The Golden Wedding Anniversary Marks 50 Years of Marriage—Here's How to Celebrate This Milestone

Every year of marriage is an accomplishment worth celebrating, but there’s something particularly awe-inspiring about the golden wedding anniversary. After all, this special milestone marks 50 years together—that’s half a century! Whether you're currently planning your wedding and looking forward to the future or are quickly approaching this major relationship benchmark, you're probably curious about what this uniquely named anniversary entails—and how common it actually is to reach this point.

Considering the scope of what half a century really means—a couple has created and lived a full life together and experienced almost every possible triumph and challenge—marking this moment is often a big deal for duos. There are endless ways to do so, but how you celebrate should be informed by that life you have built and your shared priorities. Give a from-the-heart gift (gold is, naturally, the present of choice for the golden wedding anniversary!) if that speaks to your love language, take a once-in-a-lifetime trip if you're avid adventurers, or throw a party where you can watch your children (and, potentially, grandchildren) share in the joy and love that was built upon the foundation you laid.

Ahead, couples therapist Kelley Donovan explains the significance of the golden wedding anniversary and offers meaningful ways to celebrate the occasion—whether that's now or 50 years down the road. 

The Significance of the Golden Wedding Anniversary 

So much happens in half a century—and if you and your spouse have been married for this amount of time, you have truly built a life as partners. “If a couple has made it to 50 years, they have gone through a life’s worth of transitions together, such as having children, empty-nesting, retiring, caring for aging parents, and grieving the loss of them,” says Donovan. “These ultra long-term relationships aren’t free from conflict—all couples have conflict, especially during life’s transitions—but a couple that has been together for 50 years probably has what couples therapists call ‘secure attachment.’”

This is what all couples strive to achieve. Per Donovan, secure attachment means that each partner is accessible, responsive, and engaged. (A helpful shortcut to remember these traits: “A.R.E. you there for me?”) They’ve put in the time and effort and actively worked on showing up for the relationship, even during life's most challenging moments. “Being there for each other for 50 years is something to be celebrated, maybe even shouted from the rooftops!” Donovan adds. “Secure attachment is a triumph.”

How Many Couples Reach the Golden Anniversary? 

If you’re celebrating a golden wedding anniversary, you’re definitely breathing rarefied air. According to research from the U.S. Census Bureau reported by CBS News, only six percent of American couples make it to their golden anniversary. This low number makes sense, as couples need to marry fairly young, weather lots of storms, and live fairly long lives in order to achieve this milestone. A couple that married at 25, for example, will need to still be together at 75 in order to hit their golden anniversary. In America, where the average life expectancy hovers around 76 and roughly half of all marriages end in divorce, that’s quite an accomplishment! 

Gift Ideas for the Golden Wedding Anniversary 

The traditional gift for the golden wedding anniversary is—as you probably guessed—gold. A rare and precious metal with a pleasing yellow or white luster that is highly sought after for fine jewelry and other valuables, this material shines with the sparkle of a love that has endured five decades. 

According to Time, the history of associating gold with the 50th wedding anniversary might have begun in Roman or Medieval times—but the custom was more firmly cemented around the turn of the 20th century in the later Victorian era, when love marriages became more common and life expectancies began increasing. (Per customs described by newspapers at the time, wives were given golden wreaths to commemorate the occasion.) 

Gold Gifts

If you’d like to celebrate the occasion with a wrapped present, here are a few thematic gift ideas for the golden anniversary: 

• A gold stacking band to wear alongside an engagement ring and wedding ring
• A piece of gold jewelry or similar accessory, such as a watch, cufflinks, necklace, or a pair of earrings
• A gold-plated Champagne bucket paired with a crisp bottle of bubbly
• A gold-plated or gold-dipped rose (it’ll last an eternity, just like your love)

Experience Gifts

Of course, a couple that has spent half a century accumulating material possessions together might be more interested in commemorating the occasion with an experience. “I can think of no better way to celebrate 50 years together than with family, friends, and all the people in the couple’s lives who have supported them and made their bond possible,” says Donovan.

So go on—plan that vow renewal, throw that anniversary party, or gather your nearest and dearest for an intimate dinner and invite them to all give a toast. Pro tip: If the memories inspire you to more extensively reflect on your years together, use the StoryCorps App to record and archive a conversation about the history of your relationship for future generations to enjoy.