A quarter of a century together… It's no small achievement!

So, to mark this major milestone, you’ll want to find a gift that fits the bill. Que the tradition of wedding anniversary gifts.

This is a wonderful way to choose a present that’s full of thought - not only does it unite your special day with centuries of loved-up couples celebrating the same achievement, but it also gives you the opportunity to showcase exactly what makes your relationship unique.

Think of themes as a blank canvas. It’s a point from which to start your gift search, but you can take it any which way you like. There’s so much you can do with the starting point of silver. So, make it your own!

Now’s your chance to get soppy, and find a gift that shows your other half just how well you know them (because if you can’t on your anniversary, when can you?).

So, to help you get your gift search off the ground, our experts have created the ultimate guide to 25th anniversary gifts. Below, you can find out more about the history of the traditional theme, and our top tips for choosing the perfect gift for your other half.

The history of 20 year wedding anniversaries - why silver?

There’s no doubt about it, silver is a beautiful material, and it is used to create wonderful gifts. For hundreds, even thousands of years, this versatile, elegant material has been used to create all sorts of heart-felt gifts.

But, why is it synonymous with the 25th wedding anniversary in particular?

Well, actually, this tradition is almost as old as the material itself.

The tradition of giving your partner a silver gift to mark the 25th wedding anniversary dates all the way back to the Roman period. Across the Roman Empire, it was traditional for men to give their wives a silver wreath after 25 years together.

Skip a few centuries, and in the Victorian period, the tradition of giving anniversary gifts based on themes was becoming increasingly popular. This had expanded well beyond the 25th and 50th anniversaries, to include a wide range of other themes.

Then, in 1922, Emily Post published the book Etiquette, which formed the first ‘official’ list of wedding anniversary themes.

These confirmed universal themes for the anniversaries 1, 5, 10, 15, 20 and 25 (sticking with silver for the 20th anniversary, as was traditional).

Traditional gift ideas for your 25th wedding anniversary

Silver presents almost perfectly fit the standard romantic-gift-stereotype. But this year, they are a whole lot more thoughtful (not to knock silver rings any other year, mind).

For your 25th anniversary, you can give a present that unites you with countless other couples, following the same tradition across thousands of years. How cool is that?

So, to help you choose a silver present that stands out from the crowd (not an easy brief!), our excerpts have shared their favourite ideas for 25th wedding anniversary gifts:

  • Silver jewellery. This could be:
  • Earrings
  • Necklace
  • Bracelet
  • Brooch
  • Ring
  • Cufflinks
    • Silver home ornaments. This could be:
    • A vase
    • Cutlery
    • Wine cooler
    • Desk sculptures
      • Tea light holder

      Where did modern wedding gift themes come from?

      The 25th wedding anniversary has a particularly strong, time-honoured tradition. Very few wedding anniversary themes boast the claim of being around for over 1000 years.

      Plus, as a material, silver has really retained its value. Throughout history, it has been a prized (but still comparatively affordable) metal, which has been used to create beautiful pieces of jewellery and ornaments.

      So, for all the above reasons, silver is also the modern theme for the 25th wedding anniversary. Obviously, the creators of the modern list thought they couldn’t improve on the original.

      The modern list has been designed around the same premise as the traditional. As the couple is together for longer, the gifts get increasingly more expensive, with more costly materials as the theme.

      For example, silver is a prized metal, but it doesn’t compare to gold, which comes as the theme for the 50th wedding anniversary.

      As it was back then, silver is an incredibly versatile metal, which talented artisans use to create all sorts of wonderful products. When it comes to buying silver gifts, the sky really is the limit.

      So, to help you narrow down your choices, our experts have shared their top 5 tips for choosing the perfect modern 25th wedding anniversary present:

      1. When choosing a silver gift, ask the shop if they offer personalisation services. Engraving a name or message into the silver gift is a great way to take it up a notch.
      2. Choose a design that matches your partner’s unique style. That way, it will feel like it was made just for them.
      3. Don’t go straight to the high street chains. See what silver pieces are being created by silversmiths and artisans. You’ll be able to secure yourself a beautiful, one of a kind piece.
      4. Extend your search online. Rather than immediately settling for a silver necklace (as beautiful as that may be), see what other silver gift ideas you can conjure up. You’ll be amazed how much there is out there!
      5. Try to find something that represents your relationship. For example, if you have kids, you could include their names in the design, or choose a sculpture featuring a family. Or, if you have a furry friend, get a silver gift that features them somewhere.

      Anniversaries are far more than an excuse for date night (although, that is certainly a big benefit). They’re all about celebrating everything that you’ve achieved together - all the highs and lows, milestones and happy moments.

      These gifts, and the opportunity for imagination and sentimentality that they provide, are the perfect embodiment of all these countless causes for celebration.