Do Russians Celebrate Wedding Anniversaries? Yes, and Here Is How
Yes, Russians do celebrate wedding anniversaries, and they take them more seriously than many people abroad expect. Every year of marriage has its own traditional name, from the "calico wedding" after one year to the "golden wedding" after fifty, and the round dates, especially the 25th and 50th, are celebrated with family parties, gifts and plenty of flowers.
For ordinary years it is usually a quiet affair: a dinner for two, a present that matches the anniversary's name and, almost always, a bouquet from husband to wife. If you have Russian parents, in-laws or friends, knowing these customs helps you mark the date in a way they will recognise and appreciate.
How a Russian anniversary is usually celebrated
The day itself belongs to the couple. In the morning the husband traditionally gives his wife flowers, often roses, and many couples go out to a restaurant or cook a special dinner at home. Small gifts are exchanged, and friends and relatives call or send messages to congratulate them, with the familiar wish of "many more years together".
Milestone anniversaries turn into family events. Grown-up children often organise the 25th or 50th themselves: they book a restaurant or cover the table at home, invite relatives, prepare toasts and sometimes a slide show of old photographs. Some couples even repeat a short ceremony, put on their wedding rings again or exchange new ones.
Do not be surprised by the emotion involved. In a country where many marriages went through hard decades, a long marriage is genuinely admired, and guests come prepared with long, heartfelt toasts.
The names of Russian wedding anniversaries
Russians name anniversaries after materials that grow stronger and more precious with time. The wedding day itself is the "green wedding". Then come calico (1 year), paper (2), leather (3), linen (4), wooden (5), cast iron (6), copper or woollen (7), tin (8), and the pink or rose wedding at 10 years.
Later names include crystal (15), porcelain (20), silver (25), pearl (30), ruby (40), sapphire (45), golden (50), emerald (55) and diamond (60). Gifts often play on the name: cotton bedding for the first year, a book or photo album for the second, porcelain tableware at twenty, silver jewellery at twenty-five.
Lists vary a little from family to family, so if you are unsure, ask the couple's children or simply mention the name in your card. Russians enjoy it when someone from abroad knows that the tenth anniversary is called the rose wedding.
Bouquets we can deliver
Which anniversaries matter most
The first anniversary is celebrated warmly because the couple has made it through the first year. The fifth, the wooden wedding, is the first "round" date and is often marked with friends. The tenth, the rose wedding, has a lovely flower tradition: the husband gives his wife roses, and red ones are the classic choice.
Other round dates get their share of attention too. The 15th, the crystal wedding, and the 20th, the porcelain wedding, are often marked with a family dinner and a gift for the home, while the 30th and 40th, pearl and ruby, are increasingly celebrated with a party, especially now that couples marry later and reach these dates while still very active.
The silver (25th) and golden (50th) weddings are the big ones. Relatives travel for them, and if you live abroad and cannot come, a bouquet delivered on the day is one of the most visible ways to show you remember. Our guide to silver and golden weddings in Russia goes deeper into those two celebrations.
Choosing anniversary flowers the Russian way
Match the flowers to who they are from. From a husband to his wife, red or deep pink roses are expected. From children, grandchildren or friends, softer and more festive mixes work better: white and cream roses for a silver wedding, warm yellow, peach and gold tones for a golden one, and pink roses for the rose wedding.
Mind the count. Russians give an odd number of flowers for happy occasions, because even numbers belong to funerals. That makes the symbolic "one rose per year" tricky for even anniversaries: the usual solution is to add one more stem, so 11 roses for ten years or 51 for fifty. For very large bouquets the count matters less, but adding a stem is a charming detail people notice.
Think about the setting. If the celebration is a big dinner in a restaurant, a bouquet delivered to the couple's home in the morning is better than one that has to be carried around all evening. For older couples choose flowers with a gentle scent and a size they can lift and fit in a vase, rather than an enormous box. More ideas are in flowers for a Russian wedding anniversary.
A quick note on care, since anniversary bouquets are kept as long as possible: ask the couple to trim the stems and change the water every two days, and to keep the vase away from radiators and direct sun. Roses and chrysanthemums treated this way stay fresh well beyond the party.
What to write in the card
Russian congratulations are warm and a little formal. A simple formula works well: congratulate the couple on the anniversary by its name, wish them health, love and many more years together, and sign with your family name. For parents, mentioning what their marriage has meant to you is very touching.
A short example that reads naturally in Russian translation: "Dear Mum and Dad, congratulations on your silver wedding! Twenty-five years of love and patience, thank you for showing us what a real family looks like. We wish you health, happiness and many more years together. With love, Anna and Mark." Adapt the names and the anniversary, and the message will work for almost any couple.
If you write in English to Russian-speaking relatives, keep sentences short so they can be easily translated, or ask us to help phrase the text. The card with your message is free, and you can keep the gift anonymous if you want it to be a surprise until they read the card.
Sending anniversary flowers to Russia from abroad
We deliver flowers across Russia. City delivery costs 500 RUB; for remote districts and suburbs the operator confirms the price when confirming the order. Because anniversaries have a fixed date, pre-ordering 1-30 days ahead is the calm option, and you can choose an exact delivery time (plus or minus 30 minutes) or a window such as 09-12, ideal for a morning surprise. If you remember late, express delivery in large cities takes 1-2 hours after the order is confirmed.
The courier calls the recipient about 15 minutes before arriving. If the couple is out celebrating, we agree a second delivery the same day or hand the flowers to a neighbour or concierge with your consent. Payment is online by bank card, SBP or Yandex Pay.
Pick a bouquet in the catalogue, and if you would like help choosing colours for a silver or golden wedding or getting the card text right, message a manager on WhatsApp and ask for a photo of the bouquet before it goes out.
Frequently asked questions
Do Russians celebrate every wedding anniversary?
Most couples mark every year at least quietly, with flowers and a dinner. The 5th, 10th, 25th and 50th anniversaries are usually celebrated with family and guests.
What is the 10th wedding anniversary called in Russia?
It is called the pink or rose wedding. The husband traditionally gives his wife roses, most often red.
How many roses should I give for a Russian anniversary?
Always an odd number. For even anniversaries people often add one stem to the number of years, for example 11 roses for ten years.
What do Russians give for a silver wedding?
Silver items such as jewellery, cutlery or a photo frame are traditional, together with a festive bouquet in white, cream or silvery tones.
Can I send anniversary flowers to Russia for a specific date?
Yes. You can pre-order 1-30 days ahead and choose an exact time or a delivery window, and add a free card with your message.
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