Need some help. 1st anniversary coming up

I do not know a single woman who wouldn't be happy with a day at a spa, getting a massage, a facial, a pedicure, a mud wrap...whatever.  Even better - if the spa is at a hotel, then you can have a nice dinner and stay the night.
 
Hope that helps!
 
Kate

Um, yeah can I give a big "word" to that suggestion? I'd fall over into paroxysms of joy if my husband were to ever arrange anything like that for me.

Though the reason he hasn't is financial. I know if we had the resources he'd do it.

I love dinner and just an evening with my husband.  Our anniversary though not our first is 2 days after Valentines Day.  I would not want them combined but than Valentines Day is not a big deal to me but our anniversary is.
 
I also do not like your typical diamonds or flowers type thing.  Take me out to dinner.  Take me for a walk, to a museum, something we normally do not do.  I loved the year he took me through his old high school which is now a pavillion and showed me the history of the building as a school.

Why not try to recreate your first date or the night you proposed to her. I think men make the mistake of thinking they have to spend a lot of money to so how much they care. Women are more into sentiment. It's not the price of the gift as much as it is the thought behind it. Revisiting a place that has some special memories or meaning can melt a girls heart!

Congrats!

One of my favorite gifts from DH was for our 5th anniversary. He bought me a charm braclet with 5 charms. Each charm represented something special for each year we were married. ie palm tree for our honeymoon in Hawaii, baby booties for our 1st child etc. Over the years he has added to it many times. Great gift!

I can tell you what my dh did for my first anniversary.

For some reason I was away from home. He made an entire meal, all on new dishes, that he had bought for me. He knows how much I love antique china and so he bought me two mismatched plate sets, including tea cups. He even bought a set of serving dishes that I loves. They were glass with small raised flowers. He served wine in new glasses, Each glass had a flower engraved in the bottom of the cup.

So, I sat down to dinner, and every thing I picked up was a new and exciting surpise. It was wonderful and I still have everything he bought for me.

The most wonderful thing was that he really thought about who I was. he had watched me eyeing antique china. He heard my little whispers in the antique store, and he knew I was eclectic enough to want an unmatched set.

The second most wonderful thing is that it was extravagent. he spent money on me...not just some china, but serving dishes, fancy food, wine, wine glasses.

THe thrid best thing as that it was intimate. Just he and I. No waiter, no people, just us. And after dinner, he had carpeted a path to the bedroom, all in rose petals. Beside my bed was a huge boquet fo woldflowers from my favorite florist. This was significant,, because he had to go out of his way to get to that florist. A 30 minute drive when he could have gone to the one down the street. But he knew I would love one from my favorite- and so, he made the effort. I loved it.

I felt known, pampered, and valued.

Another anniversary that I loved was when he took me on a camping canooing trip. He made all the arrangements- even for our kids. I didn't have to do a thing. It was so nice to just get away from our crazy life and to soak up nature. But there again, he knew me well enough to know I needed some time away, and that I loved camping, he pampered me by making all the arrangements, and the time he took off work, and the money he spent for the trip, amde me feel value.

So...in my opinion, make sure she feels like you know her, that you value her, and then throw in some good old fashioned pampering and you will have a wonderful gift.

ORIGINAL: denise m

One of my favorite gifts from DH was for our 5th anniversary. He bought me a charm braclet with 5 charms. Each charm represented something special for each year we were married. ie palm tree for our honeymoon in Hawaii, baby booties for our 1st child etc. Over the years he has added to it many times. Great gift!

Now how come my husband can never come up with such a great idea.  I would love a present like that!

ORIGINAL: heidandseek

Now how come my husband can never come up with such a great idea.  I would love a present like that!


AH! Young love! My last gift from DH was an electric fry pan!

single woman who wouldn't be happy with a day at a spa, getting a massage, a facial, a pedicure, a mud wrap...

 
I am that woman...can't hold still that long and I hate being touched by strangers.
I agree with the nice dinner out
first anniversary traditional gift is paper (gift card perhaps)
modern is a clock (a nice anniversary clock)
both perhaps with dinner!

Just 2 ideas here...
 
Idea 1 - have the bakery that did your cake make you a new cake topper, same flavors etc. 
 
Idea 2 - take a wedding picture that includes your wife's bouquet in it to a florist, and have them do a bouquet of flowers similar to hers from her wedding day, a nice vase wouldn't hurt either!

Don't worry about trying to top your gift each year, this is a run-down of our anniversaries:
First: out to dinner at a Thai restaurant while GP's watched the 3 month old baby.
Second: Thai take-out at the dinner table while the now-toddler stood up and removed her diaper and proceeded to pee all over her booster seat.
Third:   I  can't remember. There was a card.
Fourth: Attended a good friend's funeral out of state, had no time to do anything.
Fifth:   Another new baby, but no dinner out this year, probably another card.
Sixth:  We forgot about it until my mom called to wish us happy anniversary!

My point is, we are extremely happily married and our anniversary is generally spent with a quiet moment shared between us remembering the day we got married. Life gets crazy and it's probably the best present we can give each other to NOT make yet another hassle! However, since it's your first, you should at least try something! How about making her a "coupon book". Filled with things like "One dinner out at your favorite restaurant.", or "A day at the spa", or any other things she might like, and she can cash them in whenever she likes. You could have a nice dinner at home and maybe give her a mini example of each of the things in book, like, the dinner, then give her a foot rub for the massage day, then if you've included a shopping day, give her a little trinket or something. It'll show her you've put in a lot of thought, and yet you won't be spending a lot of money all at once. And you can tell her that since you love her every day of the year, you didn't want to just show her the one day.[]

Um, you say that your wife is not into the "usual" stuff & the traditional 1st anniversary is paper I have an idea.  How about a coupon book?  Each coupon could be for something she likes such as "good for one back rub" or "good for one dinner cokked by me" or whatever she likes.  To me it isn't the expense of the gift but the thought that goes into it but that's coming from someone who's been with her SO for 21.5 years.

ORIGINAL: denise m

ORIGINAL: heidandseek

Now how come my husband can never come up with such a great idea.  I would love a present like that!

AH! Young love! My last gift from DH was an electric fry pan!


 
Well at least you are still getting them   I hear you...but even when we were young my husband was never so romantic.  Last year my husband gave me money to get something [sm=no%20no%20smiley.gif]  This year I will have to wait and see as it is coming up here in about two weeks.

Thank you all for the ideas, I think the coupon book thing is a good idea!! She likes little things like that. I was going to go with a spa, but she got that for her birthday.
A clock is a no no for chinese, it means you are waiting for someone to die. They have to give you money like they bought it from you.
 Thanks for the help, I got a good idea now.