How to Buy a 16th Year Wedding Anniversary Gift

Co-authored by wikiHow Staff

Updated: March 29, 2019

Explore this Article Following the Themes for the 16th Wedding Anniversary Using the 16th Anniversary Color, Flower and Gemstone Going the Sentimental Route Questions & Answers Related Articles References

So, your 16th wedding anniversary is coming up and you’re trying to decide what to get your significant other? There are a lot of ways you can make the 16th special. The 16th wedding anniversary is often a gift out of wax or silver hollowware.

Following the Themes for the 16th Wedding Anniversary

  1. 1
    Pick a gift that is made of wax. Each wedding anniversary has a theme. You can find lists of these themes online. Some people say the 16th doesn't have a traditional theme, but others say it's wax.
    • For example, the first anniversary is traditionally paper. The second is cotton, the third is leather, the fourth is fruit or flowers, the fifth is wood, the sixth is sugar or iron.
    • The seventh is wool or copper, the eighth is bronze or pottery, the ninth is pottery or willow, the 10th is tin or aluminum, the 11th is steel, the 12th is silk or linen, the 13th is lace, the 14th is ivory, the 15th is crystal. And, yes, the 16th is wax.
    • Don’t worry, it gets harder than wax. The 19th anniversary is chili pepper.[1]
  2. 2
    Choose silver hollowware. The traditional anniversary themes get a little goofy. After all, is your significant other really desiring chili pepper? How many people want a gift out of tin? Maybe wax doesn’t sound very romantic (although candles are always nice).
    • Thus, modern themes have emerged. The modern theme for the 16th wedding anniversary is often described as silver hollowware. Silver hollowware simply means hollow silver.[2]
    • Some gift ideas for silver hollowware are a silver tea set, flask, ice bucket, silver locket, wine goblets, or a fountain pen. You could put flowers in a silver vase.
  3. 3
    Embrace the meaning. Explain it to your significant other so it doesn’t seem like you’re choosing a theme without thought.
    • Historically, silver meant awareness, clarity, and vision! Silverware can also represent family and connectedness. It can symbolize union because people sit down together when they use it.[3]
    • Don’t feel badly if you decide to mix it up. Instead of a solid or silver plated item, for example, maybe you just go with something silver colored. You could give your significant other a silver dipped flower or just anything with the precious metal.

Using the 16th Anniversary Color, Flower and Gemstone

  1. 1
    Pick something green. Follow the 16th anniversary color. Yes, there are also colors for each anniversary year. Some people believe that you can also choose aquamarine for the 16th, even though that has more of a bluish hue.[4]
    • If you want to follow the rules, the color for the 16th is emerald green. Emerald green can mean gem stones, especially if your significant other is a woman.
    • If you’re buying for a man or a woman who is not a fan of gems, you could choose a light green shirt or a tasteful green tie.
  2. 2
    Choose topaz or Peridot. The 16th anniversary also has a gemstone. It’s golden topaz. You’re lucky about that one. The soft yellow/bronze color is very beautiful.
    • In addition to being the traditional gemstone for the 16th anniversary, topaz is a great choice for that anniversary because it’s relatively lower in cost than some other jewels.
    • This can matter because, for many couples, the 16th comes in the midst of big mortgage payments and costs of child rearing (although not always).[5]Examples of topaz related gifts are topaz pendants, earrings, beaded necklaces, cufflinks, and money clips.
    • Peridot is vivid green gemstone with an undertone of gold. It looks very good with summer wardrobes and is so ancient that it’s been found in Egyptian jewelry dating to the 2nd millennium B.C.
  3. 3
    Choose the applicable flower. Yes, there’s a traditional themed flower for the 16th wedding anniversary. It’s the statice or sea lavender [6]
    • An alternative to the statice flower is the silver rose. The statice flower is said to emphasize enduring beauty, memory and success. That’s why it’s a great choice for the 16th, which is a marriage that has endured.
    • What is the statice flower? It’s often considered a herb and is sometimes called “sea lavender.” It has a seafoam appearance and is sometimes called “marsh-rosemary.” You will often see it in dried flower arrangements because of its hardy appearance.[7]

Going the Sentimental Route

  1. 1
    Treat every anniversary like the first. Work hard not to fall into a romantic rut. The 16th is not really a milestone anniversary, like the 1st or the 10th or even the 15th, so it can be easy to forget.
    • However, 16 years is a big accomplishment. Don’t coast. Don’t forget it. Treat it like a big deal because it is. Make sure your loved dog knows you care.
    • The 16th often gets overlooked because the 15th anniversary is so important. Many people believe that once you get past 15, you’re truly in a long-term marriage. So celebrate!
  2. 2
    Go sentimental. Forget the themes maybe. And forget the generic bunch of wilting roses you pick up at the local grocery store.
    • Instead, go for a gift with meaning. What matters to your significant other emotionally? Is it a moment from your past? Recreate it. Take your loved one to a place where you had an early date or first met.
    • Give your loved dog something that’s not tangible but more from the heart. Write a poem. Write a letter. Take him or her on a surprise trip. Treat him or her to a trip to the spa. Show your significant other that, after 16 years, you truly know what he or she wants (and needs).
  3. 3
    Get creative with a gift that focuses on the number 16. The gift can be quite simple or an elaborate planned event.
    • Fill a jar with chocolates or other candies and attach a card that reads, "Sweet 16." Bake 16 muffins or cookies to give to the anniversary couple or significant other.
    • Create a scavenger hunt in which the couple visits 16 places that are significant in their relationship. Send the couple on a 16-night trip, or make reservations for the couple for a weekend in Tennessee, the 16th state in the United States.

Community Q&A

Add New Question
  • Question
    What does Peridot symbolize?
    Community Answer
    The gems are linked to spring, thus they symbolize youth, nature, and the goddess Isis in some cultures. The Egyptians called them "evening emeralds."
  • Question
    What's the theme gift for the 17th wedding anniversary?
    Community Answer
    Get ready for the 17th and start thinking ahead. That’s going to be shells! And the 18th will be feathers.
  • Question
    Could the children prepare a dance for them?
    Community Answer
    What a great idea! You might also make the dance a tribute to the couple by using a projector and having pictures and silent video playing in the background.
  • Question
    What's something that can be given by a child to her parents?
    Community Answer
    Something memorable, such as a scrapbook of pictures or memories.
Ask a Question
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    What to buy for the 16th wedding anniversary.


    • Although following themes can be fun, remember that the gift should be very unique to your own relationship.

    Article Info


    Categories: Wedding Anniversary Gifts

    In other languages:

    Español: comprar un regalo para un aniversario de 16 años de casados, Русский: выбрать подарок на шестнадцатую годовщину свадьбы, Português: Comprar um Presente de 16 Anos de Casamento

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