Help Your Loved Ones Celebrate 30 Years of Marriage

When the 30th anniversary rolls around for your friends or relatives, it is time to hold a party and celebrate the achievement. Three decades of marriage is no mean feat, so when your loved ones reach this milestone occasion, the best way to show them how important they are to you is to present them with traditional 30th anniversary gifts that are as symbolic as they are thoughtful. Choosing a traditional gift shows a deeper level of thought and effort than just a generic off-the-shelf gift and will be imbued with a significance that will mean the world to the recipients. If you want to help your loved ones celebrate 30 years of marriage but are unsure what type of traditional gift you should be buying, this guide will give you some ideas of the traditional themes that you can mix and match to create a unique but meaningful token of esteem at this special time in the couple’s lives.

What is the Traditional 30 Year Anniversary Gift?

Being a milestone year, the 30th wedding anniversary has a well known theme associated with it, and has long been known as the Pearl Anniversary. Since the 1920s when the original gift lists were drawn up associating a specific material with the milestone years, pearls have traditionally been presented to couples celebrating three decades of marriage. Pearls have a deeper meaning that is especially relevant to a couple after 30 years together. Firstly, pearls are hidden from sight, found inside an oyster – this reflects the nature of a long lasting marriage, during which the couple have come to know each other inside out, and know their hidden depths intimately. Pearls are also the symbol of wisdom, symbolising the wisdom that comes with any enduring union – the knowledge of how to weather the storms of married life, of when to speak and when to stay silent and of how to handle their partner’s moods and emotions. Pearls are also, of course, extremely beautiful, just like any marriage which has lasted so long.

Fascinating Facts About Pearls

Pearls are found in the soft tissues inside molluscs like oysters and are formed out of calcium carbonate. Although the most prized pearls are perfectly round and smooth in shape, there are many shapes of pearl available, including those that are teardrop, oval or button shaped. Pearls have long been prized for their value and unique beauty and to describe someone or something as “a pearl” has always been associated with prizing it as something admirable and valuable. Although the pearls with the greatest value are found in the wild and are called “natural pearls”, today most of the pearls that can be bought are farmed or cultivated pearls which are easily distinguishable from imitation pearls thanks to their irridescence and lustre. For centuries, pearls have been used to make stylish jewellery and to decorate clothing, although they have also had other uses, for example by being crushed to use in cosmetics, medicines, or even paints. There are various colours of pearls available, and although the most popular are always white and black, there are also varying shades of blue, green, pink or champagne.

Giving a Traditional 30th Wedding Anniversary Gift

If you wish to give your loved ones a traditional thirthieth wedding anniversary gift, you should consider pearl jewellery as the obvious choice. Although there isn’t a lot of choice in pearl gifts for him, you should be able to find a cultured pearl tie pin, perfect as a 30th anniversary gift for him, or a pair of mother of pearl cufflinks. As a thirty year anniversary gift for her, of course there are many clear choices from pearl necklaces and earrings to pearl bracelets and rings. If you wish to select something other than jewellery, a mother of pearl handled razor would be a good choice for him while a mother of pearl trinket box to hold keepsakes would be a perfect choice for her. A mother of pearl photograph frame would be ideal as a gift for a special couple to display a favourite picture of themselves as a lasting memento of this special occasion. If you wished to splash out on an extravagant traditional 30 year anniversary gift with a twist, why not arrange for the couple to take a holiday to a destination especially associated with pearls. One of the best is probably Broome in Western Australia, famous for its South Sea pearls which occur naturally in an oyster which is unique to this region.

Flowers Make Great Traditional 30 Year Anniversary Gifts for Loved Ones

If your budget cannot stretch to pearls, why not give a floral gift instead which is sure to be just as appreciated? There is a traditional flower associated with the 30th year of marriage – the lily. Sweet, fragrant and magnificent, the lily makes an impressive addition to any anniversary bouquet and also brings with it the traditional meaning of devotion and beauty, perfect sentiments for any couple on their special day. Another alternative is a bouquet of pearly white roses, or even a glazed white rose which will last forever as a testament to the couple’s love. Made by Eternity Rose’s talented artist from a single handpicked rose blossom, every glazed rose is trimmed with a fine border of 24 karat gold and is presented in a stylish leather case, making it ideal for display in any cabinet as a magnificent addition to the home and as an ideal token of appreciation and esteem to commemorate the 30th wedding anniversary.