20 Year Wedding Anniversary

Roses are red
Violets are blue
After 20 years
I still love you.



Wow, I can't believe we've been married for 20 years. Although neither of us can remember how he actually proposed, he did whisk me away for a few days on a surprise city break as an engagement present in November 1989. We went to Berlin, but the most amazing thing was that as we arrived, huge changes in the political situation there meant that the locals were toppling the Berlin Wall and we joined in a part of history and celebrated with the Berliners over their divided country being re-joined again.

We married in 1992 - it was the year that Whitney Houston was singing "I Will Always Love You" in the Bodyguard, and the year she married Bobby Brown. Madness were in the Charts too singing "It Must be Love".

I have thought long and hard about what to buy as an anniversary gift; traditionally, twenty years should be something made of China, but that's a bit harder to buy for a man. Eventually I bought some chocolates that were nicely iced with Happy 20th Wedding Anniversary and a bottle of bubbly. Tomorrow, we have arranged babysitters and we will spend a day together looking for a nice Malaysian restaurant to pretend for a few hours that we're twenty years younger and on honeymoon!

The Traditional Gifts for wedding anniversaries are:
1st Paper

2nd Cotton

3rd Leather

4th Fruit, flowers

5th Wood

6th Sugar

7th Copper, wool

8th Bronze, pottery

9th Pottery, willow

10th Tin

11th Steel

12th Silk, linen

13th Lace

14th Ivory

15th Crystal

20th China

25th Silver

30th Pearl

35th Coral

40th Ruby

45th Sapphire

50th Gold

55th Emerald

60th Diamond

65th Sapphire

70th Platinum

Leap Year Proposals

On the 29th February, traditionally the girl can make the proposal of marriage to her intended spouse. It's a bit harder for girls, who can't really do the time-honoured thing of going down on one knee, or sending a big bunch of flowers. Are they supposed to ask the mother for the son's hand in marriage? It might need a bit more planning, but plenty of girls are out there making the wedding proposal tradition a thing of their own! Watch how this lovely lady does it in style. Have your hanky ready!

Will you marry me?

Roses are red
Violets are blue
If I ask you to marry me
Will you say "I do"?

If you're planning to ask someone the big question, have you considered how you might do your marriage proposal? Will you go down on one knee at the best table in your favourite restaurant, or will you hire a white suit and sweep her off her feet in the workplace like Richard Gere and Julia Roberts in An Officer and a Gentleman? Will you surprise her by getting that little magic box out of your pocket with a sparkling diamond engagement ring, or will you have a picnic in a meadow by the river on a summer's day, and use a daisy chain until you can get the real thing? Will you ask her father for her hand in marriage? Will you do something as special as this..?

Chocolates and wine for the perfect romantic gift

If you need to send a romantic gift to someone for their birthday, anniversary, or just to let them know they're special why not choose a bottle of the finest wine that you can share together, or a big box of chocolates. If they're a really special person, you'll splash out and buy chocolates and wine!

Treat her to her favourite perfume

If you're wondering what her favourite perfume is, give her an all-time classic with something in the range from Chanel; Chanel's perfumes have style, elegance and class, a fragrance that others will admire, and a design that has a sophisticated understatement.

Sweep her off her feet with your proposal

Whether it's just a quiet night in, a special birthday treat or whether you really are going to ask her to marry you, you can't go far wrong with sitting down together to watch a good romantic film.

Roses are red, Violets are Blue

Roses are red

Violets are blue

This year is a leap year

So I'll marry you