Wedding Anniversary Gifts by Year: A UK Guide
Quick answer
For anniversary gifts by year, the most flexible choice is a personalised word art print made with the couple’s own names, dates and memories. Word Art Prints has milestone designs from the 18th to the 70th anniversary, starting at £9.99 as an instant digital download, or from £22.99 framed in A4.
Updated October 2026
Need it today? Every print can be a digital download that arrives instantly, from £9.99. You can print it at home or at a local print shop the same day, and you preview your design free first. Framed and unframed prints are posted (3-5 working days in the UK), so they suit buyers with a little more time.
You can browse the full range in the anniversary and special occasions collection, which has over 470 designs across the shop to choose from.
In this guide
- How traditional anniversary themes work, and why they are only a starting point
- Gift ideas for the 18th, 20th and 21st anniversaries
- Gift ideas for the 30th and 40th anniversaries
- Gift ideas for the 50th, 60th and 70th anniversaries
- A comparison table of milestone prints
- What words to put on an anniversary print
- How it works
- FAQ and a short note about the shop
Do you have to follow the traditional gift for each year?
Not at all. Traditional lists give each anniversary a material or theme: paper at one year, silver at 25, pearl at 30, ruby at 40, gold at 50 and diamond at 60. They are a lovely prompt, and plenty of couples enjoy a nod to them, but they are not rules. Lists differ between countries and even between websites.
The easiest way to honour a theme without being tied to it is to let the words do the work. A print for a ruby anniversary can lean on red and warm colours, and one for a golden anniversary can lean on gold tones, while the wording stays entirely personal. The same print also works as a card-plus-gift in one, which is handy when you are buying for a couple who already have everything.
What can you give for the 18th, 20th or 21st anniversary?
These middle-distance years often get overlooked, which is exactly why a thoughtful gift stands out. Eighteen years is the point a child born on the wedding day becomes an adult, so it is a good moment for family words. Twenty is a proper milestone, and 21 has a “coming of age” feel for the marriage itself.
- 18th: the Personalised 18th anniversary gift suits couples with children, so names of the whole family work well on it.
- 20th: the Personalised 20th anniversary gift suits a couple who have built a life together; think of homes, holidays and shared milestones.
- 21st: the Personalised 21st Anniversary Word Art Print is a cheerful pick for a couple who like a playful take on “key to the door”.
Each is from £9.99 as a digital download, so they also suit a gift from a friend, sibling or colleague where the budget is modest.
What do you buy for a 30th or 40th wedding anniversary?
Thirty years is the pearl anniversary and forty is ruby, so both come with a natural colour or theme. They are also the years when a couple has usually collected plenty of shared memories, which makes them ideal for a word-heavy print.
- 30th: the Personalised 30th anniversary gift and the 30th anniversary word art are two different designs to choose from, so you can pick whichever suits the couple’s taste.
- 40th: the Personalised 40th anniversary gift and the Personalised 40th Anniversary Word Art Print both mark the ruby milestone.
If you are buying for parents, our guide to ruby wedding anniversary gifts goes deeper on the 40-year milestone, including ideas for the children to give together.
What is a good gift for a 50th, 60th or 70th anniversary?
These are the big ones, and the couples celebrating them often feel they have everything they need. A print is a keepsake that sits on a wall for years, and the words can reflect a whole lifetime.
- 50th (golden): choose between the Personalised 50th Anniversary Word Art Print and the Personalised 50th Wedding Anniversary Word Art Print. Our guides to golden wedding anniversary gifts and 50th anniversary gifts for parents have more ideas.
- 60th (diamond): the Personalised 60th anniversary word art is a fitting tribute to six decades together. See also our page on the 60th wedding anniversary.
- 70th: the Personalised 70th Anniversary Word Art Print is a rare and special gift for a rare and special milestone.
For these years, a framed print is often the nicest way to give it, as it arrives ready to hang. Framed A4 starts from £22.99 and framed A3 from £30.99.
Which anniversary print suits which year? A comparison
| Product | Best for | Example words to include | From price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Personalised 18th anniversary gift | Couples with a child who has just turned 18 | Family names, home town, first family holiday | £9.99 |
| Personalised 20th anniversary gift | Couples building a home and family together | Houses lived in, children’s names, favourite trip | £9.99 |
| Personalised 21st Anniversary Word Art Print | A lighthearted gift for a 21-year marriage | Wedding date, “still going strong”, shared jokes | £9.99 |
| Personalised 30th anniversary gift | Pearl anniversary for parents or friends | Names, wedding venue, thirty years of memories | £9.99 |
| Personalised 40th anniversary gift | Ruby anniversary from the whole family | Children and grandchildren’s names, favourite songs | £9.99 |
| Personalised 50th Anniversary Word Art Print | Golden anniversary keepsake | Names, wedding date, places lived, “fifty years” | £9.99 |
| Personalised 60th anniversary word art | Diamond anniversary tribute | Family tree names, decades of memories | £9.99 |
| Personalised 70th Anniversary Word Art Print | A truly rare milestone | Names, wedding date, generations of family | £9.99 |
Prices shown are for the digital download. Unframed prints start from £9.99 too, with framed A4 from £22.99 and framed A3 from £30.99.
What words should you put on an anniversary print?
This is where a Word Art Prints design earns its place. Instead of a generic message, you fill it with the couple’s own details. Short, concrete words work better than long phrases, because they read as a pattern rather than a paragraph. Here are three starting points you can adapt.
For a 30th anniversary
- The couple’s names and the wedding date
- The church, hotel or register office where they married
- First home town and the street they first lived on
- Children’s names and the year each was born
- “Pearls”, “thirty years”, “still laughing”
For a 50th anniversary
- Both names, with the date of the wedding
- Every place they have called home
- Children’s and grandchildren’s names
- Their favourite song, dance or holiday spot
- Words that describe them: loyal, patient, funny, together
For a milestone you are giving as a surprise
- A line from their wedding vows, if you know it
- The nickname only the family uses
- Things they always say or do, such as “kettle’s on”
- The number of years, written out as a word
- Where they met and the year
If you want more help phrasing things, our guide to personalising an anniversary word art print covers wording in more depth, and personalised anniversary gifts for every milestone has further ideas.
How it works
- Choose a print. Pick the anniversary year that matches the couple.
- Design it with your own words. Add names, dates, places and memories.
- Preview it free. Check every spelling and date before you order.
- Get it your way. Take a digital download that arrives instantly, or have a printed or framed print delivered.
Framed prints ship within 3-5 working days in the UK and 7-15 days internationally, so allow a little time if you are posting a gift overseas.
Leaving it very late? Our guide to last-minute anniversary gifts for him shows how a download can save the day.
FAQ
What are the traditional gifts for each wedding anniversary?
Traditional anniversary themes include paper for the 1st, cotton for the 2nd, leather for the 3rd, silver for the 25th, pearl for the 30th, ruby for the 40th, gold for the 50th and diamond for the 60th. Themes vary a little between lists, so treat them as inspiration rather than a rule. A personalised print works with any of them because the words are what make it meaningful.
What is a good gift for a milestone wedding anniversary?
Something personal usually lands better than something expensive. A word art print built from your own names, wedding date, places and memories is a gift that can only belong to that couple. Word Art Prints has milestone designs for the 18th, 20th, 21st, 30th, 40th, 50th, 60th and 70th, all from £9.99.
Can I get an anniversary gift today if I have left it late?
Yes. Every print can be a digital download that arrives instantly, from £9.99. You can print it at home or at a local print shop the same day, and you preview your design free first. Framed and unframed prints are posted, taking 3-5 working days in the UK, so they suit buyers with more time.
What should I write on a personalised anniversary print?
Use the names of the couple, the wedding date, the number of years together and a handful of words that sum up the marriage, such as places they have lived, family names and small private jokes. Short, specific words work better than long sentences. The example word lists in this guide give you a starting point.
Is a digital download or a framed print better for an anniversary?
A digital download is cheapest and instant, which suits last-minute gifts or people who want to choose their own frame. A framed print arrives ready to hang, from £22.99 for A4 or £30.99 for A3, and suits a gift you want to hand over wrapped. Both are made with your own words.
Do I see the design before I buy?
Yes. You choose a print, add your own words and preview it free before you commit. That makes it easy to check spellings, dates and names before the print is made.
About Word Art Prints
Word Art Prints is a UK shop making personalised word art prints since 2017. With over 470 designs, every print is made to order using the customer’s own words, from names and dates to memories and places.