Gift Ideas and Traditions for a 2nd Wedding Anniversary

Congratulations on reaching your second wedding anniversary!

The honeymoon period of newlyweds may have died down, but this is an equally wonderful year for married life. Whether it’s meeting new people, adding a furry friend to your family, or simply decorating your house, it’s wonderful to take a moment and look back at the milestones you’ve reached as you've approached your 2nd anniversary. After all, these annual occasions are all about celebrating your unfolding life and blossoming relationship, marking everything you’ve achieved together so far, and eagerly awaiting your exciting future. And if you're looking for 2 year anniversary gifts for a special couple in your life, read on as we have plenty of second anniversary gift ideas to help you find perfect 2nd anniversary gifts to celebrate the special occasion of their second year of marriage!

In this guide, we’ve covered all the details that you’ll need for your 2nd wedding anniversary. The traditional second anniversary gift is cotton, so we'll give you some great cotton anniversary gift ideas, along with some 2nd anniversary date ideas. The modern 2nd anniversary theme is china or porcelain, so we'll cover a few ideas on that too. All in all you'll find there are plenty of second wedding anniversary gift options.

What is the traditional 2nd wedding anniversary theme?

The traditional second wedding anniversary theme is cotton. This lends itself to quite a wide range of cotton fabric gifts, from bedding to clothing to hand made crochet gifts. This years gives plenty of options for really great traditional anniversary gifts.

What is the modern 2nd wedding anniversary theme?

The modern second wedding anniversary theme is china or porcelain. This is a great option if you don't like any of the cotton themed gifts, because it's an easy anniversary gift to buy for the home.

What is the 2nd wedding anniversary stone?

Garnet is the traditional second wedding anniversary stone. It's deep red color symbolizes passion, heat, energy and compassion, hopefully things that are abundant in your marriage! It's also said that the garnet stone can increase sex drive! A necklace, bracelet or other earrings made from garnet would make a lovely gift... it's a very versatile stone and suits a variety of settings and jewellery styles.

Rose Quartz is the alternative second anniversary stone. It's also known as the love stone, so it's an obvious choice for an anniversary stone!

What is the second anniversary flower?

Cosmos are the traditional second anniversary flowers. They symbolize joy and harmony, both things that are hopefully evident in your 2nd year of life together.

What is the 2 year anniversary color?

Red. You're probably spotting a theme by now, so red being the traditional 2nd wedding anniversary color probably isn't any surprise. As with the other traditions, it symbolizes passion, heat and energy.

Traditional cotton gift ideas for your 2nd wedding anniversary

So, what can we do with the theme of cotton for traditional 2nd anniversary gifts?

If you have craft skills, the cotton theme gives you a great opportunity to use your imagination to create a lovely handmade gift to mark this special milestone. There are plenty of gorgeous, romantic ways that you can create a cotton themed gift (plus, you’ll definitely get bonus points for making it yourself). Here are some handmade cotton second anniversary ideas:

• A cross stitch tapestry. There are so many ideas in this idea... you could do a tapestry of your wedding date, a photo from your wedding, a heart or love themed tapestry, the ideas really are endless. You could even add your wedding vows as a reminder of your promises to each other.
• Sewing a gift. If you have access to to a sewing machine (or can do it by hand!) then there's almost no limit to the number of cotton themed gifts you can make. Cotton aprons are always popular and easy to make, but if you're feeling particularly skilled then maybe a onesie in their favourite color would make a great gift? You could even sew a couple of romantic pillowcases, perhaps with a his and hers theme.
  

  

• Painting on canvas. Canvas is made from cotton fabric, so anything on canvas is a perfect traditional second anniversary gift! It could be a painting you've done yourself or even a wedding photo printed on to canvas.
  

  

If the thought of sewing fills you with dread, don't worry, there are plenty of other options for buying 2nd wedding anniversary gifts! Clothing is always popular (and needed!), but you could also opt for gifts such as luxurious cotton sheets or fluffy cotton towels. Here are some more cotton anniversary gifts ideas to help you find the perfect gift:

• Customize some clothing. It's cheesy, but how about a photo from your wedding on a t-shirt or sweatshirt? If you have graphic design skills (or know someone that does), you could stylize it so that it's less obvious but still a lovely reminder of your special day. Alternatively you could add the lyrics from your favorite wedding song as a reminder of your special day.
• Cotton socks or underwear. Custom his 'n hers socks are always a hit and easy to order online. And if you're feeling naughty, you could get some customized underwear or lingerie.
  

  

• Customized 2nd anniversary bathrobes or cotton towels. If you're feeling classy you could have your initials added as a monogram to each towel or bathrobe.
  

  

• If you have an outside space, how about a double size couple's hammock? They are great for lazy summer days and even in winter they're perfect for snuggling up together in the great outdoors.
  

  

Modern china or porcelain 2nd wedding anniversary gift ideas

The modern theme for 2nd wedding anniversaries is china or porcelain. If you're looking for a modern second anniversary gift instead of a traditional gift, we have you covered!

The china theme gives plenty of options for a modern gift, from fine china to ornaments. You could opt for a vintage china gift or buy a fun mug for their desk... either way, it's a great opportunity to get your partner something really special and personal. Think of something personal to your spouse. Do they drink endless cups of coffee or tea? If so, a china anniversary mug is a sure-win. Alternatively, if they love elephants, look for a china elephant ornament.

Bear in mind the style they like... if they love ornate vintage things, then why not browse through some local vintage shops to find a really unique anniversary gift? Or if they're more minimalist, colorful, kitsch or retro, find something that matches up with their style.

If you're wanting to make your own two-year anniversary gift, one of the best options is to hand paint a coffee mug. You could write a soppy love letter or poem on the mug, or get a mug printed with some photos from your wedding day. That way, they'll be thinking of you with every sip of coffee!

Some other options for modern fine china 2nd anniversary gifts:

• Tea pots or ceramic coffee plungers
• Ceramic earrings
• Vases
• Ceramic china table lamps

And there you have it! All the tips and info that you need to make your 2nd wedding anniversary fun, special and full of sentimentality. These themed presents are a wonderful way to show how much you care - after all, it’s clear that you’ve put a lot more thought into it than a bunch of flowers from the corner store.

You’ll be in the good books until next year, at the very least.