Your 1st year wedding anniversary is a special and exciting time of the year and most definitely should be celebrated. There are a variety of ways to host an anniversary party and the ideas may seem overwhelming. Are you unsure about which favors are fitting for your 1st anniversary party ideas? Here are several first-anniversary ideas for favors that will surely have your guests wanting to come back to your parties time and time again! We also offer a great anniversary party checklist for easy planning and preparation ideas! Additionally, to make your party great, there is a budget worksheet, and fun game and decor ideas available for you to use!
Something your guests will be sure to love is a mini champagne bottle! Label them with the names of the couple and the date of their anniversary to give out as a party favor. Putting the date of the married couple is also an option! Check your local winery if they carry mini champagne. These bottles are great 1st anniversary party ideas!
These 1st anniversary party ideas can lead to some new traditions. The first anniversary is also referred to as the 'paper year' so you can incorporate paper into the favors you pass out to guests. Below are a few different paper wedding favors to choose from. Perfect for the paper anniversary.
Another paper anniversary idea is folding paper fans are inexpensive and come in a variety of colors and patterns. Your guests will surely appreciate them especially if your party is on a hot day!
Mini Notepads are another inexpensive gift that can come in different colors, patterns, and can even be customized to have a message of your choosing on them! These will come in handy for work, school, grocery lists, etc.
Small Desserts
Bake or buy small desserts such as cookies, brownies, or cupcakes and wrap them up in colored tissue paper and tie them off with a cute ribbon or string. These ideas are delectable!
Photo Booth Pictures
Rent a photo booth or set up a place in the room where guests are able to get their photos taken throughout the night. Print them out and give the photos out as memorable favors to take home with them.
Paper Card Surprises
Putting flower seeds inside a paper thank you card is a cute idea to show your thanks to your guests. Once at home, your guests can plant the flower, vegetable, or herb that they will always associate with the anniversary party.
Paper Bookmarks
Paper Bookmarks can be made out of cardstock paper or simply bought online or at your local party supply store. Include a cute quote about love or perhaps a photo of the married couple along with their wedding date on the bookmark.
3. Couple’s Interests
For casual and upbeat 1st anniversary party ideas, you could feature the couple’s favorite sports team than as a favor you could hand out custom refrigerator magnets with the team’s logo along with a clever phrase such as “Thank you for rooting for us!” with the anniversary date below it.
These are great 1st anniversary party idea favors because it showcases the couple's marriage for the last year. Another charming example would be if the couple is interested in cooking.
You could make miniature cheesecake or pairs of cookies and wrap them up in colored tissue paper that matches the event décor.
Attach a small card that is labeled with a saying like “Thank you for making our lives sweeter!” or a small photo of you and your spouse attached to the card.
4. Mixed CDs
Married couples sometimes have a number of songs that define their relationship or their wedding. You could burn CDs with these songs to pass out to guests as anniversary favors. Although CDs are a thing of the past, having a mixed CD is still a very sweet flavor still great for 1st anniversary party ideas.
5. Wedding Anniversary Games
Necking
If your guests are not afraid to get close and personal, necking is a hilarious game for both onlookers and players. Have each coupled line up across from one another.
One partner holds an object under their chin while the other tries to retrieve that object from their partner (with their neck) without dropping it.
No hands in this game--get close and get competitive! A round of applause and endless laughter will erupt for the last pair standing.
In the Dark
In the Dark is an entertaining game for larger parties with open spaces. During this game, players will blindfold themselves and use some of their other senses (sound, touch, smell) to find their partner.
Make sure you assign a volunteer spotter or two in order to prevent potential accidents among the blindfolded group. The first person to find their partner wins!
The Year Of The..?
Write down the years 1-15, 20, 25, 30, 35, 40, 45, 55, 60, 70, and 75 on pieces of paper and ask participants to guess what symbol represents a particular group of anniversary years.
These are great for 1st anniversary party ideas for games, as they get newlyweds thinking about preparations for anniversary parties to come.
Throne (Musical Chairs)
While musical chairs may seem childish, it is always a fun and exciting game if prizes are involved. Count the number of participants and remove enough chairs so that there’s exactly one less chair than the number of guests playing.
Then start up the music! Once it stops, everybody scrambles to take a seat.
The last person left standing is knocked out of the game. Take away a chair each round and play until there is only one person left to crown the winner! Once a winner is chosen, offer a bottle of wine or a small gift card for the win. No one can refuse a nice token of appreciation!
Desert Island
Each couple playing is given a sheet of paper that symbolizes their piece of the island. Then, each couple must answer questions about their spouse. When a wrong answer is given, fold the paper in half to “shrink the island!” The pair with the least amount of folds by the end is the winner!
This game is a personalized trivia game and is a great option for couples of any age. It pushes couples to work together and reminisce about past memories.
It also is a great opportunity to learn more about your partner if you get a question wrong. Everyone wins in some way!
Newlywed Games
The Newlywed Game is played by asking each couple individually a set of questions either about themselves or their spouse. Each couple will write down their answers, which are subsequently compared to their spouse’s answers.
The couple that gets the most answers correct wins. This game is similar to Desert Island but can be reconfigured.
If your guests know a lot about you and your spouse, you could ask them questions about your relationship and marriage. If your bridesmaids, groomsman, and parents attend your anniversary party this game will quickly become competitive and work seamlessly.
Name That Year
Create a timeline and a word bank of significant life events consisting of the anniversary couple’s life (their dating life and events since they’ve gotten married). Have guests try to place these events in order with the correct year.
If the couple hasn’t been together long, or you’d like to make the game even more challenging, task them with guessing the month too. These activities show who really knows the couple the best!
6. Decorations
Every party has decorations to bring it to life, and a 1st anniversary party is no exception! Decorate your party how you see fit, and you can even make a lot of them on your own!
Welcome Sign
Put a welcome sign around or inside of your house or wherever your venue is to greet your guests right away. You could even put one by your food and drinks to let your guests help themselves!
Flowers are a beautiful touch to any sight. Put some flowers of your choice in any place you find fit, such as on tables or other displays!
Streamers
Putting streamers around your house or venue will give your party some extra shine.
7. Cake
Cake is the perfect dessert for any party, and finding one that you love is very important! You can get a cake at a bakery or shop of your choice, or even bake one with your special someone to make some memories! Make sure to put a memorable cake topper on to give it some extra flair!
8. Gifts
Getting a gift for your significant other is the cherry on the cake, and will leave them smiling ear to ear no matter what you get them. But, if you want our suggestions, below are some great options for you to choose from!
Watch/Clock
Find your watch store of choice, and find the perfect watch for your significant other! Alternatively, you can purchase a clock for both of you to use, and they are a perfect piece of furniture for any home!
Family Name Sign
Order a custom name sign with your family name on it, and hang it somewhere in or outside of your house to make it your own! This gift is perfect for both of you, and you can both be happy with it!
Buying your special someone a piece of jewelry from their favorite jewelry store will melt their heart, and they will always think of you and your shared memories every time they look at it!
Flowers
Despite costing significantly less than other gift options, flowers are the perfect gift for any occasion. Some boutiques even allow you to create custom bouquets to make the perfect set for your significant other!
1st Anniversary Party Ideas: Conclusion
1st anniversary party ideas are a wonderful chance to talk and connect with close friends and family, reflect on your flourishing relationship, and discuss future milestones to come!
Not all parties need to be formal or have a central theme, they should just need to celebrate your unity and bring your guests together.
Newlywed games and Desert Island, are perfect for any age and bring other couples into the celebration. These creative games serve to multiply the excitement and playfully test partners’ relationship trivia.
If your guests are hesitant in participating in games, incentivize them with small gifts or party favors.
This list of wedding anniversary games will entertain any party-goer and are unique ways to celebrate your first year of marriage! We hope you use these 1st Anniversary Party Ideas that can build into new traditions for every anniversary. Happy 1st Wedding Anniversary!
Written by Chelsea Jung, Chris Kulesza, and Max Kahn; Contributors: Kerri Sullivan and Jessica Lee
