18 years is the age that everyone associates with coming of age. Most people prefer to celebrate such a birthday on a grand scale. However, married life also reaches a similar age. Few people know what an 18th anniversary wedding is like.
All anniversaries of marriage have their own unique symbolism. 18th wedding anniversary - what kind of wedding is this? If you check historical references, it is easy to find out that the main element of such an event should be turquoise.
What kind of wedding is 18 years old?
On the coming of age of married life, the husband and wife should celebrate a turquoise wedding. Why exactly turquoise - no one knows for sure, although many are trying to find various interpretations. As a rule, attention is paid to two points - the origin of the concept and the symbolism of the stone itself.
Translated from Arabic, the word “turquoise” means “victory”, less often “happiness”. Some believe that this refers to victory over the test of time. The fact that the lovers were able to survive such a period of time together is regarded as a kind of achievement. The fact that during this time they managed to create their own home and raise relatively adult children is also taken into account.
Of course, with the same success one could call absolutely any anniversary turquoise, except perhaps for the first few years. Therefore, people strive to find other symbolism in this stone. It is believed that it denotes true and eternal love, speaks of the strength of the relationship and the devotion of the spouses.
18 years is a fairly long period during which a husband and wife have managed to almost completely study each other. Of course, there is nothing surprising in the fact that each of them could bore the other with something. Meanwhile, their children grow up, they pay less and less attention to mom and dad, and communicate with them less and less. Spouses are left alone again and again, and all this easily leads to a lot of misunderstandings and conflicts.
Original gifts and jokes
In this category, the flight of imagination is unlimited. Let the turquoise wedding be remembered!
- Order funny cups with inscriptions and give them to every member of your household, let them drink tea and remember the holiday.
- Order cartoons from photographs and insert them into cute turquoise frames.
- Socks or underwear with gags are always in fashion, let your partner have some fun.
- Handcuffs with turquoise fur - to continue the celebration in the bedroom.
- If in your city there is a cafe, cinema or other establishment called “Turquoise”, it’s time to go there for a festive banquet.
Other reasons for the name
18 years of marriage - what wedding can boast of such a date? Only the one that, despite all the difficulties that arose, was able to withstand and wait for this anniversary. Whatever problems a husband and wife may have as their marriage reaches the age of majority, they must, at least for a while, forget about the bad and devote themselves to preparing the celebration.
Sometimes the interpretation may be based on the color of the stone itself. It is a beautiful shade of blue, like a clear sky at the clearest moment , after a thunderstorm. Likewise, in the relationship between spouses, various crises must end. Gradually the time comes for the sun to come out, which will illuminate their family life, as light illuminates the clear sky.
It is believed that once upon a time, turquoise was perceived as almost as valuable a stone as gold. In this regard, it can act as a symbol of material well-being. Turquoise gifts should attract money to the spouses' home.
Turquoise wedding traditions
Not many rituals associated with the eighteenth wedding anniversary have survived from ancient times. The main tradition is the use of turquoise and turquoise stones throughout. The decorations of the room and, of course, gifts for the newlyweds should be associated with it.
18 years is a wedding that is usually celebrated in the family circle . This is often due to various problems that arise by this time, especially in relation to children. As a rule, only the closest relatives are invited, and often the anniversary becomes a completely personal holiday. There is nothing wrong with celebrating a turquoise wedding together, alone.
If you want to pay tribute to the past, then you can turn to one of the surviving traditions. It consists of exchanging turquoise rings. Spouses can give each other items made entirely from this stone, but it is enough that the rings are at least inlaid with it.
Once the jewelry is worn, it must be worn throughout the next year of marriage. It is believed that these are unique indicators of love, certain conductors with the help of which one spouse can feel the state of the other.
According to tradition, after the year has passed, you should carefully examine the turquoise rings. If they are still bright and colorful, it means that during this time the power of love between husband and wife has been preserved.
Gifts from loved ones
Close relatives, as a rule, give various practical gifts for the home on their wedding anniversary. This can be a variety of home textiles:
- bed sheets;
- blankets;
- beautiful bedspreads;
- curtains;
- table linen – tablecloths, napkins;
- terry towels and bathrobes;
- kitchen towels, etc.
The main thing is not to forget about the symbol of the holiday and try to choose items in the design of which the color turquoise is used.
If the spouses are thinking that it’s time to replace the tableware or kitchen utensils, then it is quite possible to give sets and sets of pots with turquoise decor.
You can also prepare household appliances as a gift. Of course, it will be difficult to choose a multicooker or bread maker in turquoise color. But don’t be upset, the main thing is to choose a high-quality and functional model, and emphasize the symbolism of the holiday with beautiful packaging of the appropriate shade.
The children of the heroes of the occasion should also be given a gift from their parents. Since the offspring are most likely still minors, they are unlikely to have their own substantial income and can buy their parents a practical gift. But they can prepare a wonderful memorable present.
For example, prepare a selection of photos illustrating the life of a family for 18 years. If you place them in an album in chronological order and provide them with funny comments, then the heroes of the occasion will really like such a gift. You can make your own album cover using scrapbooking techniques using turquoise-colored materials.
You can edit your own video using photo and video materials from the family archive. Such a film will be interesting to watch for all guests invited to the wedding, especially if it is made with humor.
Holiday decoration
Even if the 18th wedding anniversary is celebrated simply in private, it is worth taking good care of the decoration of the room, table and other components. Such pleasant chores will be a great way to take your mind off the problems that arise during such a time together.
If you don’t want to do anything at all, then you can move the celebration from home to another place.
- A romantic dinner in a restaurant would be an excellent solution, especially if you choose a room with the right colors.
- The holiday can be spent outdoors, or even walking around another city.
- If funds allow, the spouses are free to travel around Europe or any other country.
However, most often the husband and wife prefer to celebrate their anniversary at home. If you want to invite someone to a celebration, then you can send them turquoise cards . The spouses' clothes themselves should also be of this shade.
When it comes to tables, you don’t have to stock up on heavenly tablecloths. It is enough to decorate the table with turquoise napkins, ribbons and bouquets of flowers. For example, delicate forget-me-nots and hydrangeas will create an excellent combination.
All this goes well with white. Therefore, you can lay a white tablecloth on the festive table, and add lilies of the valley and roses to the flowers. Balloons of matching colors will help to further decorate the room. Don't forget about the birthday cake, on which mastic can work real miracles.
DIY gifts
Ideally, if you buy small or large pebbles, you can make a lot of interesting things out of them with your own hands.
- A bracelet or necklace is a great gift for this holiday. You can additionally decorate it with a stylish heart-shaped medallion.
- Make a photo frame with your own hands and decorate it with turquoise stones. They will put a photograph in it and admire it.
- Embroidering a picture with turquoise beads or floss is a valuable and beautiful gift that will decorate the living room for many years.
- You can bake a cake or cupcakes and decorate them with turquoise cream. If you wish, decorate the cake with family figures made from mastic, it’s fun and interesting.
What to give for a turquoise wedding?
It is not difficult to guess that the most common gift for eighteen wedding years is turquoise jewelry . It is not difficult to find similar rings, earrings, necklaces, pendants and other items in stores.
However, there are also those who do not wear such things. Also, such gifts are suitable for a wife, but not for a husband. Therefore, a watch strap decorated with turquoise would be a good solution.
Jewelry can be easily imitated. If the financial situation does not allow you to purchase real turquoise, then chocolate products will replace it. In addition, this stone is also used to create a variety of household items. They will also make a great gift.
Finally, you don’t have to look for something with a stone in it. There is nothing wrong with giving spouses a turquoise colored item. It could be almost anything:
- Scarf,
- Tie,
- Bag,
- Dishes,
- Cloth,
- Accessories,
- Souvenir products.
Finally, you can completely abandon the symbol. An excellent gift would be theater tickets, a horse ride or, for example, a boat ride. Some people will enjoy parachute jumping - it is important to take into account the characteristics of the husband and wife.
Choosing a gift for my husband
- Weapon. Everyone knows what a weakness the stronger sex has for different types of weapons: swords, daggers, crossbows, revolvers or rifles. If your man collects weapons, then add a copy of a beautiful dagger with turquoise to his collection. Even if he hasn’t bought a weapon before, no man can resist a beautiful folding knife or crossbow, with which he can go out into the countryside, practicing his shooting accuracy.
- A shirt with blue cufflinks or a tie clip with turquoise embellishment.
- Ashtray made of semi-precious stone.
- Flask decorated with stone. It will become an indispensable thing for those who travel a lot.
- Cigarette case, business card holder or fountain pen decorated with stones.
- Desk set for the office, decorated with semi-precious minerals.
- Chess or backgammon inlaid with turquoise.
- Spinning rod, camping tent, sleeping bag - the gift does not have to be associated with the symbolism of this holiday. You can emphasize turquoise only with design, wrapping. It is better to give a truly necessary and useful thing to your loved one than to try to follow traditions and give a trinket.
- This set of tools will appeal to any man who loves and knows how to work with his hands.
- The motorist can be pleased with new car covers, wheels, and a massage chair.
What to give to whom?
Of course, the easiest way would be to choose a gift for your wife from your husband. He can buy his beloved a wide variety of jewelry or souvenirs, such as bronze figurines, as well as boxes. In addition, with sufficient knowledge, the spouse can choose turquoise-colored lingerie.
The wife is unlikely to be able to decide on a gift so easily. A purely masculine gift could be a bladed weapon with a turquoise handle. If funds do not allow, then love letters written with a pen or pencil of the appropriate color are presented as a gift.
Finally, the wife can secretly prepare a festive table in turquoise tones, or order a romantic dinner in a restaurant. You can also purchase small items in the desired shade:
- Cufflinks,
- Keychains,
- Tie clips,
- Handle.
The situation is no simpler for children. For their eighteenth anniversary, they can edit a film about their parents or, if they have the means, order a suitable cake. Interesting solutions would be pillowcases embroidered with turquoise threads or handcuffs of this color, which you need to fasten mom and dad so that they don’t go anywhere.
Peculiarities
According to ancient beliefs, this holiday should be spent with your closest relatives .
A turquoise wedding is an excellent occasion to gather your whole family together and remember the whole journey that the heroes of the occasion have gone through. But still, there is nothing wrong if the spouses decide to invite their friends for the holiday. After all, close people are not only those with whom we have a blood relationship.
The main thing is to spend this holiday in such a way that the spouses enjoy it and remember it for the rest of their lives.
It is customary to celebrate the eighteenth wedding anniversary in turquoise tones. This color is believed to radiate calm. You can decorate the hall with balloons of this shade.
Table decorations and flowers, as well as ribbons for them, should also be chosen in turquoise. A cake in turquoise tones will be an excellent decoration for the holiday. But the main thing here is not to overdo it, so that everything around is not too saturated with one bright color.
It's a great idea to talk to future invitees about their outfits for the party ahead of time. The presence of guests in clothes with turquoise tones will perfectly emphasize the spirit of the event. Girls can wear turquoise dresses; men can wear shirts of this color. But it will also be enough to use accessories of the desired shade, for example, a tie, belt or scarf.
What colors look great together in turquoise:
- Neutral shades like white, black, gray, cream.
- Bright red colors.
- The colors are shades of green, from the faintest to the brightest.
What colors should not be combined with turquoise:
- Blue is a darker shade than turquoise. It will simply get lost and will look uninteresting against the turquoise background.
- Brown will look too dark.
- Purple also doesn't go well with turquoise.
It is worth paying attention to the color of the bouquets that guests will give to the heroes of the occasion.
Excellent color combinations for bouquets: turquoise and yellow, turquoise with black and white, turquoise and purple, turquoise and green, turquoise and coral.
Holiday Tips
So, the choice of gifts is quite large. Guests can bring paired umbrellas for husband and wife, buy belts or wallets in blue shades, as well as a set with glasses. People often donate bed linen and other similar accessories, as well as various embroideries.
Now that it is clear what kind of wedding is 18 years old and what can be given for it, it is necessary to consider an important aspect - what cannot be given for this holiday. The answer is very simple - forbidden gifts are those that can convey some kind of negative mood, for example, talking about boredom or loneliness.
Thus, for a turquoise wedding you cannot give a watch, be it a wristwatch or an ordinary alarm clock. You should not buy mirrors, any item with a sad image as a gift, or anything that can hint at loneliness - a single flower, a separate tree.
It is worth thinking about a variety of color solutions. Not only white suits the symbol of celebration.
- Turquoise works great with pale green and some other shades of this color.
- The sea wave is too dark for him.
- Red is a good choice, as long as it doesn't resemble carnations.
- Rich shades of brown, purple and blue are a good combination with turquoise.
These colors can be used in everything from room decoration to a gift bouquet. With their help, the holiday will become more diverse, and not painted only in turquoise.
How to congratulate spouses for friends and relatives - tips
What to give a married couple for their 18th wedding anniversary? This question is relevant for those who are among relatives and invitees. In fact, there are many options, the main thing is to give a gift with love.
Traditions
Traditionally, turquoise-colored items or jewelry with turquoise are given as gifts on this day. For example, you can give a turquoise bedding set or a set of bath towels of the same shade.
Congratulations in prose and poetry
In order for the holiday to be “saturated” with goodness and positivity, you need to fill it with congratulations and toasts.
Possible text of congratulations in prose:
“Our dear heroes of the day, today is your holiday. You have reached the “coming of age” milestone in your marriage. Now you are allowed to devote more time to each other, travel and simply enjoy family life.
Your children have grown up and become more independent, which is why you have more free time for each other. We, in turn, want to wish your family well-being, health, good luck and prosperity. Be faithful and devoted to your love, preserve and appreciate what has been given to you by fate. May God grant you to live together until your blessed wedding and invite us all to this great holiday. Know that we are proud of you! Congratulations on this joyful day!”
Expensive …. (names of spouses), I want to congratulate you on your 18th wedding anniversary. Today is a holiday, which is proof that you love each other and are happy together. All I can do is be happy for you and sincerely from the bottom of my heart wish you simple human happiness. I won’t wish for mountains of gold and a lot of money – this needs to be achieved. But I wish you health, good luck and luck with great pleasure. Congratulations, my dears. Be happy, you are a wonderful couple. Happy 18th Anniversary! Bitterly!"
If you don’t know how to express your thoughts beautifully or just want to read beautiful congratulatory poems, you can buy postcards that already have text on them.
The floor for a congratulatory speech must be given to parents and children.
