Wedding Anniversary Wishes: What to Write for Every Year
Whether it’s your first wedding anniversary or your 50th, what you write in your anniversary card matters. Use your wedding anniversary wishes wisely; if it’s been a momentous year in your marriage, pay homage to it. If it’s been a difficult one, reflect on that and what you’ve learned.
If you’re wondering what to write in a wedding anniversary card for a couple you’re close to, rather than part of, they’ll be happy knowing you remembered their special day, but a heartfelt wedding anniversary message won’t go amiss. Reminisce about their wedding, and note down anything major that’s happened to them in the last 365 days, be it a house move, a new pet or a retirement.
Bridebook, the world’s #1 wedding planning platform used by over 2.8 million couples, has rounded up the best wedding anniversary wishes for every milestone year — from short and sweet to romantic and funny. Read on for advice on how to wish a couple a happy anniversary, plus inspiration for what to write in an anniversary card for your other half.
Short and sweet anniversary wishes
If you’re not one for words, your partner is likely already aware of this and will be charmed by a short anniversary wish. Some cards already have emotional messages printed inside, so a simple and heartfelt addition from you will do the trick. Check out the below for inspiration.
- Here’s to many more happy years together.
- Happy anniversary to my favourite human.
- Happy anniversary, here’s to the rest of our lives together.
- To many more years of love and laughter.
- Happy anniversary, thank you for being my better half.
- Thank you for another magical year. You’ve made all my wishes come true.
- Cheers to our past, present, and future.
- Happy anniversary to the love of my life.
- I love our life together more with every year that passes.
- Happy anniversary. I can’t wait to wake up next to you for the rest of our lives.
- Happy anniversary, here’s to another brilliant year.
- Thank you for the best year yet.
- We’ve come so far, and I love where we’re going.
- Happy anniversary to the person who sees me at my worst and loves me anyway.
- Every year with you is better than the last.
- Cheers to the life we’ve created and the future we’re building.
- Thank you for being my rock, happy anniversary.
- Happy anniversary to my soulmate and best friend.
- Cheers to many more years of happiness.
Romantic anniversary messages
Romantic messages will bring a smile to your partner’s face (and maybe a happy tear to their eye) when they open their anniversary card. If you’re not planning to mark your anniversary in a big way, a romantic anniversary message will remind your partner how special they are to you – it’s the small things that count rather than big gestures. Try these romantic anniversary messages and let us know if your partner loves them.
- Happy anniversary to the best thing that has ever happened to me.
- Happy anniversary, after all this time, I still fall in love with you more every day.
- Happy anniversary, I am so proud of the life we’ve built together.
- I love you more with every passing year. Happy anniversary.
- You are, without question, the best decision I ever made. Happy anniversary.
- Happy anniversary, I couldn’t do life without you.
- Happy anniversary, I love you more than words can say.
- I would find you in every lifetime and choose you every time, happy anniversary.
- I’m hopelessly devoted to you, happy anniversary.
- I still can’t believe I get to call you my other half, happy anniversary.
- Loved you then, love you still, always have, always will.
- 365 days have passed and I love you even more than on our last anniversary.
- Happy anniversary to my soulmate.
- Every love story is special, but ours is my favourite. Here’s to so many more years together.
Funny anniversary wishes
There’s no reason your anniversary card has to be romantic – it can be funny too, as long as it expresses your love for your partner. Use the below as inspiration, or write down funny in-jokes or lines from your favourite TV shows or films that make you laugh. Anything goes, as long as it shows how much you love your partner.
- I love you more than coffee, but please don’t make me prove it.
- I love you more than the dog, but don’t tell them that.
- Happy anniversary, there’s nobody else I’d rather lie in bed with and look at my phone.
- You’re the only person I want to annoy for the rest of my life – lucky you!
- I love you, even when you snore and steal the duvet. Happy anniversary.
- Happy anniversary to the best thing I ever found on the internet.
- Happy anniversary, I’d still swipe right on you.
- Thanks for being the big spoon to my little spoon.
- Happy anniversary, all these years later, you’re still the best decision I ever made (most of the time).
- Happy anniversary! Let’s go out so we don’t have to do dishes.
- Happy anniversary to the only person I’d let put their cold feet on me.
- Here’s to another year of laughing at each other’s jokes – even the non-funny ones.
- You’re the only person I’d put up with reality TV for. Happy anniversary.
Anniversary wishes for friends and family
It’s a lovely gesture to celebrate the wedding anniversaries of others, be they your friends, your parents or other family members. Parents in particular will appreciate cards recognising the years they’ve spent together.
- Cheers to another year of being “couple goals.”
- Happy Anniversary to two of our favourite people.
- Wishing you the happiest anniversary.
- Here’s to many more happy years, we love you.
- To the couple who started it all – happy anniversary, Mum and Dad!
- I can’t believe it’s been [XX] years since the wedding, happy anniversary.
- Happy anniversary to the couple who make it look easy.
- Wishing a perfect pair a perfect day.
- Congratulations on another year of being wonderful together.
- Sending you so much love on your wedding anniversary.
- Cheers to many more years of happiness.
- To love, laughter, and a happily ever after.
- Happy anniversary, it’s a joy to watch your love continue to grow.
- Happy anniversary to the best role models anyone could ask for.
Anniversary messages by milestone year
1st anniversary card messages
The traditional first anniversary gift is paper, and you could refer to this when writing your first anniversary message for inspiration. Otherwise, keep your message short and sweet.
- Our first year of marriage has flown by, I can’t wait for all the years to come.
- One year down, forever to go. I’m so lucky to have you by my side.
- I didn’t think I could love you more than I did a year ago, but here we are.
- Happy Paper Anniversary! Our story is just beginning, and I love every page.
- 365 days have flown by, happy first wedding anniversary.
5th anniversary card message ideas
For the fifth wedding anniversary, the traditional gift is wood, which is a fun one to write wedding anniversary wishes alluding to. Alternatively, if you prefer a conventional heartfelt message, you could pair your card with a small wooden gift such as a picture frame or a keyring. Try these fifth anniversary wedding messages…
- I didn’t have to knock on wood when I found you! Happy fifth wedding anniversary.
- High five to five years! I’m so proud of the life we’ve built together so far.
- Happy fifth Anniversary! Here’s to a lifetime of beautiful memories.
- Wood you believe it? Five years already! Happy fifth wedding anniversary.
- We make a ‘tree-mendous’ team. Happy anniversary to the love of my life.
10th wedding anniversary card messages
A whole decade of married life is certainly something to celebrate. The traditional gift for ten years of marriage is tin; if this sparks ideas for your wedding anniversary card, puns very much welcome.
- Happy tin-th anniversary!
- You’ve got a ‘tin’ out of ten from me! Happy anniversary.
- One decade down, forever to go. Happy wedding anniversary.
- I give our marriage ten out of ten, happy wedding anniversary.
- Cheers to a decade of love, laughter and building our dream life. I love you more every single day.
25th wedding anniversary message ideas
25 years of marriage is traditionally celebrated with a silver gift, be it jewellery or something smaller, such as a keyring or a bottle opener. After 25 years, you might be running out of ideas for what to write in your anniversary card, so here’s hoping we can guide you…
- Twenty-five years ago, I made the best decision of my life. To my silver lining, my best friend, and my soulmate, happy anniversary.
- A quarter of a century later, you still take my breath away.
- Happy 25th wedding anniversary, here’s to many more.
- I love you as much today as I did 25 years ago, happy silver wedding anniversary.
- Happy silver wedding anniversary to a real diamond, I love you.
50th wedding anniversary message inspiration
A golden wedding anniversary is certainly something to celebrate. With 50 years of marriage under your belt, you’ll have plenty of memories to call upon to write in your partner’s card, but for a little inspiration, here’s what to write in your 50th wedding anniversary card.
- You’re pure gold, happy 50th wedding anniversary.
- I love you more with each year that passes. Happy 50th wedding anniversary.
- I’d marry you all over again today. Cheers to our golden year.
- Happy golden wedding anniversary! Thank you for the best 50 years of my life.
- Happy 50th wedding anniversary, thank you for everything you do for our family and me.
- Here’s to 50 years of marriage, thank you for making every single one of them special.
What to write in an anniversary card
The messages above are a starting point — it’s the personal touch that makes an anniversary card truly special. Here’s how to make yours one to keep.
- Name the year. Mention how many years you’ve been married, even when it’s not a milestone. When your partner finds the card years from now, they’ll know exactly when you wrote it.
- Look back at the last 365 days. A quick recap of the year — holidays, milestones, funny moments, hard times weathered together — turns a card into a time capsule.
- Reference something just between you. An in-joke, a shared obsession, a line from a film you’ve watched seventeen times. The more specific, the better.
- Tell them what’s coming. If you’ve planned something special for the day, write it in the card as a reveal. If not, name something you’re looking forward to together — a trip, a plan, even just a dinner.
- End with the future. Sign off by telling them you can’t wait for what’s next. It shifts the card from a celebration of the past to a promise about what’s ahead.
FAQs
What is a heartfelt anniversary message?
A heartfelt anniversary message tells your partner how much you love them. The more personal the better; include any highlights from your year together, be it holidays you’ve been on, TV shows you’ve loved, or funny memories you’ve made. Not only will this make them smile on the day, it acts as a brilliant time capsule for the future.
What is a short anniversary wish?
There’s no rule that says you have to write a long wedding anniversary message. A simple note marking the day and saying how much you love your partner will never go out of style. Sign off with an ‘I love you’, and you’re good to go.
How do I wish a couple a happy anniversary?
There’s no wrong way to wish a couple a happy anniversary. Simply writing ‘happy anniversary/congratulations on your wedding anniversary/cheers to your wedding anniversary’ is the perfect way to wish the special couple well.
If you want to make it more personal, write about how fondly you remember their wedding day, or express your admiration for them as a couple. When it comes down to it, they’ll simply be happy to know you’re thinking of them.
Why Trust Bridebook
Bridebook is the world’s #1 wedding planning platform, used by over 2.8 million couples. Our content is informed by real data from the Bridebook UK Wedding Report, which draws on responses from thousands of couples planning their weddings each year. Where expert input is included, contributors are named and their credentials verified. We update our articles regularly to ensure prices, statistics, and advice reflect current market conditions.
Find the perfect anniversary gift
Now you’ve got the words sorted, make sure the gift matches. Whether it’s your first anniversary or your fiftieth, Bridebook has gift ideas for every milestone year — from traditional to modern, sentimental to seriously fun.
Find anniversary gift ideas on Bridebook.
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- 1st Wedding Anniversary Gifts: 50 Anniversary Gift Ideas
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