Golden Wedding Anniversary Gift Ideas to Celebrate 50 Years

Many golden wedding presents are ordered by grown-up children for their Mum and Dad, so these golden wedding anniversary gift ideas start there. When people add wording, "Mum & Dad" or the couple's two first names is what we see most.

If you're short of time, these are our three favourite golden wedding anniversary gifts: a gold mirror golden wedding cake topper reading "50th Wedding Anniversary Mum & Dad" (under £15), a song lyrics anniversary card with their first dance song (under £7), and 50 reasons in a Reasons Why I Love You envelope (from £13.95). Gold is the traditional gift for a 50th wedding anniversary, and a gold finish counts, so there's no need to buy gold jewellery. Everything is made to order in our workshop in Scotland, where we've been making personalised gifts since 2014.

Golden wedding presents from the family

These are the 50th wedding anniversary gifts we'd choose if we were buying for our own Mum and Dad.

Our golden wedding cake topper is cut in one piece from gold mirror acrylic, with your wording in flowing script and little hearts around the letters. You type the whole phrase, including the occasion and the names, in up to 45 characters: for example "50th Wedding Anniversary Mum & Dad" or "Happy Golden Anniversary John & Mary". We cut exactly what you type, so check the spelling and the capitals before you order.

It's about 18cm wide and 27cm high, including its two built-in sticks, and costs under £15. Push it into the cake just before serving and take it out before cutting, as it isn't edible. Afterwards, wipe it with a soft dry cloth and keep it as a memento of the day.

For the card, our personalised wooden anniversary card is an oak veneer envelope engraved with your wording, up to 60 characters, such as "Happy Golden Anniversary, Mum & Dad". A card tucks inside: leave it blank for everyone to sign, or we'll print your message for £1 more. It's about 12cm wide and 13cm high, made from 4mm oak veneer, and costs £9.50.

Shown here for a 5th anniversary. For a golden wedding, we engrave your own wording.

The cake topper and the wooden card together come to over £20, so UK delivery is free.

Golden wedding gifts for your husband or wife

If it's your own golden wedding, the best present is one that says what the 50 years have meant.

Our Reasons Why I Love You envelope is engraved oak veneer, with their name and the number of reasons on the front, and a card inside for each reason. Choose the "36 to 50 reasons" size and type 50 in the Number of reasons box. We can print your reasons, one per card, or send blank cards so you can write them by hand.

Fifty sounds a lot until you start: the cup of tea he still brings you in bed, the holiday when the car broke down, the way she sings in the kitchen. Small, real reasons like these get read again and again.

The envelope is about 12cm wide, 13cm high and 1.5cm thick. With 50 reasons it's £13.95 with blank cards or £18.95 printed, and you can add a white gift box for £2, or one with a ribbon for £3.

Shown here for an 11-year anniversary.

Our song lyrics anniversary card is an A5 card printed with the words of your song in metallic foil, with your names, the number of years and your wedding date. Choose your first dance, or the song that was playing when you met. You only tell us the song title and the artist, and we find the lyrics. On the back is a scannable Spotify code that plays the song, and the inside is blank for your own message. It costs under £7.

It's our best-selling anniversary gift. Customers have chosen it for 10th, 25th, 30th and 40th anniversaries, and the years go all the way up to 60. For a golden wedding you might type: names "Margaret & Jim", years "50 years", date "14th August 1976", song "Can't Help Falling in Love", artist "Elvis Presley". Please double-check the song title and the artist, as we print the lyrics of exactly the song you name.

One customer, Sarah, wrote: "Just what I wanted, personalised song lyric card for a special anniversary, great communication/service&quality x".

Shown here for 15 years together, front and back.

Golden wedding gifts from friends

From friends, a small personal gift and a good card is plenty. Our Mr and Mrs slate coasters are a pair of heavyweight natural slate coasters, each about 10 x 10cm, engraved with "Mr & Mrs" and their surname, a heart and the year they married, so "Mr & Mrs Taylor, Est. 1976". They're £10 for the pair. They'll be used every day.

Ideas for the golden wedding party

• Put their names on the cake. A gold topper reading "50th Wedding Anniversary Mum & Dad" puts the cake at the centre of the photos, and they keep it afterwards.
• Play their song. If you've given a lyrics card, scan the Spotify code on the back and play their first dance when they cut the cake.

For the toast, our personalised gold drinks stirrers are mirrored acrylic, about 15cm tall, engraved with up to 25 characters, such as "Jean & Bill's 50th". They're £2 each, £15 for 10 or £25 for 20, and guests can take them home.

Shown here for a 21st. Yours would say your own words.

What to write in a golden wedding card

Keep it short: a line about the 50 years, a memory and a wish for the years ahead. Some ideas:

• From the children: "Happy golden wedding, Mum and Dad. Fifty years of love, and you still make each other laugh. With all our love, from all of us."
• From a grandchild: "Happy 50th anniversary, Gran and Grandad. Thank you for showing us what forever looks like. Love, Ella x"
• To your husband or wife: "Fifty years ago today we said I do, and I'd do it all again. Happy golden anniversary. Love always, Margaret x"
• From friends: "Congratulations on 50 golden years. Here's to the next chapter, and to many more parties like this one."

Every example above fits the 150 characters we can print on the card inside our wooden anniversary card.

Unusual golden wedding anniversary gift ideas

• A memory from everyone. Ask for blank cards in the Reasons envelope and share them round the children and grandchildren, so each person writes a few of the 50.
• Recreate the wedding photo. Same pose, same spot if you can get there, 50 years on.

There are more ideas in our personalised anniversary gifts and our anniversary cake toppers. If the couple are renewing their vows, our guide to personalised wedding gift ideas has gifts for the two of them.

Ordering in time for the party

Everything we make is made to order and dispatched in 2 to 5 working days, and Royal Mail or Evri usually deliver 2 to 3 working days after that. UK delivery is free on orders over £20. For a golden wedding party, we'd order at least two weeks ahead, and the cake topper page shows your estimated delivery date. If you need something by a certain date, get in touch before you order and we'll do our best to help.

Before you order, check the spelling of the names, the wedding date and the song title. We make everything exactly as typed.

Golden wedding gift questions

What is the traditional gift for a 50th wedding anniversary?

Gold. It's the traditional gift for a 50th wedding anniversary, and the modern lists give gold too. The traditional flowers are yellow roses and violets. A gold finish counts, so a gold mirror cake topper or gold drinks stirrers keep to the theme without the cost of gold jewellery.

What is a 50th wedding anniversary called?

A golden wedding anniversary, often shortened to a golden wedding or a golden anniversary. It marks 50 years of marriage.

What do you buy your parents for their golden wedding?

Something with their names and their story on it. You could choose a cake topper reading "50th Wedding Anniversary Mum & Dad" (under £15), a lyrics card with their first dance song (under £7), or 50 reasons why you love them, written by the whole family (from £13.95).

What can I write in a golden wedding anniversary card?

A short line about the 50 years, a shared memory and a wish for the future. For example: "Happy golden wedding, Mum and Dad. Fifty years of love, and you still make each other laugh."

How far ahead should I order for a golden wedding party?

At least two weeks before the party. Everything is made to order and dispatched in 2 to 5 working days, then usually takes 2 to 3 working days in the post.