1st Wedding Anniversary... HELP!

[hamudm]

Hi -- so our first anniversary is coming up in a couple of weeks. My wife decided to surprise me last week with an early present of a 64GB iPad that I've been saving my pennies for (she's awesome!)

Now, unfortunately, our finances don't allow for me to make a big splurge on her this year (we couldn't really 'afford' the iPad... ), but she has made it clear she wants either a) Jewelry or b) the new stainless steel fridge she's been eyeing for next year (no, nothing in this world comes free!).

That having been said, with baby #1 (just confirmed today with the doc!!) on the way, I'd still like to do something special for my lovely and awesome wife to commemorate our first married anniversary. She got me the iPad because I've been saving hard and that it would be my last big purchase before the baby will take all of our money

I was thinking of dropping clues throughout and around our house and having her go on a treasure hunt of sorts. I just need some ideas for what that 'treasure' should be.

Anyone have any ideas? She's big into photography, but she has a new camera and I gave her an engraved picture frame as a wedding gift... can't really think of anything else that doesn't break the bank but is awesome and photography related. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Anxiously,

-hamudm

 

[Robert Maxwell]

Pirate her a copy of Photoshop?

 

[Kestra]

So ... you can't afford the fridge or whatever? Does she know that or is she expecting something big?

We don't do anniversary presents (just a donation somewhere) so I'm not much help there. But jewelry doesn't have to be expensive, unless she only likes really fancy stuff! I like cutesy weird stuff like on Etsy.com.

Edit: I think I read that incorrectly. She wants a big ticket item next year? Just get her something small and sweet. What is she into?

 

[hamudm]

^No,we've agreed that there will be no spending on anything else big this year. So things like a fridge are out of the question. While we're at it, why do women feel compelled to replace things like fridges when the one we have works perfectly fine!?! And what's the deal with flowers??

 

[hamudm]

Pirate her a copy of Photoshop?

HA!

Seriously though, we have PS Elements and GIMP at home.

 

[Kestra]

^No,we've agreed that there will be no spending on anything else big this year. So things like a fridge are out of the question. While we're at it, why do women feel compelled to replace things like fridges when the one we have works perfectly fine!?! And what's the deal with flowers??

Flowers are pretty and I only replace appliances that don't work!

 

[auntiehill]

What about finding a photography class for her?

Or take her somewhere fancy-schmancy for dinner and present her with some top-notch leather-bound photo albums for all the baby pictures that are to come?

Or a mid-range video camera (some of them are rather cheap now), so the relatives & friends can be sent little home movies of the baby?

 

[hamudm]

^ Like the way you think

 

[auntiehill]

Hey, we married women have to look out for each other.

I hope one of those ideas makes a good gift for her.

 

[hamudm]

Hey, we married women have to look out for each other.

I hope one of those ideas makes a good gift for her.

I really like the idea of preparing a photo album for baby pics.

I also thought that maybe I could start on the nursery, but we're still a way's off and I couldn't quite do it discretely!

 

[SiorX]

I was going to suggest a photo album too. I think it could be a really lovely idea, without breaking the bank.

Also, the first anniversary is the 'paper' anniversary, isn't it? So with the photo album, and your idea of the treasure hunt, you could make quite a romantic paper-themed day of it.

ETA: And congratulations on the pregnancy!

 

[DonIago]

I wish I had a wife to buy me an iPad... Pass on the baby, though...

If she's got a lot of digital pics, you could look into getting her a digital photo frame. They're not that pricey, though I don't know whether she'd consider it really "her thing".

 

[B.J.]

The best advice I ever got was that the best presents are *experiences*, something you can remember together. (This was from John Tesh's radio show of all places!) I think it's especially good advice for people who don't really need to clutter their house up with anything else, like my wife and I.

For example, this past Christmas, I got my wife tickets to the Trans Siberian Orchestra. (Awesome concert!) Unfortunately, I'm going to be hard-pressed to top that one!

 

[Holdfast]

Give her a framed photo of the new fancy fridge or bit of jewellery she wants next year, with an IOU on the back with next year's anniversary date on it, as the due date. Problem solved.

(there's a reason I opt to stay single, and I think this post illustrates it well... )

 

[hamudm]

^LOL! You just made me flash back to "Dumb & Dumber" with the paper IOUs at the end!

That could be funny though!

 

[SmoothieX]

The traditional first anniversary gift is paper. Buy her a ream.

 

[Miss Chicken]

Maybe you could use some of her photos to make her a inspirational photo book.

There are online sites like Snapfish which you upload photos to, you design the book online and they print it for you. You can add words - maybe lines from her favourite books or just nice words of your own.

You could put the words - "My thoughts on our first wedding anniversary" or something like that on the cover.

Edited to add - examples here

 

[iguana_tonante]

but she has made it clear she wants either a) Jewelry or b) the new stainless steel fridge she's been eyeing for next year (no, nothing in this world comes free!).

Go for the jewel. Edited to add: the picture album and photography lessons are really neat ideas, too.

I was thinking of dropping clues throughout and around our house and having her go on a treasure hunt of sorts. I just need some ideas for what that 'treasure' should be.

Your own stark nakedness covered in whipped cream is always a good idea.

Congrats on the anniversary!

 

[Miss Chicken]

Give her a framed photo of the new fancy fridge or bit of jewellery she wants next year, with an IOU on the back with next year's anniversary date on it, as the due date. Problem solved.

(there's a reason I opt to stay single, and I think this post illustrates it well... )

I thought you stayed single because you didn't want to share your wardrobe space....or is that some other poster?

 

[hamudm]

You guys are great! Some really neat ideas here.

Miss Chicken, for our wedding we gave our parents/grandparents all bound books we ordered through Costco of our wedding day. I know my wife, for one, loves these