Anniversaries are uniquely connected to the people who reach them. We celebrate them for different reasons: marriages, partnerships, jobs, even friendships. And we all have our own special memories of those occasions. It’s customary to give anniversary flowers, and as you’ll see, there’s a good reason. Flowers are full of symbolism, helping us express just how special the years are. Giving a bouquet to your partner isn’t just for Valentine’s Day!
Anniversaries are a sweet reminder of how far you and your partner have come. You’ve shared highs and lows for another year, and that deserves a celebration! Pick the right flower depending on the year. We’ll dive into the significance behind each bloom and how they represent different milestones in a marriage, and explore these beautiful anniversary flowers by year to find the perfect one for your special day!
First Anniversary: Carnation
Symbolism: Love and Passion
First anniversaries are particularly special. It’s the beginning of your journey together, full of excitement, promise, and new discoveries. Carnations are the traditional flower for this milestone. Known for their delicate beauty, carnations symbolize the passion and admiration that are foundational to a new love. The rich, vibrant colors of carnations, which range from deep reds to soft pinks, capture the youthful, enthusiastic nature of a couple’s first year.
Carnations are known for their enduring qualities, much like the promises made in the early stages of marriage. As much as flowers can convey sentiment, make sure to include a card to put your emotions to paper. You can find inspiration from our article about happy anniversary messages and quotes to kick-start your thoughtfulness.
Second Anniversary: Cosmos
Symbolism: Harmony and Transformation
The best flowers for anniversaries lie within the milestone it represents. After the whirlwind first year, the second year brings a deeper, more nuanced understanding of one another. You’re just passed the honeymoon phase and are settling into the everyday with your new life partner. Cosmos represent how relationships evolve, transforming from simple affection to something more intricate. As you celebrate your second anniversary, the cosmos is a fitting tribute to the deeper bond that’s developed over time.
Third Anniversary: Sunflower
Symbolism: Strength and Loyalty
Sunflowers are sturdy, vibrant, and optimistic, making them the ideal flower for the third anniversary. They naturally follow the sun throughout the day, as any good relationship will gravitate towards celebrating your positive attributes. Sunflowers symbolize loyalty and the strength of love.
Fourth Anniversary: Geranium
Symbolism: Comfort and Stability
By the time you reach your fourth anniversary, a sense of familiarity and comfort settles in. Geraniums symbolize the tranquility and security that comes from a strong relationship built on trust and mutual respect. Geraniums represent the peacefulness and beauty that come with knowing each other so well. As you celebrate four years of marriage, these flowers remind you of the steady, comfortable love that has developed over time.
Fifth Anniversary: Daisy
Symbolism: Purity and New Beginnings
The daisy is the flower of the fifth anniversary, symbolizing purity and renewal. With its clean, simple structure, the daisy represents a relationship that is grounded in mutual respect and trust. Just like the daisy’s petals fan out from a strong center, each partner has grown individually, yet remains connected by the solid foundation of their shared love. Their simple yet vibrant nature highlights the strength and depth of your love as you look forward to the future together.
Sixth Anniversary: Calla Lily
Symbolism: Beauty and Elegance
Elegant and graceful, Calla Lilies are the perfect representation of a sixth anniversary. Their smooth, slender stems and delicate blooms symbolize the quiet growth and elegance that each partner has experienced over six years of marriage. Calla lilies are known for their refined beauty, making them an ideal flower to celebrate this milestone. Much like the flower’s graceful curve, your bond has flourished quietly but beautifully over six years.
Seventh Anniversary: Freesia
Symbolism: Trust and Friendship
The seventh anniversary is a time to celebrate the deepening of trust and companionship. The best flowers for anniversaries like this one are Freesias, symbolizing friendship, loyalty, and mutual respect. Their sweet fragrance and vibrant colors are a reminder of the unique traits each partner brings to the relationship. You can learn more fun facts about Freesias from The Bouqs Co.!
Eighth Anniversary: Clematis
Symbolism: Intelligence and Growth
Clematis flowers are perfect for the eighth anniversary, symbolizing intellect, understanding, and the promise of growing old together. Known for their bright colors and intricate petals, clematis represents the continued growth of your relationship, both in terms of knowledge and emotional connection. Its beautiful blooms represent the thriving partnership you’ve nurtured over eight years.
Ninth Anniversary: Poppy
Symbolism: Imagination and Peace
After nine years, your relationship has reached a state of peacefulness and tranquility. Poppies symbolize imagination, remembrance, and a calm spirit. These vibrant flowers bring an aura of creativity and quiet strength, making them a perfect flower to represent the ninth year of marriage. Poppies evoke feelings of peace and tranquility, celebrating the quiet understanding and creative energy that has developed between you and your partner over the past nine years.
Tenth Anniversary: Daffodil
Symbolism: New Beginnings and Optimism
Celebrating a decade is special! You want to be extra careful picking the anniversary flower by year for this one. We recommend the daffodil, symbolizing renewal, optimism, and fresh beginnings. They represent the ongoing growth and vitality of your relationship. Daffodils are often the first flowers of spring, symbolizing hope and new beginnings. Their bright yellow petals are a reminder that even after ten years, your love is still vibrant and full of promise.
Eleventh Anniversary: Morning Glory
Symbolism: Love and Affection, New Beginnings
Affectionate morning glories, up with the sun, are the perfect gift for the first year of your second decade. An exciting new beginning in a steady, time-tested relationship.
Twelfth Anniversary: Peony
Symbolism: Love, Honor, Romance, and Beauty
Peonies are a jumble of intricate petals, and each one is a little different. After twelve years, you’ve learned each other’s unique ways, and even when things are a little unruly, it’s a beautiful mess.
Thirteenth Anniversary: Chrysanthemum
Symbolism: Friendship, Happiness, and Well Being
Chrysanthemums come in rich, deep colors, and are symbolic of royalty. How can thirteen be an unlucky year when it’s topped off with royal, jewel-toned chrysanthemums?
Fourteenth Anniversary: Dahlia
Symbolism: Elegance, Positivity, and Growth
Dahlias we’re very popular in the Victorian Era practice of floriography, sending bouquets of different flowers to telegraph messages of affection, condolences, or even disdain. In that language, dahlias meant love, devotion, beauty and dignity. These meanings still hold true today.
Fifteenth Anniversary: Rose
Symbolism: Love, Royalty, and Beauty
Another milestone anniversary calls for a respected, elegant beauty. The classic rose symbolizes passion and romance. You’ve grown through many seasons together, and in fifteen years, the fire is still alive, and the roots are stronger than ever.
Twentieth Anniversary: Aster
Symbolism: Wisdom, Faith, and Valor
From the Greek word “star”, the aster represents love, wisdom, faith, and color. These flowers gained their meaning because they were placed on the altars of gods, which elevates these symbolic flowers appropriately for celebrating your momentous twentieth anniversary.
Twenty-fifth Anniversary: Iris
Symbolism: Faith, Hope, and Wisdom
The legacy of the iris is enduring faith and hope. How fitting for the relationship that has faithfully flourished for twenty-five years. The iris also signifies courage and admiration. They really say it all on this often grandly celebrated anniversary.
Thirtieth Anniversary: Lily
Symbolism: Love, Purity, and Rebirth
Lilies come in a great variety of colors, with different meanings. At the thirty-year mark, you can dig deep and choose the message you want to send. For instance, orange and red lilies signify passion, and pink lilies symbolize abundance.
Fortieth Anniversary: Gladiolus
Symbolism: Strength and Integrity
When you’ve nurtured a relationship for forty years, it’s a sure bet that faithfulness and strength of character played a big part in your success. That’s why the gladiolus is the flower that belongs to year forty. It’s luminous, charming, and a little showy, but a stalwart symbol of character, loyalty, moral integrity, and remembrance.
Fiftieth Anniversary: Yellow Rose/Violet
Symbolism: Friendship and Joy
Fifty is the only anniversary to get two flowers, in complimentary colors of yellow and purple. Violets signify honesty, protection, remembrance, and determination. Yellow roses represent inner strength, and the two together symbolize a long life of complementing and supporting each other.
Celebrate Your Anniversary with Flowers from The Bouqs
Each anniversary is a unique milestone, and finding the right anniversary flowers by year can help make the occasion even more meaningful. Whether you choose the passionate carnations of your first year or the radiant daffodils of your tenth, flowers have the ability to convey deep emotions and celebrate your shared journey. Celebrate your love with beautiful blooms that capture the essence of your time together.
For a wide variety of anniversary flower bouquets, check out The Bouqs Co., where you’ll find the perfect flowers for every occasion.
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