). All have such a stylish look, they're bound to be gifts that will be treasured. Printed on thick, archival paper with a slight texture, you can choose if it arrives matted/framed or not. Free delivery as well.

 

And lastly, a very cool option is this custom song soundwave art, created by Taline L. of Artsyvoiceprint in Los Angeles. It's appealing abstract art that will trigger the memory of the couple's wedding song and thus, their special day. Free delivery too.

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