10 years

wedding-1

I actually can’t believe it, but in a few short months I will have been married for 10 years.

I think it’s a miracle just quietly. Not because my husband isn’t the most amazing person to walk the planet, but moreso because I get sick of people pretty quickly and I’ve been waking up to him for 3650-odd mornings, and that mere thing still makes me smile.

I knew he was the one when I met him. He knew it, and my sister knew it as an outsider.

When we first moved in together I’d get so excited to hear his car arrive home from work or where ever he had been, and when his keys opened the front door, butterflies. I still feel that joy when he gets home from work, moreso because it means I’m not out-numbered on the child/parent front.

Marriage is hard work though. We’re not perfect {well, I’m pretty darn close. Kidding!}, and we have our ups and downs… but I’m glad we met that night and fell in love.

Anyway, gushy stuff over.

Our anniversary is in October and we need to celebrate. We were dreaming of a few nights in Hawaii or Fiji, but the budget isn’t looking so friendly at the moment and that might have to be next year or the year after.

So I wanted to ask you guys, do you have any good anniversary ideas? Where should we go? What can we do? If you’re married, what’s the best anniversary celebration you’ve experienced?

And in exciting news, I just Googled what the modern gift is and it’s DIAMONDS. Let’s hope Hubby has been stashing his cash and is buying me something fancy. 😛

Also, does this make us old?

74 thoughts on “10 years”

  1. Hahaha! I like your thinking, Chantelle! Diamond jewelry is what’s appropriate for 10th year of marriage. 🙂 Congratulations!

  2. Oh. My. Goodness! How exciting! What about a weekend in Byron Bay or somewhere beautiful that’s a couple of hours drive away from home? That way you feel like you’re ‘getting away’ without having to hop on a plane. On one of the nights, book yourselves into a fancy restaurant for dinner and make sure you tell them it’s your 10 year wedding anniversary when you book so you (hopefully) get some free bubbles or dessert! x

    • Yes! We didn’t tell our resort that we were newlyweds for our honeymoon and all the other couples were being showered in wine and treats, and we were getting nothing.

      Not doing that again. Give us the rose petals people!

  3. Weekend away child free. I would take the diamonds for a present. I have been married 10 yrs this yr too and I like to stick to traditional gifts. I got a diamond bracelet for our anniversary in April. We went away for just the night at 5 star hotel. Was lovely

  4. Congratulations, I am following closely as we celebrate ours in 4wks and am stuck for ideas. Am hinting at the jewellery thing but unsure what to get my husband. 10 years should be celebrated. Enjoy 🙂 xo

  5. Not sure what the budget is, but my husband and I have also been dreaming of a tropical vacation and just found out that (if you can get there) all inclusive resorts in Dominican Republic are ridiculously cheap in comparison to other tropical destinations. If not, I would go with somewhere not too far from home that still feels like a getaway. I’m in the U.S. so I’m not sure where that would be near you, but yeah.

  6. For our 10 year anni last year, we stashed the kids with my parents for a long weekend, then took off. We spent one very luxurious night in an expensive room (you know, the ones you would NEVER consider spending that kind of cash on … where you have to get taken to the VIP level just to check-in, where they have free canapés (aka ‘dinner’) and drinks in the special VIP lounge at night, and where the room is pretty much the size of our house) at the Shangri-La in Sydney (amazing views by the way!), then went to the Hunter Valley for a couple of nights in a little secluded bungalow with an open fire-place, and where they would bring you breakfast things so you could make-your-own at whatever time you wanted to roll out of bed. It was a lovely weekend … I dream of it often!

  7. It’s my 10yr anniversary in November and we were hoping to leave the three children with their grandies so we could have 3-4 nights in Tasmania, on our ‘to-do’ list and my bridesmaid is there.
    I’ve been told in no uncertain terms that I need to rethink my plans because I started looking at hotels and ‘assumed, without consultation’ that my folks would have the kids for a couple of nights.
    We live regionally, 500km from a capital city, so our options are now limited to a couple of hours at dinner where we have to come home to kids and normal parenting ‘duties’. So far we can’t think of anything to do and we’re now too apprehensive to ask my parents to help out even for a couple of hours.

    Therefore, I have NO ideas for you, but congratulations! In a world where so many people struggle to make it to 1 year, even 2yrs, 10 yrs is now an achievement 😀

    • Oh no! Are the parentals busy? That sounds odd. 🙁

      I hope you can find some way to celebrate. I’ve used Gumtree to find a babysitter recently and found the most beautiful lady who my kids and I adore. Yes, you have to pay, but there’s no guilt involved {as there sometimes is with roping in parents}.

      Maybe between now and November you could try and find someone you love so you can have a nice dinner without the kidlets?

  8. Since you dream of Hawaii, and in the spirit of ‘diamonds’, why not spring for Diamond Head memories instead of some glass-like trinket?

  9. A weekend getaway with out the kids FOR SURE!!! Maybe do an activity that you both haven’t done before as an experience? Hot Air Balloon, Tour of some kinds wherever you end up? How exciting 10 Years. oxox

  10. Congrats! We celebrated our 10 year anniversary in June. We just got back from a week in Koh Samui, Thailand. It was fantastic! It was so nice to reconnect one on one and reaffirm our love for one another. We were very lucky that my parents came and stayed at our place (they live 5 hours away) to look after our 2 children and the dog. Even if you have to wait to do it, going away together to celebrate will be well worth it!

    • Congratulations on your anniversary. Thailand sounds gorgeous! I would love to get there one day.

      I think you’re so right. We don’t have to do it on THAT weekend, we can make it happen a little later. 🙂

  11. It was our 10th anniversary in April and we spent the week at Sea World Resort with the kids 🙂
    We had a special dinner planned but the kids club was booked out (by all the fellow cheapskates who were also there with a Cudo coupon LOL) so we ended up having a fun family dinner at the restaurant instead!

      • We’ve stayed there twice now and have really enjoyed it. It’s so handy staying onsite, especially with little kids, you can just suck back to the room for lunch/rest/change out of wet clothes.

        It’s pretty expensive though without some sort of special. The first time we went they had a ‘red hot deal’ for $99 a night and we already had theme park passes from a previous holiday. This time we had the Cudo deal for $950 which was 5 nights, 5 days entry to the theme parks for the 4 of us, showbags for the kids when we arrived (and wine for mum & dad) and then a bunch of discounts for food and experiences (hubby and our 8 year old daughter did the shark snorkel!)

        We drive up from the Central Coast NSW, so we have our car, it is a bit out of the way if you have to rely on public transport though 🙂

  12. Not sure of where to go given you live in a most magical part of Australia anyway….. – but I think the whole idea of celebrating the way you want with who you want is important – if that means with the kids, then do it, if you would prefer some quality time just you and hubby, then do that. If you want a celebration with all your family and friends, do that. You have to seize the moment and celebrate because as you say, marriage and relationships are hard work and to make it to 10 years is an amazing thing.
    I should know, I have been married to my hubby for 27½ years now and if I see him unexpectedly (me in the car back from the shops and he coming home on his motorbike for instance) I still get that flippy floppy tummy.
    On our 25th, I googled the latitude and longitude of the place we first met and printed it up and framed it.

  13. Well done! Hubby and I hit 10 years in March! I too played the modern gift card was lucky enough to score some diamond arm bling.

    We don’t have kids so I was also lucky enough to spend it in Bangkok at Sirocco on the top of the Lebua Tower (think hangover movie) and it was fantastic.

    Without the budget to go far away perhaps find a fancy restaurant and hotel near home and make it a weekend away or a really indulgent night away instead? Maybe that’s boring but the most important thing is to spend it together!

    I think 10 years is a pretty amazing achievement. It’s hard work and a lot of people don’t get there anymore!

    • I remember! It looked awesome!

      We’re heading up north to an island the fortnight before our anniversary so we’re hesitant to go north again so soon, but I would love to do a boat one time with just Shane. x

  15. A friend of mine is about to celebrate her 10th wedding anniversary and as a memento they went and had professional photos of the family done at the same spot they got married. I thought it was a fabulous way to mark the occasion and see how far those 10 years had taken them, such as adding 3 children to their family. We celebrate our 10th next March and I’ve already told my friend I am stealing her idea.

    No idea about a retreat for you guys though. I think we will be in a similar situation budget wise

    Happy anniversary!

  16. Congratulations! Can’t wait to see the suggestions as we are 10 years on 1st October. Hoping their are some cool suggestions that don’t involve going away as we have no-one we can leave the kids with.

  17. We go through the alphabet, so 10 years would be the letter J. So we buy gifts starting with that letter and go to a restaurant starting with that letter. And even try to order wine starting with that letter.

  18. Yay for double digits! If time allows a night away is always good (and if time allows a weekend is even better!) When we lived in the UZk we used to go to a differrent place in Europe every year…. Oh the memories. The nice thing about being away is that there is just the two of you without the distractions of home so you can just focus on the loveness! Oh and my friends just surprised me with dinner at my wedding venue, now that is really romantic!

  19. Wow well done! I have been married 25 years, one of our best anniversaries was going away on a spa day. Nice and relaxing and just us! it was delightful and well worth doing. Hubby bought me a diamond ring for our 10th anniversary, which due to my fat fingers I can no longer wear, so I am hoping when we go to Florida to belatedly celebrate our 25th, he will surprise me! Have a great anniversary in October! x

  20. Congrats on your almost milestone. Ours is in October too but only 5 years married this year. I can tell you Fiji is amazing in October but not the cheapest destination. Keep an eye on the discount travel sites & score a bargain package to somewhere amazing.

    Btw, have you seen the cool new photo a day journals from Typo? I bet many of the FMS photo a day peeps will love it. They are part of a new activity journal range I just saw via email.

  21. Loving this post as we celebrate 10 years this October as well and I have no idea what we should do!

  23. So we don’t go too nuts around this joint but 10 years is quite special, I’m sure you’ve got some contacts who’d love to shout you both a weekend away!! We’ll be 10 years next year, I think…oh no maybe 2017? I know we’ve been together 10 years! xx

    • Congrats on 10 years.

      I don’t want a work trip, or to have to think about sharing anything or being on my best work behaviour, I just want to relax and celebrate being married.

      The wheels are turning, I’m sure we’ll dream up something cheap and cheerful.

  24. Happy 10 year Anniversary!! It was ours this year too, and we would have liked a trip to Hawaii but budget didn’t allow… So we just went on a ‘family dinner’ with 2 kids, as they have been the biggest part of the last 10 years – more than half of them! And then a quick weekend down to Burleigh 🙂 xo

  25. Good lawd! diamonds???? I am hitting 20 years on the 30th of september what’s the modern gift for 20 years???
    Suggestions- dinner at a posh restaurant and enjoy having your kids and husbo there. Or a weekend awY with the family doing something all together. It’s hard with littlies, but better!! Xx

  26. For my 40th this year we went to Leura in the Blue mountains and hada top time. Stayed in Magical Manderley apartments which was ran by the most loveliest woman who made us feel very special. It was in autmn and there was a harvest festival on, went and sw live music, went out to restaurants and didnt look at the bill and basically found it easy to love each other without the kids! lvoed every second of it…

    • Thank-you, not fun but no one hurt…trying to keep positive?

      Yes that’s exactly how I felt…

      Love your blog!!!

  30. I’m married 21 years this October…makes me feel very grown up (not old). We didn’t have a honeymoon, we had a baby instead. Last year we drove the great ocean road and it was fabulous, just the two of us. We’ve never gone in for big celebrations, although one year we did go see ‘phantom of the opera’ and I loved it so much there were tears. Why don’t you sneak to Byron for a couple of days and sleep…n eat n you know…sleep more ?

  31. Hmm I am 13 years in I missed the diamonds memo for 10?!.. I just think time solo is perfect even staying sorta local and being able to chill with no little people is perfection in the making..

  32. So I’m only at 4 years but we honeymooned in Vanuatu on a small island, it’s was so lovely they do weddings there. we said when we make it to 10years we will go back just us and our kids to renew our vowles. P.S from watching the staff are great with kids and give mums and dads grown up time..

  33. We do the traditional gift list but must admit I made him switch to the modern for our 10 years and I got a nice new bling ring from Tiffany’s. Lunch in Syd Harbour afterwards. We sat, ate, drank and watched a beautiful storm roll in over the Opera House and then just as we paid and left…. of course the skies opened and had to bolt all the way back to our hotel in the pouring rain. I LOVED IT! Rain is cheap… and romantic…. which is my point! Have a stay-cation and book a 5-star hotel for the night. Best!

  34. When we got married 22 years ago – we had to leave after lunch instead of having a celebration because of difficult family situation (our parents were alcohol addicts and would have destroyed it) a friend recommended to take the top of the 3-storey(?)-wedding-cake with us – which we did. Our tradition is to have a new little wedding cake for each anniversary – it has a different prompt each year of course but inside it is always the same

  35. Next April will be our 40th wedding anniversary and I am planning Vow Renewal at Port Douglas. It is going to be real simple (but beautiful) almost like an elopement in that just my husband and myself. So I think a vow renewal in Hawaii or Fiji would be the go for you!

  36. Congratulations on 10 years ❤️ If I was going to recommend something I would say treat yourselves to a romantic mini vacation….romantic beachside escape or an country retreat…just the two of you 😉 considering this post was over a week ago I guess I should be asking what you both did to celebrate? PG version of course 🙂 lol once again congrats ❤️❤️
    http://www.myromanceaddiction.com.au

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