Anniversary flowers are more than romantic gestures—they are symbols that echo the growth, resilience, and evolving beauty of a relationship. Each year has traditional blooms associated with it, chosen for their meanings and the way they mirror the stage of the marriage. This guide walks you through the best flowers for every anniversary year, along with the sentiment they carry.
1st Anniversary — Carnation
The carnation represents young, passionate, blooming love. Its ruffled petals echo the freshness and excitement of the first year of marriage—still unfolding, vibrant, and full of promise. A bouquet of carnations celebrates the joy of beginnings and the delight in discovering one another.
2nd Anniversary — Cosmos
Cosmos symbolise harmony and balance, reflecting a couple growing into deeper understanding after the early whirlwind of newlywed life. Their airy, star-like petals express both playfulness and peace, perfect for marking a second year of shared growth.
3rd Anniversary — Sunflower
Tall, strong, and always facing the light, sunflowers symbolise loyalty, warmth, and steadfastness. By year three, the relationship begins to feel grounded and resilient, yet still bright and hopeful—much like the sunflower itself.
4th Anniversary — Geranium
Geraniums represent comfort, stability, and emotional security. This is a year where a couple often feels firmly rooted in shared routines and mutual support. A bouquet of geraniums honours the warmth and domestic harmony that have formed.
5th Anniversary — Daisy
Simple but joyful, the daisy symbolises innocence, loyalty, and the quiet trust that grows after five years together. Its radiating petals reflect a marriage that is opening beautifully, layer by layer, with honesty and optimism.
6th Anniversary — Calla Lily
Elegant and refined, the calla lily symbolises beauty and mature devotion. By the sixth year, the relationship often enters a phase of deeper appreciation, where love is less about fireworks and more about admiration and steadfast presence.
7th Anniversary — Freesia
Known for their fresh, citrusy scent, freesias represent trust and friendship—two qualities essential by year seven. Their delicate blooms celebrate the joy of loving not just a partner, but a true companion.
8th Anniversary — Clematis
Clematis is the flower of cleverness and mental connection. By the eighth year, couples have built a vocabulary of inside jokes, shared problem-solving, and intellectual partnership. Clematis honours a love strengthened by both heart and mind.
9th Anniversary — Poppy
Poppies evoke imagination, dreams, and deep emotional resonance. This anniversary celebrates the enduring beauty found in vulnerability, shared dreams, and a relationship that continues to feel restorative.
10th Anniversary — Daffodil
A decade calls for a flower of renewal and hope. Daffodils, which bloom early in spring, symbolise rebirth and joyful resilience. They celebrate a marriage that feels refreshed, optimistic, and full of new chapters to come.
11th Anniversary — Tulip
Elegant yet simple, tulips symbolise deep, settled love. Their graceful cupped shape reflects the comfort and warmth of a relationship that has blossomed into stability and tenderness after eleven years.
12th Anniversary — Peony
Lush, romantic, and adored worldwide, peonies symbolise prosperity, honour, and a love that continues to deepen. By year twelve, the relationship feels abundant—full of shared memories, traditions, and future plans.
13th Anniversary — Chrysanthemum
A flower associated with loyalty and longevity, the chrysanthemum represents a strong, resilient marriage. It’s a nod to a relationship that grows richer with time, even through challenges.
14th Anniversary — Dahlia
Dahlias signify elegance, commitment, and enduring grace. Their intricate petals reflect the layered, multifaceted beauty of a partnership well into its second decade.
15th Anniversary — Rose
By the fifteenth year, roses represent romance that has matured rather than faded. This is a celebration of passion that has endured, softened, and grown deeper with time.
20th Anniversary — Aster
Asters symbolise wisdom, devotion, and the richness of long-term love. After two decades, a marriage is shaped by both joy and challenges, and the aster honours that complexity.
25th Anniversary — Iris
For the silver anniversary, iris represents faith, hope, and valor. It symbolises a love that has weathered time with grace and dignity, still vibrant after twenty-five years.
30th Anniversary — Lily
Lilies symbolise purity of heart and the beauty of long-lasting commitment. By the thirtieth year, a relationship has reached a level of harmony and profound trust that lilies beautifully express.
40th Anniversary — Gladiolus
Named for the Latin word for “sword,” gladiolus represents strength, integrity, and unwavering devotion. Forty years of togetherness deserves nothing less powerful.
50th Anniversary — Yellow Rose & Violet
The golden anniversary is celebrated with a pairing: yellow roses for friendship and joy, violets for loyalty and lifelong devotion. Together they symbolise a union that is both warm and unshakeably strong.