
30+ Traditional & Unusual 1st Anniversary Gift Ideas for Couples
Your first year of marriage is filled with laughter, growth, and unforgettable memories—and your 1 year anniversary gift should reflect just that. Whether you're honoring the traditional paper theme or searching for something unique and personalized, this guide covers the most thoughtful 1st anniversary gift ideas for couples to help celebrate your love in a meaningful way.
Traditional First Anniversary Gift Ideas
Paper is the traditional 1st year anniversary gift, symbolizing the blank page on which you're writing your new life together. These paper gift ideas first wedding anniversary below are all beautifully designed to make your first anniversary memorable.
1. Custom Wedding Vows Print
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Where to Buy: Etsy
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Price: From $25
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Rating: ★★★★★ (4.9 / 5 – 6,300+ reviews)
This custom print transforms your wedding vows into a beautiful piece of wall art, often available with frame options and floral or minimalist designs. It’s a meaningful way to immortalize the promises you made on day one. Paper is the traditional 1st anniversary material, and this heartfelt keepsake fits that tradition perfectly.
2. Personalized Star Map Print
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Where to Buy: The Night Sky or Personal Chic
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Price: From $35
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Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.8 / 5 – 4,100+ reviews)
Capture the night sky as it looked on your wedding day. These high-quality art prints come fully customizable with names, date, and location. It’s a romantic paper gift that turns an ordinary wall into a personal memory—a true celebration of where your love story began.
I’ve actually created one as a first wedding anniversary gift for husband. I chose the exact date and location of our wedding and had the map customized with our names. When he unwrapped it, he was genuinely speechless—it now hangs above his side of the bed.


Personalized Star Map Prints as Traditional 1st Anniversary Gift Ideas
3. “What I Love About You” Fill-in Book
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Where to Buy: Amazon (by Knock Knock)
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Price: $10
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Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.7 / 5 – 14,000+ reviews)
This fill-in-the-blank journal lets you write down personal reasons why you love your spouse. It’s playful yet touching and gives your paper gift a very personal twist—ideal for couples who cherish emotional expression.
4. First Anniversary Newspaper Front Page Reprint
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Where to Buy: Historic Newspapers or The New York Times Store
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Price: From $60
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Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.7 / 5 – 1,200+ reviews)
Reprint the actual front page of a newspaper from your wedding day, complete with personalization options. It’s a nostalgic, conversation-starting keepsake that captures what was happening in the world when your marriage began.


Newspaper Front Page Reprints as Traditional First Anniversary Gift Ideas
5. Personalized Calendar with Couple Photos
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Where to Buy: Shutterfly or Vistaprint
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Price: From $19.99
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Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.6 / 5 – 3,500+ reviews)
A photo calendar filled with your favorite memories together makes every month a sweet reminder of your first year of marriage. It’s a practical and heartfelt 1 year anniversary gift that keeps the paper theme alive all year round.
>>> Check out these blogs for more inspirations:
Related collections
Modern 1st Anniversary Gift Ideas
While paper remains the traditional gift, clocks are the modern 1st anniversary gift, symbolizing time well spent—and the many moments still to come. These stylish and meaningful timepieces make beautiful keepsakes to mark your first wedding anniversary.
1. Personalized Wall Clock with Wedding Date
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Where to Buy: Etsy
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Price: From $45
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Rating: ★★★★★ (4.8 / 5 – 2,100+ reviews)
This custom wall clock features your wedding date, names, or a special quote. Available in wood, metal, or acrylic finishes, it blends sentiment with function, making it a timeless gift that reflects how every moment with her counts.


Personalized Wall Clocks as Modern 1st Anniversary Gift Ideas
2. Echo Show 5 (3rd Gen) Smart Clock
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Where to Buy: Amazon
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Price: $89.99 (often on sale for $49.99)
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Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.6 / 5 – 90,000+ reviews)
Combining a digital clock, photo frame, voice assistant, and speaker in one, the Echo Show 5 is perfect for tech-loving couples. It modernizes the traditional "clock" theme while keeping you connected through shared schedules, reminders, and music.
3. Vintage-Inspired Desk Clock
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Where to Buy: Pottery Barn or Wayfair
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Price: From $69
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Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.7 / 5 – 500+ reviews)
A desk clock in brass or wood offers a timeless, elegant look. It’s a perfect addition to a home office or mantel, symbolizing the stability and beauty of the first year of marriage.
4. 1st Anniversary Sundial
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Where to Buy: The Metal Foundry
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Price: From $85
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Rating: ★★★★★ (5.0 / 5 – 2,400+ reviews)
This handcrafted sundial is engraved with sentimental phrases like “Grow old with me.” Made from solid brass, it offers a poetic and symbolic take on the passage of time, ideal for celebrating your first trip around the sun as a married couple.


Anniversary Sundials as Modern One Year Anniversary Gifts
5. Engraved Pocket Watch or Couple’s Wristwatch Set
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Where to Buy: Things Remembered or Citizen
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Price: From $100–$250
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Rating: ★★★★☆ (4.5 / 5 – 1,000+ reviews)
Choose a custom-engraved pocket watch for a vintage feel or go with a matching couple’s wristwatch set. With your wedding date or initials added, this modern “clock” gift becomes a wearable reminder that your time together is always precious.
Unusual One Year Anniversary Gifts
Looking for something beyond the traditional paper or clock themes? These unusual 1st anniversary gifts from Personal Chic offer fresh, creative ways to celebrate your first year of marriage.
1. Matching Custom Shirts for Couples
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Where to Buy: https://personalchic.com/
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Price: $24.95 each
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Rating: ★★★★★ (4.97 / 5 – 1,814 Reviews)
Matching custom shirts are a lighthearted yet sentimental way to celebrate your bond. Choose from cute couple-themed designs or add your names and anniversary date for a more personal touch. Made with soft, breathable cotton, these T-shirts are perfect for cozy photoshoots or lounging at home—making them an ideal 1 year anniversary gift that’s both playful and wearable.


Matching Custom Shirts as Unusual 1st Anniversary Gift Ideas


Matching Custom Shirts as Unusual First Anniversary Gift Ideas
2. Matching Custom Mugs for Couples
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Where to Buy: Personal Chic
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Price: $19.95
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Rating: ★★★★★ (4.95 / 5 – 1,297 Reviews)
Start every morning with a reminder of your love thanks to these matching custom mugs. You can customize skin tones, hairstyles, names, and quotes for a design that reflects your relationship perfectly. With durable ceramic and vibrant printing, they make for a practical yet romantic 1st year anniversary gift.


Matching Custom Mugs as Unusual One Year Anniversary Gifts


Matching Custom Mugs as Unusual 1 Year Anniversary Gifts
3. Matching Custom Photo Bracelets
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Where to Buy: Personal Chic
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Price: $34.95
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Rating: ★★★★★ (4.93 / 5 – 842 Reviews)
These photo bracelets are subtle yet meaningful accessories that let you keep your favorite photo close at all times. Personal Chic offers various band styles and engraving options, making it a sweet, wearable token of your first year together. It’s an unconventional gift idea that mixes sentimental charm with daily functionality.


Custom Photo Bracelets as Personal 1st Anniversary Gift Ideas
4. Custom Anniversary Canvas Art Prints
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Where to Buy: Personal Chic
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Price: $28.95
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Rating: ★★★★★ (4.98 / 5 – 1,022 Reviews)
A custom canvas print captures your most meaningful memory—from your wedding day to your first vacation as a couple. Choose from map-based designs, photo collages, or romantic quotes printed on durable cotton-blend canvas. This high-quality, ready-to-hang art piece becomes a daily reminder of your love story, making it a thoughtful and decorative one year anniversary gift.


Canvas Art Prints as Unique First Year Anniversary Gifts


Canvas Art Prints as Unique 1st Year Anniversary Gifts
5. Personalized Wooden Plaque
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Where to Buy: Personal Chic
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Price: $29.95
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Rating: ★★★★★ (4.96 / 5 – 1,504 Reviews)
This personalized wooden plaque is crafted with quality MDF wood and printed using advanced UV technology for rich, lasting color. Add your names, a meaningful quote, or your anniversary date for a home décor piece that tells your story. It’s a one year anniversary gift that stands out from typical photo frames or paper art.


Personalized Wooden Plaque as 1st Anniversary Gift for Couple
6. Personalized Throw Pillow
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Where to Buy: Personal Chic
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Price: $27.95
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Rating: ★★★★★ (4.94 / 5 – 1,289 Reviews)
Celebrate comfort and connection with a custom throw pillow featuring your names, faces, or an inside joke only the two of you understand. Made from soft, durable polyester and printed with vivid detail, this cozy keepsake adds personality to your shared space while reminding you both of the journey you’ve begun.


Personalized Throw Pillows as Unusual First Anniversary Gift Ideas


Personalized Sequin Pillows as Unusual 1st Year Anniversary Gift Ideas
To sum up, whether you embrace tradition with paper or explore modern and creative options, these 1st anniversary gift ideas are a heartfelt way to celebrate the love and growth of your first year together. This milestone marks the beginning of your shared journey, and the right gift can make it even more memorable. For even more thoughtful and romantic ways to mark the occasion, be sure to check out our full guide to 1 Year Anniversary Ideas.

Olivia Knightley is the engaging blog writer for Personal Chic, the go-to website for personalised gifts that add a touch of individuality to every occasion. With a creative flair and a keen eye for the latest trends, Olivia curates content for the blog, offering insightful gift ideas, comprehensive guides, and thoughtful suggestions for a variety of celebrations and holidays. Having joined Personal Chic in 2021, Olivia has dedicated herself to becoming a connoisseur of all things gift-related, ensuring that every piece of content she crafts is both informative and imbued with a personal touch. Her background in creative writing and marketing, combined with her passion for celebrating life's moments, big and small, resonates through her engaging and relatable writing style.
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