Three years have flown by and you’re facing your third wedding anniversary together. While the honeymoon period may lose its lustre by year three, who says the good times have to go away for good? We think that the third wedding anniversary is the ideal opportunity to extend that post-wedding glow.
There’s no better way to ignite the spark than to organise something really personal to honour your three years of love and loyalty. You’ve accomplished a whole bunch in these three years and you deserve to celebrate the hard work you’ve put into your marriage.
Most people are familiar with the bigger anniversary gift traditions, like silver for 25 years, gold for 50 years and diamonds for the 60th anniversary. But there are special traditional gifts for other anniversaries too. Leather is the traditional gift of the third wedding anniversary, while crystal is the modern alternative.
Let’s jump right in and find out what the 3rd wedding anniversary theme is all about. Our roundup of gift ideas is bound to inspire you to plan the perfect celebration.
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What is the 3rd Wedding Anniversary Gift?
Traditional Gift – Leather
By the third year of marriage, couples are usually still in the learning phase of marriage. In most cases, partners are getting used to each other’s quirks and habits. More importantly, couples are figuring out how to work through challenges as a team, instead of as individuals.
Leather effectively represents this stage of marriage because it’s a flexible and durable material. Regularly used to protect and keep people warm, leather represents a couple who keeps one another safe and secure. The third wedding anniversary is often when a couple is aware of the durability of their relationship. Leather seems to embody all the qualities of a successful marriage in its third year. Leather is strong, flexible, durable, warm and above all, it’s resilient.
Symbolically, the qualities of leather are the same qualities that help a marriage thrive, even when times get tough. It’s a resilient and rugged material that reaffirms how much you value your life partner.
Modern Gift – Crystal
The institution of marriage has undergone massive changes over the years. Along with this, the types of weddings, wedding gifts and the way we celebrate anniversaries has changed.
For a modern twist on the third wedding anniversary gift, both crystal and glass are given which are said to symbolise reflection and beauty.
Crystal and glass are also symbolic of clarity and transparency and indicate how well a couple knows each other by their third wedding anniversary. After three years of marriage, married couples know each other inside out making crystal or glass an ideal symbolic gift.
3rd Wedding Anniversary Flower – Sunflower
As a symbol of loyalty, adoration and longevity, sunflowers are the official flower for the third anniversary. Most people agree that these bright yellow blooms live up to their name with their strong stalks symbolising the foundation of a solid marriage, while the yellow petals represent radiating love.
Sunflowers send a reminder of hope, to stand tall and follow your dreams; a fitting message for lovebirds celebrating their third year of marriage.
Leather Wedding Anniversary Gifts
Puzzled on ideas for creative gifts that are leather-themed but aren’t tacky and untasteful? Don’t get distressed. Here’s a list of creative 3rd wedding anniversary gifts your suede-heart will love.
Personalised Leather Accessories
There’s something intensely satisfying about crafting items you can actually use. If your partner enjoys a good craft once in a while, then this is the one for them. They’ll experience a three-hour leather crafting workshop where they can choose to create three leather accessories. They’ll go home with a beautifully unique tassel keyring, luggage tag, travel case or an item of jewellery.
Leather Shopping Experience
There’s nothing worse than spending time and money on a gift, only to have the recipient return it, or worse, re-gift it to someone else. To avoid the awkwardness, let your partner choose their own leather treasure with a Harrod’s shopping experience. From the most exquisite range of leather jackets to designer leather wallets and leather leggings, Harrods showcases the very best in leather design. They even have vegan leather items to choose from, like vegan leather high-waist leather shorts from Stella McCartney. A must-have for the 2020 fashion season.
Leather Apron for the Budding Chef
Is your hubby the next Gordon Ramsay (but a bit nicer)? Does your wife put Nigella to shame? If so, they’ll adore a handmade premium leather apron they can don in the kitchen while they’re cooking up a storm. With its soft texture, rustic look and durability, leather turns a basic apron into a thoughtful anniversary gift to last a lifetime.
To make your gift that much more special, pair the leather apron with a cookery class. They’re the ideal way to work together as a team toward a shared goal – delicious food. Led by experienced teachers, you’ll be taken through a hands-on cooking class in a swanky state-of-the-art kitchen space. And the best part is that you get to enjoy your meal with a glass of wine when you’re finished.
Steak Dinner
Restaurant gift cards make for the perfect anniversary gift you can both enjoy on a romantic night out – but how do you make it leather-themed for your 3rd anniversary? How about cosying into plush leather booths and feasting on the juiciest steaks (thanks again, cows) in town? Situated in one of London’s most vibrant areas, Gillray’s Steakhouse & Bar is an oasis of style, comfort and downright delicious food. Boasting some of the most spectacular views of the city, this is a truly special spot that serves only the best responsibly sourced Aberdeen Angus steak.
Horse Trail Ride
Put your leather boots on and saddle up for a horse-riding experience with your partner. Enjoy a picturesque ride through the peaceful Ashridge Estate before journeying out for a thrilling outride. Any horse enthusiast will be thrilled with the chance to explore former royal grounds, once King Henry VII’s hunting estate. After a three-hour scenic ride, you’ll tuck into a hearty country lunch.
Design Your Own Leather Handbag
How about designing a bespoke leather handbag under the guidance of one of the country’s leading couture bag designers and the founder of Deni-Deni, Denise Pearson? It’s time to release your inner creative spirit and design the bag of your dreams. As part of this unique process, you’ll have a personal consultation with Denise Pearson who will help you bring your very own leather bag to life.
Leather Passport Holder & Surprise Getaway
Surprise them with a leather passport holder and a ticket to a fantastic getaway. Escape the city for some guaranteed quality time together. The best way to ensure you have a relaxing holiday is to pick a spot in nature where the stress of the city is as far away as possible. How about staying in a private treehouse deep in the Peruvian Amazon? Surrounded by a green canopy of trees, it’s about as far from the city as you can possibly get.
Falconry Experience
Situated within gorgeous landscaped gardens in the heart of Kent you’ll find Eastwell Manor and The Hawking Centre. As the premier falconry and bird of prey specialist, it’s the ideal place to have your first introduction to birds of prey from an expert falconer. The remainder of the day involves a hands-on experience flying various birds of prey including hawks, eagles, owls and falcons. To top it all off, you’ll be awarded a real leather falconry glove to take home as a reminder of this incredibly unique day.
Luxury Cinema With Leather Seats
Celebrate your third wedding anniversary with the ultimate luxury cinema experience at one of London’s Firmdale Hotels. Seated in the comfiest leather armchairs, you’ll be holding hands and cosying up to each other in serious comfort. Aside from munching on complimentary popcorn while marvelling at the film of your choice, you’ll also enjoy a meal in the hotel’s restaurant.
Ride in Style – Maserati Getaway
If you’re in the mood to really spoil your loved one, how about an Italian getaway in a Maserati GranCabrio? You’ll head to the romantic Naples to enjoy in the splendour of a three-night stay at a five-star hotel. Provided with a recommended driving route along the Amalfi coast, you’ll coast along in the leather seats of an iconic Maserati GranCabrio with a casual pitstop for a Michelin star tasting menu. It doesn’t get more romantic than that, does it?
Celebrate a Solid Bond
After three years of marriage, you’ll be aware of the durability of your relationship. ? It’s the time in a relationship where couples learn to appreciate the security of a longstanding bond. Some people underestimate the importance of celebrating wedding anniversaries and tend to overlook them.
The truth is that celebrating an anniversary shows that marriage is a priority in our life. It gives us a chance to pull back from the daily grind and relive a moment that changed our lives forever. Anniversaries also help couples create new memories. The ritual of celebrating an anniversary with couples experiences takes on an important meaning, especially as the years go by and your bond grows.
If you have an idea for a 3rd wedding gift that’s totally out of the ordinary, we’d love to hear it. Get in touch with our Dreams Come True team and let’s make your anniversary the best yet.