According to Wikipedia: “the historic origins of wedding anniversaries date back to the Roman Empire, when husbands crowned their wives with a silver wreath on their twenty-fifth anniversary, and a gold wreath on the fiftieth. Later, principally in the twentieth century, commercialism led to the addition of more anniversaries being represented by a named gift.”
In keeping with tradition there are gift “themes” for anniversaries from the first through the fifteenth year, then every five years (so on your twentieth, twenty-fifth and thirtieth) and then every ten years (fortieth, fiftieth, then sixtieth)! I personally think that it’s a fun tradition to follow and it helps to provide gift-giving guidelines, especially if you can’t think of anything to gift one another to celebrate the occasion (I have a hard enough time coming up with gifts for birthdays and Christmas!).
I’m sure that you’re reading this because you’re searching specifically for gift ideas for your fourth anniversary, but if you’re planning / starting to get ideas here are some gift suggestions for previous anniversaries:
First (Paper)
Second (Cotton)
Third (Leather)
This year (our fourth year of marriage) the traditional gift theme is fruit / flowers. I’ll admit that this traditional theme has been the most challenging gift to shop for so far! I prefer for our anniversary gifts to be meaningful and enduring, but when I think of fruit and flowers in their literal sense they’re probably the least long-lasting things once they’ve bloomed / are ripe. 😂
This theme really forced me to flex my creative muscle to think outside of the box and while a few suggestions are a bit of a stretch being “theme adjacent”, I’m pretty pleased with the options I came up with!
Since I’ve been shopping for an anniversary gift for my husband I thought I’d share everything I’ve found that’s piqued our interest! In the list below you will find items that we either purchased for one another or already own (those have an *asterisk) as well as the items that we considered for each other:
EDIBLE ITEMS
These items are obviously meant for short-term enjoyment, but that doesn’t mean that they can’t be special too… especially since a lot of them fit the fourth anniversary theme pretty literally.
Enjoy these items at home with a fancy homemade or takeaway dinner OR make a picnic and nibble on these items al fresco!
Fruit basket // dried fruit tray
I think fruit baskets have gotten a bad rap. I personally love fruit!! A fruit basket can be part of a larger “experience” type of gift as well; these would be great for snacking with a bottle of wine (on an at-home date night!), for a picnic, a road trip, etc.! Additional dried fruit gift basket options here and here.
Some alternative-yet-similar suggestions to the fruit basket idea would be: an edible “floral” arrangement (fruit / jerky), chocolate covered berries, or even dehydrated fruit crisps.
Fruit preserves set
This may seem “boring”, but if you eat at home a lot, these premium preserves can add a fun element to charcuterie boards, sandwiches, or even as a topping / made into a glaze for dishes! A very fun surprise for the home cook in your life.
macaron cookies
Ladurée’s macaron offerings tend to lean into fruity / floral flavors! You can order them via HolyBelly if you don’t have a store nearby or you can just shop local. If you’re near Seattle, Lady Yum macarons are our favorite!
Blooming tea + teapot set
A thoughtful gift for the tea lover; blooming tea is such a beautiful experience! Pair the tea with a teapot & cup set for an more deluxe gift, or if they already have plenty of tea maybe upgrade their tea kettle to this beautiful floral one!
Brightland Olive oil set
Amazing premium olive oils perfect for zhuzhing up salads, bread dip, or finishing dishes! A great gift for the home chef or someone who really appreciates good eats.
At-Home Limoncello kit
Did you honeymoon in Italy? Making your own limoncello at home could be a fun thing for you to do together!
Beer of the Month Subscription
Okay, hear me out: one of the main ingredients in beer (hops) are technically flowers… and if your partner loves beer (like my husband does!) I know they’ll really appreciate this beer subscription! If your partner has specific taste or a favorite local brewery, maybe give them a gift card for that location instead.
Drunken botanist book
For the aspiring home mixologist! During the COVID-19 pandemic lockdown, those of us who enjoy a cocktail were forced to become our own bartenders and I think that many people discovered a new interest! Whether mixing beverages has always been your spouses’s passion or it’s newly discovered, this book paired with a really nice bottle of their favorite spirit would make an excellent gift!
*Psst! We also love this at-home cocktail book!
hand-painted custom label bottle of wine or liquor
Gift them a bottle of their favorite spirit with a little bespoke element. Since wine is made from grapes (we’re giving liquor a pass here in case wine isn’t preferred by the recipient) I totally think that it falls into the fourth anniversary gifting realm. 😜 I particularly love this idea because the bottle can be displayed long after the beverage has been enjoyed! This handpainted wine bottle style and this style of painted liquor bottle are my personal favorites.
If you’re feeling crafty, this “pineapple” champagne bottle gift is pretty cute and makes a bottle of champagne a little extra special! Especially if you got married in or honeymooned in a tropical locale like Hawai’i!
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HOME GOODS
Botanical Prints
I love this idea if the items have special significance for you… maybe featuring a fruit or herb that was a flavor in your wedding cake (strawberry? huckleberry?), a citrus print because your first date was over margaritas, the traditional fourth anniversary flower (which are geraniums because they “represent two people coming together in mind, body and spirit. They’re also known for symbolising happiness and positive emotions which is perfect for a happily married couple.”), or a pair of your birthday month flowers, etc. You can totally get creative here, just be sure there’s meaning / significance behind your choice (if you’re looking for suggestions, I love this one, this one, and this one).
Fruit / Floral Scented Candle
(with deluxe candle care tools + matches + photophore)
In the same spirit as the botanical prints, find a scent that is linked to a memorable part of your story together! Was your favorite trip together to Provence? Maybe this lavender scented candle transports you back to the memories of that vacation. Did you honeymoon in Amalfi or Capri? These limited edition candles would remind you of that romantic trip every time you lit them.
My favorite high quality candle companies to shop from are Diptyque and Hotel Lobby Candles.
Wedding Flower Preservation
The only “decor” we had at our wedding were our florals and I absolutely LOVED them! Being able to preserve them forever would have been absolutely ideal. Whether you’re gifting a flower lover or even just a sentimental person, this is a great way to memorialize a gorgeous part of your wedding and enjoy it for decades to come! I love this wedding bouquet preservation option, this framed wedding florals + invitation option, these bridal flower keepsakes, and this preserved bouquet tray.
Floral / Fruity scented Body Care Products
You can find hand and body lotions, soaps or perfume / cologne in their favorite floral or fruity fragrance. This one can be a bit of a gamble so be sure that they like the scent that you want to buy before purchasing.
FLOWERING / FRUIT-BEARING PLANT
If your beloved has a green thumb, I think it would be really sweet to gift them a shrub or tree (or even a special perennial flowering plant). Something that they can enjoy caring for indoors or if you have the space outdoors, it might be a great addition to (or starter for) their garden! Might I suggest a fruit tree (meyer lemon shrub or key lime shrub), or an olive tree or a lavender grow kit.
DECORATIVE FRUIT BOWL
An elegant way to keep your fruit readily available on the counter. I loved this marble footed bowl, this crystal bowl, and this acacia wood bowl.
Decorative Fruit
This suggestion is a bit of a risk because this type of decor can easily lend itself to a very dated aesthetic, but I think when styled intentionally it can be very chic. Use your best judgment on whether your partner would appreciate this option. Some of the decent options I found: 6 pieces of decorative fruit, a pear sculpture, a pear figurine, and an apple figurine.
Vase
If your spouse loves flowers, I personally think that one of the best gifts you can give to them is a beautiful vase and strive to always keep it full of fresh blooms. This may mean randomly picking up floral arrangements at the grocery store, routinely ordering bouquets from their favorite florist, or even signing up for a bouquet delivery subscription — there are no wrong answers!
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LONG-LASTING FLORALS
Love florals, but get frustrated with their short lifespans? Well, fear not! I have a few ideas…
REAL BLOOMS THAT LAST “FOREVER”
I have no idea what magic these brands are using, but I am amazed at the quality and longevity of these real flowers! I have a hatbox of roses that my husband gifted me four years ago and a hydrangea arrangement from last year that are both still going strong! They smell amazing and still look as fresh as the day they arrived. Highly recommend shopping from Venus et Fleur or La Fleur.
PRESERVED FLOWERS
It doesn’t get much less maintenance than dried floral arrangements. If your spouse loves the look of real flowers, but has a black thumb, this may be the answer! I would order bouquets from either UrbanStems or Idlewild.
I mentioned this option in the “Home Goods” section above, but I would be remiss if I didn’t mention bouquet preservation here as well. The artistry of this company in particular looks like extremely high quality and I may need my wedding bouquet to be recreated and have a piece made with it! So lovely.
I also love the option of preserved bouquet shadowboxes. Similar to the bouquet preservation option, but instead of being suspended in resin(?) they are gently dried, preserved and then arranged to emulate the bouquet in a shadowbox that you can display in your home.
DELICATE FLOWERS
This unique gift would never wilt because they will truly last forever.
Waterford glass rose // Swarovski crystal rose
Swarovski crystal cherry blossoms // Swarovski crystal magnolia
porcelain dahlia // porcelain gardenia
birth month glass flower bouquet
(this could also work for your wedding month!)
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WEARABLE ACCENTS
Clothing Pieces
If you’re celebrating your anniversary by going on a trip somewhere, I think it would be fun to gift your spouse with an article of clothing that they can wear for years to come that will have some significance that is specific to the trip, your wedding honeymoon, or just sentimental in some way. I love the idea of a floral button down shirt for him (a Hawaiian style shirt would be great, but just because a shirt is floral doesn’t mean that it has to be that specific style; there are a lot more options) and a pareo for her.
ACCESSORIES
I think that a floral / fruit printed scarf or tie would make a great fourth anniversary gift. There are scarf options available for every budget, but if you’re really wanting to splurge on your fashion-forward partner, I recommend buying a silk scarf from Hermès via theRealReal. If your spouse isn’t exactly the scarf type, but still loves to wear designer items, I love the headbands from Alice+Hops that are created with upcycled designer scarves.
JEWELRY
If your spouse is a jewelry person, I’d like to note that the gemstone for the 4th anniversary is the blue topaz and with that in mind, I’ve found a few pieces that I thought would make lovely gifts: a pair of earrings, a solitaire pendant necklace, and a multi-gem bracelet.
If your spouse likes jewelry, but isn’t much of a gemstone person, I thought that this flower month bracelet would be a nice option, as well as a timepiece with 3D florals or even a pair of theme-related cufflinks!
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EXPERIENCES
Experiences are one of my favorite things to gift because they’re not actually “things”. Creating memories and strengthening our bond goes so much deeper than just a tangible object (that said, I love presents as well 😜)!
Plan a romantic picnic highlighting fruit (reference above section “Edible Gifts”).
Make a date to explore a local botanical garden or seasonal u-pick experience at a fruit farm / orchard.
Go for a wine tasting (maybe even join a wine club?) — if you’re local to Washington, Walla Walla has an amazing wine scene!
Attend a floral arranging or cooking / baking [with fruit] class (or sign up for a series of classes!).
Schedule a couples day spa experience (spas often utilize floral / herbal fragrances to evoke certain responses… relaxation, invigoration, etc.). You could even turn this into a stay at a luxurious resort!
I hope this list helps you with gift ideas for your loved one. Good luck in your present search and congratulations on celebrating your fourth wedding anniversary!
Sending hugs —
xx, Natalie
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