A wedding anniversary is a special day, and in this day and age, a major accomplishment. Recent statistics show that seven years is the new average for the amount of time couples stay married and by year three, romance is dead. For those who are celebrating a wedding anniversary it is a testament to the strength of their marital union.

Back in medieval Germany, if a couple made it to their 25th wedding anniversary, the wife received a silver wreath from family and friends. This was to celebrate the harmony and good fortune they had in their lives. By fifty years of marriage, the wife was presented with a gold wreath. These traditions stayed true and still carry on to this day. But nowadays every year has a special gift associated with it. There is a traditional gift and a modern alternative for each year. The gifts tend to match the year in the life of a married couple.

The first wedding anniversary calls for paper or plastic; the fifth year is wood or silverware, and year ten is the year for tin or aluminum. Crystal or glass represents fifteen years, the twentieth year is china for both the traditional or modern, and year twenty-five is silver for both. Fifty is represented by gold and for those who make it sixty years, it's diamonds all around!

People differ in how they choose to celebrate their anniversary and some years call for a bigger celebration than others. The first anniversary is a special one and represents a big one. That first year of marriage is learning how to live together. The first anniversary is typically very romantic with roses and an intimate dinner for two.

Every anniversary should be special and recognized. Any wedding anniversary celebration is a celebration of the couple's love for one another. Even if it is a special home cooked meal, a picnic in the park, having a romantic view from a mountaintop or simply some quiet time together.

The tenth year, twenty-fifth year and fiftieth year wedding anniversaries are typically the ones when family members or the children of the couple throw a party. Parties can be small and informal or elaborate with vow renewal, a reception, and a reunion of the original wedding party. Music, dancing, with a three-course dinner and a final dance are typical at these parties. Venues that specialize in weddings are great for wedding anniversary celebrations as well. There is usually a planner who can help with all the details to pull off a wonderful event.

Other couples choose to have a second honeymoon on their 10th or 25th wedding anniversary. They have a romantic getaway, either to the original location of their first honeymoon, or a much more elaborate location. The most popular are Aruba, Hawaii, The Atlantis in the Bahamas and France.

No matter how it is celebrated, a wedding anniversary holds a special place for the bride and groom and marks a day when their lives changed forever and they became one. Wedding anniversaries are an ideal opportunity for couples to celebrate their love for one another and remember why they made the choice to marry in the first place.