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Traditional wedding anniversary gifts: the early years

Written by Lucy Paul
A bride and groom walk up a heather-covered hillside in Glencoe. They are holding hands and the bride carries her bouquet by her side.
Glencoe elopement, captured by ABrightside Photography
Discover anniversary gift ideas inspired by tradition, from a year of Trust membership to a 5-year tree dedication. Each thoughtful choice from the National Trust for Scotland celebrates love and supports our charity.

1st anniversary: paper

Gift a membership

A man and woman look at a map on a garden path, surrounded by tall shrubs in full bloom. The lady is using a wheelchair, and the man leans over her shoulder.
Branklyn Garden, Perth

Treat the couple you love to a year of new experiences whilst helping to protect the amazing places in our care. With so many different places to visit, and so much to see and do across the country, they can look forward to exploring the very best of Scotland, for many years to come.

When you buy a gift membership, you can choose whether we send the lovely paper certificate to you to hand over, or directly to the couple themselves. Whether you want to gift a Life Membership or a year’s Joint Membership, every membership comes with great perks:

  • Free entry to all National Trust for Scotland places
  • Access to other National Trust properties in the UK and worldwide
  • Free parking at National Trust for Scotland car parks
  • A subscription to our award-winning member magazine, e-newsletters full of inspiration and stories, and a copy of our Members’ Guide for planning your visits.

Members can also collect a paper Member Passport at our places to track all their visits and start new traditions.

Our magazine and Members’ Guide are printed on FSC paper, meaning it has been sourced from responsibly managed forests or recycled materials. Our membership cards are made from 100% recycled paper too!

When giving this fantastic gift, you get to share your love for Scotland with someone else, while supporting the Trust and its crucial work. Every membership and donation pays for the work we do to protect Scotland’s heritage, so that it can be enjoyed by everyone and protected for future generations.

Gift membership

Buy today

2nd anniversary: cotton

A woman wears a pale purple cotton scarf over a navy jacket. She poses beside a white garden fence.

For a thoughtful second anniversary gift, embrace tradition by giving beautifully crafted cotton items. The National Trust for Scotland online shop offers exclusive cotton gifts like the Lilac Thistle Scarf, a tribute to Scotland’s national emblem, and artist Sarah Leask’s charming creations, including her Scottish Gin Tea Towel and Wildflowers Apron.

3rd anniversary: leather

A hip flask covered in leather with a Harris tweed inset.

To mark a third wedding anniversary, celebrate with a timeless leather gift. Traditionally symbolising durability and resilience, leather is a meaningful choice for this milestone. Explore beautifully crafted options from Barrhead Leather Company, where fine Harris Tweed and deerskin creations – like this pink tweed bag and leather hip flask – make thoughtful and lasting gifts.

Read more about Barrhead Leather

4th anniversary: fruit and flowers

ROOTS subscription

A display of ROOTS leaflets, letters, wooden plant labels and seed packs is fanned out on a stone patio.

Let your love grow with a ROOTS subscription! Celebrate Scotland’s stunning flora by having Scottish seeds delivered straight to your home, while supporting the flourishing of our Trust gardens and designed landscapes.

For £7 a month, you’ll receive a ROOTS pack every six weeks, filled with stories, garden-related goodies and expert tips from our seasoned gardeners. Gift subscriptions also include a personalised certificate, letting your loved one know who their special gift came from.

Roots

Bringing Scottish flowers straight to your home with a seed subscription.

Sign up now

5th anniversary: wood

Dedicate a Tree

An older couple walk along a wide woodland path, looking up at a very tall tree. It is autumn and the background trees are red and golden.

Dedicate a tree to your loved one and embark on our mission to restore Scotland’s vital woodlands. Choose from one of our three tree planting projects across Scotland and help us nurture our wonderful woodlands for generations to come.

From replanting the hundreds of thousands of trees across Aberdeenshire lost in Storm Arwen, to helping montane woodland regenerate at Ben Lawers or protecting the rare and endemic Arran whitebeams at Glen Rosa, your gift will help us do great work! As a thank you for your dedication, we’ll also send you a personalised gift certificate.

Dedicate a tree today

Bride and groom in the woods at Mar Lodge Estate

Shop online

Show family and friends you’re thinking of them with our collection of great gift ideas.

100% of our profits go towards protecting Scotland’s heritage.

Shop now
A bottle of pink gin stands on a polished wooden table, with a small bottle of gin to one side and a large gin glass filled with gin & tonic to the other. >