Wedding anniversaries have many names in Germany: from the paper wedding after a year to the Golden Wedding after fifty. Those who look it up quickly realize that the lists on the internet do not all match up. There is a reason for this, which we openly mention at the very beginning: there is no binding, official standard.
According to the description in Wikipedia, there is no uniform naming system in Germany and Austria. The names are often regional and sometimes contradictory; one name may mean a different year in one area than in another. Therefore, we have compared several lists and in the first table we only list the designations that match these sources. Where they conflict, the second table indicates this.
Wedding days: the most common names at a glance
The following table contains the anniversaries for which the lists we compared (Career Bible, Studyflix, QuillBot, Sonntagblatt, Blick, C&A) agree in essence. Additional common nicknames are listed in the third column.
| Years | Name | Note |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Paper wedding | |
| 2 | Cotton wedding | |
| 3 | Leather wedding | in a list also friendship or Christmas wedding |
| 4 | Silk wedding | |
| 5 | Wood wedding (wooden wedding) | |
| 7 | Copper wedding | |
| 8 | Metal wedding | |
| 10 | Rose wedding | |
| 15 | Crystal wedding | also called Glashochzeit |
| 20 | Porcelain wedding | |
| 25 | Silver wedding | one of the oldest wedding anniversaries with its own name |
| 30 | Pearl wedding | |
| 35 | Canvas wedding | also linen wedding, regional coral wedding |
| 40 | Time for rubdowns | |
| 50 | Golden Wedding Anniversary | one of the oldest wedding anniversaries with its own name |
| 55 | Platinum wedding | Regionally, it is also a jewel wedding |
| 60 | Diamond wedding | Previously used partly for the 75th anniversary |
| 65 | Iron Wedding | The name is also used for other years. |
| 70 | Graceful wedding | |
| 75 | Royal wedding jewels |
Beyond the age of 75, several lists list the Oak Wedding (80), the Angel Wedding (85), the Marble Wedding (90), and the Heavenly Wedding (100). Such anniversaries are rare; the names are not further elaborated upon here.
When the lists contradict each other
Our sources cite different names for some years. This applies not only to isolated cases, but also to wedding anniversaries between the 6th and the 14th year. The following overview shows which variants we have found. Which ones are common in your family, you should decide for yourself. The anniversaries of 40 and 55 are also listed in the first table, with their most frequent mention.
| Years | Most common mention | Different designations in individual lists |
|---|---|---|
| 6 | Sugar wedding | Silver wedding, Iron wedding |
| 9 | Ceramic wedding | Pottery wedding |
| 12 | Nickelhochzeit | Linen wedding |
| 13 | Cherry blossom wedding | Petersilieverage (usually called 12.5 years) |
| 14 | Time for ivory | Buying or blue wedding |
| 40 | Time for rubdowns | Emerald wedding or garnet wedding |
| 45 | Brass wedding | Platinum wedding |
| 55 | Platinum wedding | Jewel or emerald wedding |
That the names vary so much is not a fault of individual websites. According to Wikipedia, for example, the „Iron Wedding“ may have a different name depending on the source: 6th, 41st, 60th, 65th, 70th, or 75th year. Some anniversaries have up to seven names.
Where do the names of the wedding days come from?
According to Wikipedia, the oldest and most well-known designations are the Silver Wedding (25 years), the Golden Wedding (50 years), and the Diamond Wedding. The term „Golden Wedding“ is therefore already documented from around 1600. The Diamond Wedding originally applied to the 75th year and is today mostly used for the 60th year. In the 19th century, additional anniversaries were created by halving the 25-year cycle, for example after 12.5 or 37.5 years.
The names of the remaining years are younger. The Wikipedia entry refers to a comment by the Society for German Language, which suspects that behind the large number of names are also commercial interests, especially those of the flower and jewelry industry. However, one can still appreciate the tradition.
A frequently cited explanation is that the material that gives the year its name becomes more solid and valuable over time, just like a marriage. Therefore, it is customary to give something made from this material or appropriately themed on the respective anniversary date. Ideas for this can be found in our post Gift for the wedding anniversary: experiential ideas instead of material things.
Other names from individual lists
For almost every additional year up to 75, there are designations circulating online, including the Sapphire Wedding (16 years), the Opal Wedding (21), the Bronze Wedding (22), the Jade Wedding (26), the Linden Wedding (31), the Amber Wedding (34), the Emerald Wedding (36), the Birch Wedding (41), the Starry Wedding (44), and the Meadow Wedding (51). They are listed in individual lists, but are not assigned to all of them equally; for example, the Jade Wedding appears in lists for both the 26th and the 57th year. Therefore, we are presenting them only as examples and not as a fixed assignment.
Celebrating the wedding anniversary in the Black Forest
Whether a paper wedding or a golden wedding: A wedding day is a good opportunity to spend time together as a couple. We are happy when you choose the wellness hotel Sonnenhof & Sonnhalde in Ühlingen-Birkendorf in the southern Black Forest for this occasion.
For example, the arrangement allows two people to enjoy it together. Pleasure for the senses. It includes, among other things, accommodation, a breakfast buffet, a welcome drink, the daily pampering menu and on the second evening a candlelit dinner with five courses, as well as use of the wellness area. The Sonnenhof restaurant serves creative Bad cuisine using regional ingredients and a seasonally changing menu; read more about it on our website. Culinary delights in the Black Forest.
If you want to plan the wedding day of another couple or to be surprised yourself, you will find on our page Gift voucher Gift certificates for the hotel with its wellness area. Suggestions for a weekend for two can also be found on our website. Wellness weekend for couples. You can see the current arrangements and prices on our website. Book page.
Frequently asked questions
What is the name of the 1st wedding anniversary?
Most often it is a paper wedding. This is what most of the lists we compare with say; a source also mentions the cotton wedding as an alternative.
What is the name of the 10th wedding anniversary?
Rose wedding. This designation is the same in all the lists we compared.
Which wedding days are considered particularly important?
The most well-known are the Silver Wedding (25 years), the Golden Wedding (50 years) and the Diamond Wedding (today usually 60 years). According to Wikipedia, the Silver and Golden Wedding are the oldest names with their own names.
Is there an official catalog of wedding days?
No. According to Wikipedia, there is no uniform system in Germany and Austria. Names are a matter of custom and convention and may vary regionally.
What does the Iron Wedding mean?
This is one of the most ambiguous terms. In most of the lists we have read, it stands for the 65th year. Wikipedia also lists associations with the 6th, 41st, 60th, 70th, and 75th years. If in doubt, ask the family what is customary there.
Which wedding days have half a year?
Several lists, for example, list the St. Peter’s wedding (12.5 years) and the aluminum wedding (37.5 years). According to Wikipedia, these anniversaries were created in the 19th century through the halving of the 25-year cycle.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Wedding anniversary (origin of the designations, lack of a uniform system)
- Career Bible: All wedding days over the years
- Studyflix: Wedding anniversaries
- QuillBot: Names of the wedding days
- Sonntagsblatt: Wedding anniversary – what are the names of the anniversaries?
- View: Cotton to sky-high season
- C&A: Wedding days at a glance
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