Wedding anniversary flowers by year
Anniversary flowers work when they fit the year you’re marking and the person you’re marking it with. Here is how to choose for the first, the tenth, the twenty-fifth and the fiftieth.
The best wedding anniversary flowers match two things: the year you’re marking and the person you’re marking it with. A first anniversary suits something romantic and personal, the tenth suits something more confident, and the twenty-fifth and fiftieth suit a fuller design with room for family. Traditional anniversary materials can be a nod, but your partner’s taste should lead. Send them on the day, ideally in the morning, with a short card that names something only the two of you would know.
Anniversaries are private. Most of the people in your life won’t know the date, and that’s the point. Flowers on the day say you kept count, and that the years mean something to you. They work best when they look like they were chosen for one person, not for the calendar.
What are anniversary flowers for?
Anniversary flowers mark a private timeline between two people. Their job is to recognise the years you’ve shared, not to put on a show. They should feel like they came from someone who knows the person well.
That’s what makes them different from a birthday, which is about one person, or Valentine’s Day, which everyone marks at once. An anniversary belongs only to the two of you. The flowers can be more personal, and more specific, than almost any other send.
How do you choose anniversary flowers by year?
Start with the year, then match the tone to your partner. A first anniversary suits something romantic and personal, a tenth something confident in their favourite colour, a twenty-fifth (silver) whites and silvery greens, and a fiftieth (gold) warm creams and golden tones. Milestone years suit more presence and, often, a design that can sit on a family table. Traditional materials can be a light nod. They don’t have to make the decision.
| The year | Tone | Scale |
|---|---|---|
| First anniversary | Romantic and personal. The first year is still new, so lean into that. | Moderate. Something that suits the home you’ve just made together. |
| Around the tenth | Confident and settled. You know their taste by now, so trust it. | Moderate to generous. Choose their favourite colour over the expected one. |
| Twenty-fifth | Warm and celebratory. Often marked with family or friends. | Generous. A design with presence, for a shared table or a celebration. |
| Fiftieth | Proud and grateful. A milestone the whole family shares. | Generous, and often sent by children or grandchildren as well as a partner. |
The first year. Traditionally the paper anniversary. The flowers can be the most romantic of any year, because everything still feels new. Roses suit it, and so does a soft palette that matches the home you’re building.
Around the tenth. Traditionally tin. By now you know what your partner actually likes, which is more useful than any tradition. If they’ve never loved red, don’t send red. Choose the colour they’d pick for themselves.
The twenty-fifth. The silver anniversary. Whites and soft silvery greens make a quiet nod to the year without being literal. This is often a celebration with others, so choose something that looks good on a shared table.
The fiftieth. The golden anniversary. Warm creams, soft yellows and golden tones can acknowledge the year. Flowers for a fiftieth are often sent by the family, so the card may need to come from several people at once.
In between, simply follow the person. Not every year needs to be a milestone, and a well-chosen design on the fourth or the seventeenth anniversary can mean as much as any round number.
Flowers on the day say you kept count, and that the years mean something to you.
Which anniversary flowers should you send?
Start with the anniversary flowers collection, where our designs for the occasion sit together. When the brief is romance, Fig & Bloom’s Amour, from $170 for 12 stems, is the one we’d send: red roses with white alstroemeria and viburnum foliage, so it reads fuller than a bare dozen.
Amour starts at 12 stems from $170 and goes up to 24, 36 and 100 stems, so it can scale from a first anniversary to a fiftieth. If your partner prefers something softer than red, Osaka, in soft pink and airy white, is in the same collection from $145.
Romantic without defaulting to a bare dozen.
Amour, from $170. See Amour
If you’d rather move away from red roses altogether, our Journal piece against the dozen red roses makes the case for other ways to say it.
Every arrangement is photographed in the studio before it leaves, and we send you the picture, so you’ll know what arrived even if you’re not there on the day. On metro and local deliveries sold for a firm date, our Triple Guarantee means your order arrives on that date, matches the style, size and look you chose, and stays fresh for seven days with reasonable care; if we miss any part, we replace, re-deliver or refund.
When should anniversary flowers arrive?
Anniversary flowers should arrive on the day, ideally in the morning, so they’re part of it from the start. If your partner will be out, send them to where they’ll actually be, or have them delivered the day before. In metro Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, order before 1pm local time, Monday to Saturday, and checkout can offer same-day delivery.
If the anniversary falls on a Sunday, choose Saturday. We don’t deliver on Sundays, and flowers on the Saturday give you the whole weekend with them.
If you’re apart on the day, flowers matter even more. Send them to the address where your partner will wake up, and let the card close the distance.
What do you write on anniversary flowers?
Name the year if it matters, name a shared detail only the two of you know, and keep it short. One or two lines is enough. The flowers have already told them you remembered.
For tone rather than script: “Ten years, and I’d still choose the same rainy Tuesday.” Or: “Happy first anniversary. Here’s to the next one, and the one after that.” For a fiftieth sent by the family: “Fifty years. Thank you for showing us how it’s done. With love from all of us.”
For more card shapes, see our guide to what to write on a flower card.
Where do you order anniversary flowers in Australia?
Order on figandbloom.com. Open the anniversary collection, choose the design for this year, write the card, and pick delivery for the day. In metro Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, order before 1pm local time, Monday to Saturday, for same-day delivery when checkout offers that day.
- Note which anniversary it is, and whether it’s a milestone.
- Choose the tone for that year from the table above, then adjust for your partner’s taste.
- Choose a design from the anniversary collection and pick the size.
- Write a card that names the year or a shared detail, and keep it short.
- Choose delivery for the day, or the Saturday before if the date falls on a Sunday.
Outside metro Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane, orders travel by StarTrack courier, and checkout shows the dates available for that address. Questions about an address or a date: service@figandbloom.com or 03 7019 5839.
The years are yours alone. The flowers just need to look like they came from the one person who was there for all of them.
Frequently asked questions
What flowers are best for a wedding anniversary?
The best anniversary flowers suit your partner’s taste and the year you’re marking. Red roses are a classic for romance, and softer pinks and whites suit someone who prefers a gentler palette. Fig & Bloom’s Amour, red roses with white alstroemeria from $170, is a romantic choice.
What should you send for a first anniversary?
Something romantic and personal, sized for the home you’ve made together. The first anniversary is traditionally paper, which can be a nod in the card. Roses or a soft palette both work well.
What about a 10th, 25th or 50th anniversary?
Around the tenth, trust what you know of your partner’s taste. For the twenty-fifth (silver) and fiftieth (gold), choose a fuller design with presence, often for a shared table, and consider whites and silvery greens or warm golden tones as a light nod to the year.
What do you write on anniversary flowers?
Name the year if it matters and add a detail only the two of you would know. For example: “Ten years, and I’d still choose the same rainy Tuesday.” Keep it to one or two lines.
Are red roses required for an anniversary?
No. Red roses are a classic, but the right flowers are the ones your partner would choose. If they prefer softer colours, Fig & Bloom’s Osaka, in soft pink and white, is a good alternative.
Can I get same-day anniversary flower delivery in Australia?
Yes, in metro Melbourne, Sydney and Brisbane. Order before 1pm local time, Monday to Saturday, for same-day delivery when checkout offers that day. Outside those metro areas, orders travel by StarTrack courier, and checkout shows the dates available.
