Ten years of marriage deserves more than a quick dinner reservation and a card from the drugstore. You’ve survived a decade together—through job changes, family drama, and probably at least one major home renovation argument. Time to celebrate properly.
Recreate Your Wedding Day Magic
1. Revisit Your Wedding Venue
Book a table at your reception venue if it’s still operating, or simply drive by and take photos where you exchanged vows. Many couples find this surprisingly emotional—you’ll see the space through completely different eyes now.
The venue might look smaller than you remembered, or perhaps they’ve renovated since your big day. Either way, you’ll find yourselves sharing stories and laughing about moments you’d forgotten.
2. Wear Your Wedding Attire Again
Try on your wedding dress or tuxedo, even if it doesn’t quite fit the same way. Take photos together in your original outfits—they don’t have to be perfect to be meaningful.
If your dress is too delicate or the tux is long gone, consider wearing similar colors or styles. The point isn’t perfection; it’s about honoring who you were when you made those promises.
Create New Traditions Together
3. Plant Something Meaningful
Choose a tree, rose bush, or perennial garden that will grow alongside your marriage. Every year on your anniversary, you can watch it flourish and change, just like your relationship.
Fruit trees work particularly well—imagine harvesting apples or peaches from “your” tree for years to come. Plus, there’s something satisfying about literally putting down roots together.
4. Start an Anniversary Time Capsule
Fill a box with current photos, letters to your future selves, newspaper clippings, and small mementos from this year. Seal it to open on your twentieth anniversary.
Include predictions about where you’ll be in ten years, what you hope to accomplish, and what you love most about each other right now. Future you will thank present you for this gift.
Adventure and Travel Ideas
5. Take a Second Honeymoon
Return to your honeymoon destination if possible, or choose somewhere you’ve always dreamed of visiting together. Book the nicest accommodations you can reasonably afford—this isn’t the time to pinch pennies.
Consider destinations that offer activities you both enjoy, whether that’s hiking, wine tasting, or simply lounging on a beach. The key is choosing somewhere that feels special and separate from your everyday routine.
6. Plan a Surprise Weekend Getaway
Take turns planning surprise mini-trips for each other throughout your anniversary year. Set a budget and let creativity be your guide rather than expense.
Local bed and breakfasts, cabin rentals, or even a fancy hotel in your own city can feel wonderfully indulgent. Sometimes the best adventures happen close to home.
Meaningful Gift Exchange Ideas
7. Commission Custom Artwork
Hire a local artist to create something unique—perhaps a painting of your home, a custom portrait, or an illustration of a meaningful location from your relationship.
Handmade pottery, jewelry, or woodworking pieces also make lasting mementos. Supporting local artisans while creating something uniquely yours feels particularly special.
8. Exchange Handwritten Letters
Write each other letters reflecting on your first decade of marriage and your hopes for the next ten years. Be honest about the challenges you’ve overcome and the dreams you still share.
Read them aloud to each other over a quiet dinner at home. Keep the letters to reread on future anniversaries—they’ll become more precious with time.
Experience-Based Celebrations
9. Take a Class Together
Learn something completely new—cooking, dancing, pottery, or even a language you’ll use on future trips. Shared learning experiences create inside jokes and new ways to connect.
Choose something neither of you has tried before, so you’re both beginners together. The laughter that comes from mutual awkwardness can be incredibly bonding.
10. Plan a Multi-Course Home Dinner
Spend the day cooking an elaborate meal together, complete with appetizers, multiple courses, and a dessert that requires actual skill. Open a special bottle of wine and eat by candlelight.
Make it a true collaboration—one person handles the protein while the other tackles sides and dessert. The process becomes as important as the final meal.
Memory Lane Adventures
11. Create a Relationship Timeline
Gather photos, ticket stubs, and mementos from your entire relationship and create a visual timeline or scrapbook. Include everything from your first date to major milestones.
This project often reveals patterns and growth you hadn’t noticed before. You’ll rediscover forgotten moments and see how far you’ve both come.
12. Revisit Important Places
Spend a day or weekend visiting locations that shaped your relationship—where you first met, had your first date, got engaged, or shared other significant moments.
Take new photos at each location and compare them to old ones if you have them. Some places will have changed dramatically, while others remain frozen in time.
Luxury and Pampering Options
13. Book a Couples Spa Day
Treat yourselves to massages, facials, and other spa treatments designed for couples. Many spas offer special anniversary packages that include champagne and private relaxation areas.
Choose a spa that offers services you’ve never tried before—hot stone massages, aromatherapy treatments, or even couples yoga sessions. Let someone else take care of you for once.
14. Hire a Private Chef
Bring restaurant quality dining to your own home by hiring a private chef for the evening. They’ll handle everything from shopping to cleanup while you focus on each other.
Many chefs will customize the menu based on your preferences or can recreate dishes from restaurants that hold special meaning for you. It’s intimate without requiring any work on your part.
Making It Personal
The best anniversary celebrations reflect your unique relationship rather than following someone else’s template. Consider your shared interests, inside jokes, and the experiences that have shaped your decade together.
Maybe you’re the couple who bonds over hiking trails, or perhaps you’re happiest curled up at home with good books and takeout. Honor who you actually are, not who you think you should be for anniversaries.
Budget matters less than intention. A thoughtfully planned picnic in your favorite park can be more meaningful than an expensive dinner that feels obligatory.
Your Next Decade Starts Now
Ten years down, and hopefully many more to go. Whatever you choose to do, make sure it feels authentically yours—because the best anniversary gift you can give each other is celebrating the real relationship you’ve built, not the highlight reel version.
Take time to acknowledge not just the joy and love, but also the work and commitment that got you here. That’s worth celebrating in whatever way makes your hearts happy.