anniversary
So decorating your house is expensive. And of course I want to decorate my house in a way that marks the both the seasons and the years, which means even more money to the local home goods store. Plus, I find that if I just try to 'decorate' I end up spending too much money, going in to many directions, and I am almost always unhappy with the results. Knowing exactly how to decorate (i.e. change out the wall hanging like the examples below) gives me direction and purpose, and I spend all my energy on the perfect wall hanging.
My attempts to cheaply decorate seasonally can be found here: seasonal decorations.
My attempts to decorate for, and celebrate, the years of marriage are listed below. I have also been annoyed with the super lame suggestions for how to commemorate the passing years of love, so I included those as well!
So basically my solution is this: Have one wall hanging someone in the common space of the house that reflects the year of marriage, and change it out when the year passes. I will probably be giving them away to other young couples who are a year or two behind us. It is a simple way to decorate, but if the one wall hanging is my only focus of decorating, then it shouldn't ever be more than forty bucks a year, even if I buy one at a nice store (I am sure I could make some for cheaper).
Year 1: Paper
Celebration Idea: We purchased tickets (paper) to go see a play at the Fox Theatre! If you need something a littler cheaper you could go to a community playhouse. If you have the money for something a little fancier, you could go to Broadway!
Wall Hanging: So I didn't start this until year two so the following are just some ideas I thought were interesting. As for wall hangings, they can be made from paper quilling, paper mache, or paper geometry, as pictured below!
Link to Blue thingy.
Year 2: Cotton
Celebration Idea: First we purchased nice cotton robes for each of us. And then we took a short trip to a cotton plantation, and spent the day enjoying the scenery and a picnic lunch. Because it was a little over an hour away, we considered staying in a bed and breakfast, and enjoying a couple bath bombs with our new cotton robes. However, this adventure turned into a day trip instead, but still worth considering when planning the event. Also, if you are on a tight budget, be on the lookout for bathrobe sales way in advance (these things come as expensive or cheap as you want them, and I'm not sure ours were even actually cotton...). If there is no budget, you could go to a fancy spas/resort and buy of their monogrammed robes while you are there.
Wall Hanging: How about macrame? Or like we did, and get a cute picture of cotton? :) Link to Cotton Wall Art
Year 3: Leather
Celebration Idea: Go to the Kentucky Derby!! With bright dresses, outlandish hats, and impossible to find hotel rooms! This trip is turning out to be pretty pricey, so if you are on a budget, general admission tickets are cheaper than others, but obviously have less track visibility. Also, there are many at home 'Derby Parties' that you can host where you and friends still dress up and where fabulous hats! If budgets are not a thing, obviously you could do the nicest Derby packages, bet on horses, and go early enough to watch the Kentucky Oaks as well!
(EDIT: Okay so the coronavirus has temporarily postponed these plans. Now we will be going to the Derby...in September. Should still be fun though!!)
Wall Hanging: Anything horse related, cow related, or leather related!
Year 4: Fruits & Flowers
Celebration Idea: Concerning the fourth year of marriage, I have heard both 'Fruits/Flowers' and 'Silks/Linens.' We will go with Fruits and Flowers. For now I am thinking we could go to the Biltmore Estates in Asheville, NC. If we go in the spring there will be plenty of flowers - and they sell their own wine right? I'm not sure if there vineyard on site or not, but perhaps that will count as our 'fruit.' Also, what says fruits & flowers more than an Edible Arrangement?
Wall Hanging: I found this metal lotus design from Graham & Brown. We have a lot of Asian themed things in our house (from Hubby's time in Korea) so it will match perfectly!
Year Unknown:
I have started making a list of things we want to do and incorporating them into anniversaries. Such as, going to Disney World, visiting Venice during the festival of the masks, etc. I will keep adding onto this list as inspirations arise.
My attempts to cheaply decorate seasonally can be found here: seasonal decorations.
My attempts to decorate for, and celebrate, the years of marriage are listed below. I have also been annoyed with the super lame suggestions for how to commemorate the passing years of love, so I included those as well!
So basically my solution is this: Have one wall hanging someone in the common space of the house that reflects the year of marriage, and change it out when the year passes. I will probably be giving them away to other young couples who are a year or two behind us. It is a simple way to decorate, but if the one wall hanging is my only focus of decorating, then it shouldn't ever be more than forty bucks a year, even if I buy one at a nice store (I am sure I could make some for cheaper).
Year 1: PaperCelebration Idea: We purchased tickets (paper) to go see a play at the Fox Theatre! If you need something a littler cheaper you could go to a community playhouse. If you have the money for something a little fancier, you could go to Broadway!
Wall Hanging: So I didn't start this until year two so the following are just some ideas I thought were interesting. As for wall hangings, they can be made from paper quilling, paper mache, or paper geometry, as pictured below!
Link to Blue thingy.
Year 2: Cotton
Celebration Idea: First we purchased nice cotton robes for each of us. And then we took a short trip to a cotton plantation, and spent the day enjoying the scenery and a picnic lunch. Because it was a little over an hour away, we considered staying in a bed and breakfast, and enjoying a couple bath bombs with our new cotton robes. However, this adventure turned into a day trip instead, but still worth considering when planning the event. Also, if you are on a tight budget, be on the lookout for bathrobe sales way in advance (these things come as expensive or cheap as you want them, and I'm not sure ours were even actually cotton...). If there is no budget, you could go to a fancy spas/resort and buy of their monogrammed robes while you are there.Wall Hanging: How about macrame? Or like we did, and get a cute picture of cotton? :) Link to Cotton Wall Art
Year 3: Leather
Celebration Idea: Go to the Kentucky Derby!! With bright dresses, outlandish hats, and impossible to find hotel rooms! This trip is turning out to be pretty pricey, so if you are on a budget, general admission tickets are cheaper than others, but obviously have less track visibility. Also, there are many at home 'Derby Parties' that you can host where you and friends still dress up and where fabulous hats! If budgets are not a thing, obviously you could do the nicest Derby packages, bet on horses, and go early enough to watch the Kentucky Oaks as well!
(EDIT: Okay so the coronavirus has temporarily postponed these plans. Now we will be going to the Derby...in September. Should still be fun though!!)
Wall Hanging: Anything horse related, cow related, or leather related!
Year 4: Fruits & Flowers
Celebration Idea: Concerning the fourth year of marriage, I have heard both 'Fruits/Flowers' and 'Silks/Linens.' We will go with Fruits and Flowers. For now I am thinking we could go to the Biltmore Estates in Asheville, NC. If we go in the spring there will be plenty of flowers - and they sell their own wine right? I'm not sure if there vineyard on site or not, but perhaps that will count as our 'fruit.' Also, what says fruits & flowers more than an Edible Arrangement?
Wall Hanging: I found this metal lotus design from Graham & Brown. We have a lot of Asian themed things in our house (from Hubby's time in Korea) so it will match perfectly!
Year Unknown:
I have started making a list of things we want to do and incorporating them into anniversaries. Such as, going to Disney World, visiting Venice during the festival of the masks, etc. I will keep adding onto this list as inspirations arise.
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