One unfortunate fact about our wedding is that it flew by so fast that we barely touched our food. Which means we never really got to stop and enjoy the DIY grub (perhaps our most daring feat was completely nixing the idea of a caterer in favor of taking on the entire wedding menu ourselves… well it was either daring or just plain crazy, you decide).
So when our one year anniversary approached last July, we initially thought we’d get dressed up and go out to a nice dinner (maybe I’d even wear my dyed wedding dress). Until my sweet hubs tossed out the lets-recreate-our-backyard-wedding-and-finally-enjoy-the-food-at-home idea. It seemed fitting since we got married in our backyard that we’d throw some food on the grill and pick up a few side dishes to recreate that special night a year later (we’re lucky to own our wedding venue, so it’s easier to relive the fun). First we snapped this corny little photo under the arch where we said our vows (which we moved from the middle of the yard to the entrance to the back woods after the big day):
Then we got to work enjoying a dinner that very closely resembled the one our guests enjoyed in that very spot exactly a year ago. Of the three entrees that we offered up, we chose the blue cheese angus burgers with parmesan caesar dressing and added some other wedding-day fare (lemon pepper potato chips and rotini salad) to round things out:
But what about a fitting drink to accompany our marital meal? Leading up to the wedding we saved up a bunch of wine and beverage bottles. Instead of big plastic pitchers, we wanted the chic look of glass so we asked a local wine retailer to save old bottles for us (leftover from their weekly wine tastings and totally f-r-e-e). Once at home we made sure they were squeaky clean and hand labeled ‘em with a sharpie (which never rubbed off or faded in case you’re wondering). We used all the green bottles to hold water, brown bottles for sweet tea and clear ones for homemade mint lemonade (fresh mint + lemonade= yum). Of course we also had many bottles of red and white wine on hand along with some of those cute vintage glass bottles of coca-cola. We really think making the effort to avoid cans and plastic kept things looking clean and classic…
…but in our anniversary recreation we took a shortcut and enjoyed a refreshing can of Fresca instead:
If this picture doesn’t aptly demonstrate how deeelicious it was, I don’t know what will:
And you may notice the lemon-&-lime-riddled napkin that I’m using to delicately dab my lips. Well, a year later we still had leftover napkins laying around, so that part of the recreation was easy (here they are in place on the tables 365 days earlier):
Then it was time to enjoy our wedding cupcakes. The night of our nuptials, we placed two of them in wax paper and then slipped them into a tupperware container which we stored in the freezer for the following year. And just like enjoying wedding cake on your first anniversary, those cupcakes were just as good (really, they took really well to bring frozen!).
And our one-year anniversary night wouldn’t have been complete without taking a ride to a nearby diner to recreate our wedding night photobooth experience in their booth for $3 (we like to snag a photostrip to commemorate lots of special days and store them in a cup on our open shelves in the dining room):
So that’s our little first year anniversary tradition- but what did we do to celebrate our second one on Tuesday? Well, we considered making the at-home BBQ recreation an annual tradition, but then my sweet hubby suggested that we enjoy a tasty meal at Brio, the deeelicious Italian restaurant where we had a lovely little rehearsal dinner the night before our wedding.
Here’s we are stuffed to the gills after our delicious anniversary meal:
Of course before we left we remembered to snap a few photos in the backyard (this time we posed in front of the hedges where our family portraits took place):
Then after dinner we capped things off with another photobooth pic at that diner downtown:
So that’s how we spent our last two anniversaries. What about you guys? Do you do anything fun each year when it comes to celebrating yours?
To learn more about how we DIYed our wedding food for an upscale backyard experience, check out the details in our wedding album.
p.s. We have a HUUUUUUUUGE ANNOUNCEMENT coming in just a few days so stay tuned!
Lacey says
Ooh! I don’t think it’s a reno project, because then you would have said “an unveiling” rather than “an announcement.”
My guess is a baby or a TV show — either one would be super-exciting, haha, but I hope it’s a baby!
Gracia says
How funny is it that I just earlier today posted on my blog about our second anniversary?
We just went to the beach, sat, had dinner and talked about these two years together. Nothing fancy, but really special!
YoungHouseLove says
Gracia we’re like sisters on different continents. Happy anniversary girl!
xo,
s (& j)
Notesfromthegrove says
My husband just joined the army and will be gone for our very first wedding anniversary this September. So to make it up to me, he surprised me with an early anniversary the night before he left! I came home to champagne in the same flutes we used at our wedding along with a very special gift: his vows re-written on a beautiful card that was placed in an old, vintage flowered frame. It was so wonderful and thoughtful and the perfect way to celebrate our first anniversary (even if it was 3 months early).
Happy Anniversary, you two!
AbbyW says
Oh my gosh I hope that your BIG ANNOUNCEMENT is not that you’re getting a reality show – everyone who does that ends up divorced!!!! I hope it’s a baby….or another dog (= furbaby).
LauraC says
I too can’t wait to hear the “announcement”, but I bet you’re in stitches laughing at all the guesses and enjoying having everyone on pins and needles. :=)
leigh says
when is the big announcement going to be made?! i need to make sure i check in. my guess is either appearing on a show, such as oprah. or the obvious…b-a-b-y :)
heather s. says
Fun traditions. I have the same glasses that you store your pics in – love them.
My initial guess would have been baby but that seems too obvious. I’m going to go with you have a regular column in another magazine or are appearing on a tv show.
renee says
I’m guessing you are going to make Burger a big brother by getting a puppy!
Or you’re having a Youngster-Baby.
But I think you’re really going to be announcing another very cool blog-related venture, like being on HGTV or some such coolness.
Great week of wedding/anniversary posts; love the ideas you guys come up with!
Happy Anniversary :)
Adriana says
I can hardly wait to hear about your HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT!!! I was also going to say you must be having lots of fun reading everyone’s guesses as to what the news are! Please don’t make us wait tooo long!! ;)
Bridget says
Another thought (besides a sharpie) is doing glass etching (maybe of your initials?). I love the Trader Joe’s sparkling lemonade bottles, so I’ve started hoarding in hopes of having a big party and personalizing them somehow.
Also, we use sharpies all the time in lab (I’m a grad student in bioengineering) and the way we remove the marks is 70% ethanol…so I’m pretty sure you could scrub it off with vodka if you really wanted to change the saying or drink type.
Holly says
“p.s. We have a HUUUUUUUUGE ANNOUNCEMENT coming in just a few days so stay tuned!”
Oh how you tempt us!!
WM says
You’re preggers! I know it! I can’t wait to see your take on the functional, stylish nursery. You’ve got to check out the nursery Heather at Dooce put together. So amazing. Plus it uses wall flowers!
If your not preggers this better be big guys! Actually, I might even be more excited if it’s a basement makeover….
Erin says
So I’m hoping there is a nursery in your furture because I was just thinking it’d be pretty sweet if you had someone request a nursery mood board…
Anyhow, my husband and I also had a backyard wedding and reception- although we were really in the front yard of my parent’s farm- overlooking the pastoral view of prairies and farmland. It was awesome. During our ceremony we planted a tree instead of doing the unity candle thing. The tree was planted a few days before the wedding and during the wedding we just added dirt from my husband’s family home (1000 miles away) and water from my family’s home- it was symbolic to us. We try to continue the tradition by planting another tree each year of our marriage- so far we’re on 4. And we do the same thing with a birth of each of our children. We know that someday we will be buying the farm from my parents and living there ourselves, so I like knowing we will see those trees for the rest of our lives. It’s amazing how big our wedding tree has grown!
Interestingly- the house we currently live at (a 100 yr old farm) has a row of locust trees and one day an older woman who grew up there stopped to say hello and see how the house had changed. She pointed at the trees and said “my mother planted those trees as each of her children and grandchildren were born”. We thought it was so cool they had a similar tradition and now everytime I walk under them I think of her family.
Melissa says
Our 9th anniversary was yesterday (July 8), and we celebrated by going out to dinner WITH the kids (ages 6, 4 and 19 months). We don’t really have a tradition–some years have just been too crazed to even remember the day. But it seemed right to celebrate the day our family started with the whole crew. Then we came home, put everyone to bed, and promptly fell asleep in front of the 10 o’clock news. Just something for you youngsters to look forward to!
Cara says
Wow, I feel like we have kind of boring traditions compared to a lot of others!
Every year we order a small cake from the bakery who made our wedding cake, and sometimes go out to a nice restaurant. I try to keep an “anniversary journal” that has a picture of us at each anniversary and what we’ve been up to for the past year, but I think it’s been a couple of years since I’ve updated it (oops). I had a good excuse though (a baby!).
This year it will be our 11th anniversary! :-)
Kristen says
I am in stitches waiting to hear your “HUGGGGGGGGGE ANNOUNCEMENT! What could it be?? I’m thinking it’s an “addition” of some sorts:) Animal, Human, or Room?
Molly says
Preggers is too obvious…my bets are on something else. A new home project or business venture?!?
Suz says
I think your anniversaries sound lovely, we are celebrating our 12th anniversary this Sunday and might just have to have a backyard burger they looked great! Very little chance of going out with 2 small children so we will be having fun at home.
Here’s to lots more Happy Anniversaries for you both.
wanderluster says
HUGE ANNOUNCEMENT?? The kind that reveals itself in nine months?? I hope so :)
We’re coming up on our two year anniversary too. Happy Anniversary, young ones!
Sarah says
Happy anniversary!
Every year on our anniversary we go out for a picnic lunch and use the wicker picnic basket that still is one of our favorite wedding gifts. I love this tradition because now our two children can join us on our picnics.
layersofmeaning says
Brad and I celebrated our second anniversary at the same resort we did last year… That beach has now become our a destination when celebrating anniversaries!
Lindsey says
I am coming up on my one year anniversary, so no traditions yet. I am thinking of having the hubby drive us out to our wedding site to take a polaroid photo since we didn’t take one at the wedding (we used a polaroid camera to create a photo guestbook at our wedding). I’d really like to make our tradition a trip to France since that is where we honeymooned, but I don’t think that will happen.
We are actually driving up to Mammouth in California, so maybe our tradition will be going someplace new each year.
I hope your announcement is maybe being featured on HGTV. That would be pretty awesome.
Rosemary says
You guys are so cute. I love when couples carry traditions. Ours involves the Red Sox. I bought him tickets last year for his wedding present, this year I got them for our first anniversary. It’s fitting because we were watching a game the first time he told me he loved me. We plan to go to a game every year to celebrate our anniversary now.
Melissa says
The suspense is killing us….come up…..what is the big announcement? You haven’t been responding to the BABY guesses so I think we are on the right track possibly?!?!
Amanda says
Man, I wish I knew about that photobooth when I lived in Richmond. I LOVE them.
My husband and I celebrated our second anniversary two weeks before you guys. One thing I’m learned as we approached this big day, EVERYONE wants to know when the baby is coming, so unless it’s really true do NOT mention any kind of surprise unless you want to be disappointed with everyone’s reaction.
I’ll be excited to hear about it, whatever it is!
Jen says
I’m guessing it’s a baby, but that seems pretty predictable, so my next guess is that you’re going to be a regular feature on some magazine or TV show. :-)
Blayne says
You just said “HUUUUUUUUGE ANNOUNCEMENT” that way to make us think its a baby! Sneaky sneaky. I can’t wait to see what it is.
Robin says
Just love to get your newsletter everyday! Your photos always make me smile. I hope the big surprise is that you’ve got your own cable TV show. All the best…
Kyley says
I love your photobooth tradition! I have a total obsession with photobooths – and I am totally jealous that you had one at your wedding. I wanted one VERY badly but could not afford it (I shamefully wasn’t as thrifty as you guys). So instead my photographer made a “traveling photo studio” which was still pretty cool.
But whenever I can I drag my husband into a photobooth (see our latest from this weekend here http://trickponies.wordpress.com/2009/07/10/from-beach-to-barn/ )
I’m even so obsessed to the point that I’ve figured out how to create my own from photos. I made an entire series of farm animals. And I’m working on one with my dachshund, Ammo!
http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=17470577
So I think you guys might have to sneak Burger into that diner! It would make my day :-)
jodi Schaap says
On our anniversary every year we go to The Piper – a restaurant near our house that’s a little more spendy. And we always get martini’s. We try a new one every year. Every couple years we watch our wedding movie and look at our album – which is a huge hit with our daughter now. She’s very into the wedding/princess thing. We got married outside at a game club under this beautiful tree in the middle of a field – we went back this summer to look around and they cut our tree down. Not happy. But we have amazing memories of that day. 364 days after my wedding my dad died of cancer. My wedding and his walking me down the aisle is one of the most precious memories I’ll always have.
Colleen says
I am hoping it’s baby news! I’m redecorating a nursery for baby #3 – the first time I’m really going ga-ga over nursery decor. Anyways, I’m sure whatever the news is it will be great! Love everything about you guys!!!
Pippin says
You are getting your own show on HGTV, or the stork will make a stop by your house next winter.
Tylyn Bourdeau says
So cute! i love you guys!
what brand are your jeans in the pic by the hedges.. so dang cute!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Tylyn! The jeans are good ol’ Banana Republic!
xo,
s
JM says
So I swung by the grocery section of my local Target while grabbing a few things this weekend, and no sign of the lemon pepper chips anywhere! I wonder if they’re a regional thing. I love anything with a hint of lemon or lime so I was dying to try some!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey JM,
They’re by Archer Farms if that helps! Hope they turn up.
xo,
s
JM says
Yeah I looked there! I saw all of the other yummy flavors (and picked up some of the Maple BBQ) but no sign of those delicious sounding lemon pepper ones.
I’ll keep looking around :) thanks!
kristin jo says
cuteness
Emily says
Congrats on your anniversary! For our first anniversary we excitedly took our cake top out of the freezer…opened the lid…and saw that our caterer never took the flowers off the top…blech. It was disgusting. We both took the tiniest bite and threw the rest away.
For our second I ordered a white cake white frosting cake (my hubster’s choice for our wedding cake) from the bakery he thought we were going with originally (I had to sneak in a new baker so I could give him a train cake for his groom’s cake). The second-year anniversary cake made up for the year before :)
Erica says
WoW! What a dream wedding!
I had 2 weddings, a private ceremony at a waterfall and a big traditional mom wedding. Both were awesome. We celebrate our anniversary by spending a nice summer day at the waterfall with our dog. Our dog, Blue, was the ring bearer for both of our weddings! What’s your surprise??? Are you getting a puppy???
You are so talented. Love all the ideas on this website. I’m borrowing your IKEA wardrobe master bedroom idea!
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Erica,
You can read about the big reveal right here: https://www.younghouselove.com/2009/07/the-end-of-this-young-house/
It threw us for quite a loop but we’re happy to say that we made it out alive!
xo,
s
Amanda W. says
I know this post is a little old :) … But couldn’t help myself… I wanted to share how my hubby and I celebrate our anniversary each year. We write each other a letter. This come about when our first anniversary was coming up and knowing we didn’t have the extra money to buy gifts we were trying to come up with something special but CHEAP…
Then I had an idea…We lived in different states for two years while dating and wrote letters to each other almost everyday..no joke..I really got a letter every other day in the mail :) So I suggested letters to each other. That was 15 anniversaries ago, and I have a beautiful box of letters and what a gift they are each year. They make me laugh ,cry and feel special, beautiful and most of all loved!! I’d say thats a pretty darn good gift and it’s FREE!! I’m looking forward to reading my next one in October!
You guys are GREAT and what a BEAUTIFUL family you have :!!
Erika says
Ok, another totally random question (albeit burning), that I figured I’d ask here: wedding gifts. Did you register for them? Where? And did you register for things like china, silverware, etc?
We’re coming up on our 6 year anniversary, and after moving twice (and paying an arm and a leg for storage), we’re finding a lot of wedding gifts still unused. :( So sad. I’m trying to find creative ways to use them, but the bottom line is they take up precious real estate and I’m curious if you have the same problem (I’m guessing not, but I just wanted to hear your thoughts!)
I wish I had this blog 6 years ago, lol! I would have told my young, pre-married, pre-child self that I didn’t need as much as I thought I would. :)
YoungHouseLove says
We knew we werent the fancy china and kitchenaid mixer type (nothing wrong with that at all, we’re just more casual) so we registered at Target and Linens N Things for stuff we use all the time like simple white plates and bowls, wood hangers, and even glass based lamps in the living room. Hope it helps!
xo,
s
Erika says
It does, thanks! Somehow I’m not surprised. I’m beginning to see that practical is the way to go :) Did you do the same with baby gifts? Did you register for the every day things, or a couple nice, key pieces?
YoungHouseLove says
Hey Erika,
We thought long and hard about what we would need (big items like a stroller, a car seat, a monitor, etc) and didn’t waste our time registering for anything cutesy but unnecessary (since we heard you get a million blankets and baby clothes anyway). That was definitely true, and by keeping our registry to larger items that we really needed, our family could go in on things together that we use every day!
xo,
s
Mrs. B says
I just got married this past July! It was on our honeymoon (after Cancun, then an impromptu trip to a week long mini road trip to Lake Chelan and Leavenworth, WA for wine tasting) that we’ll make an annual wine tasting trip for our anniversary. Wine has been featured in many milestones; my hubby proposing with Genesis wine (“for the first chapter of our lives together”), sipping a bottle of wine he’d been saving for 5 years prior to meeting me (“to share with [his] future wife on our wedding night”) that we sipped in our getaway vehicle (!), as well as at our wedding, with our signature drink, sangria. Happy times!
Mrs. B says
How could I forget our wedding venue!! Since we got married in a barn, we have already started a tradition of going back to where we got married to their pumpkin patch in October and picking out our pumpkins (although this isn’t our Anniversary, it definitely has already been a tradition for our first Halloween together)! Halloween also has been a fun time for us, as we met at a Halloween party…
Meade says
Best of luck to Y’all!. I didnt know you two were from Richmond.
Love , and sweet tea
Meade Skelton
Rachel says
Hi Sherry and John!
I had a quick question about your amazing diy wedding (for some reason I can’t find the comment section on your wedding-maybe this is to prevent questions like mine!)
I was wondering if you found that the hydrangeas in your bouquet wilted really quickly? I wanted to bulk buy hydrangeas from Costco and then arrange the centerpieces and my bouquet myself but I keep hearing that they wilt really quickly and look awful. Any tips?
YoungHouseLove says
I got mine that morning from the grocery store so they were nice and fresh (and kept them in water until I walked down the aisle :)
xo,
s
Meg says
For our 25th we chose dinner at a big splurge restaurant, and returned for our anniversary the next year. Sensing an opportunity, our adult children surprised us with a Christmas gift, a certificate to this restaurant, where we recently celebrated our 27th. We have already asked our children for the same gift next year.