Photo Shoot – Booking a photo shoot for the two of you on your anniversary is a great gift that will enable the two of you to spend some time together and to get some nice souvenir keep-sakes to remind you of the occasion. Professionally taken couples photographs will be more flattering and well set up than many of your own attempts at photography (though lack the spontaneity) and will also be better presented, but the day itself is also a fun experience and often involves a makeover session, hair styling and even sometimes a massage. Part of the present for the guy is also getting to hang out with you afterwards too while you’re looking like model and feeling confident which is another reason it makes such a great one year anniversary gift for boyfriends. To save cash, buy a gift voucher online rather than booking directly with the studio (which will save you probably over half the cost) and make sure you try and barter with the studio for the photos themselves (which are often where they make their money).

Jewellery – Believe it or not, guys like jewellery too – just often a different kind and in smaller amounts. While some guys won’t wear any at all, most of us are happy to sport a simple ring or a chain and almost all of us have a geeky James Bondian fascination with watches. As we have less jewellery it means that each piece has to be more carefully chosen. A nice watch is more than just a practical object for we guys, it’s also a fashion statement and something that will last for a long time, a sentimental watch from a girlfriend then would be great but needs to be well picked. To pick your guy a watch find one that will match a lot of his clothes and one that isn’t too similar to his current time pieces. Funky options include data pad watches with keyboards, phone and camera watches, army watches with compasses etc, sports watches and diving watches. If you’re loaded the ultimate make to go for is Omega or Rolex, but Rotary, Rado or Tissot are also good. If you’re getting a chain then get one slightly thick and probably opt for silver (unless he’s a pimp). For rings go for something fairly small and light but again try to match it to his personal style. To make any of these one year anniversary gift for boyfriends more personalised you can also have a romantic inscription added.

Engraved iPod/Phone – Watches and jewellery aren’t the only things you can have inscribed however and even an iPod or phone can work well with an inscription if that’s more his style. These are also items that you know he will use a lot and if you really want to go all out you can have them gold plated too. I would recommend doing this with the iPod rather than phone however as this takes longer to go out of fashion. You can also add an extra romantic touch by making a playlist of songs you’ve enjoyed together. Another great one year anniversary gift for boyfriends.

Pen – If your boyfriend works in an office or still goes to school, college or university, then they will probably need a pen fairly regularly. A nice pen like a nice watch speaks volumes about a person’s sense of style and can make colleagues and employees take them more seriously. When choosing one year anniversary gifts for a boyfriend then, why not do them a favour that will remind them of you at work and maybe even help advance their careers with a nice parker or other pen (the benefit of a parker is that it won’t permanently run out).

Romantic Getaway – Booking a romantic getaway for the two of you can be a great way to celebrate your anniversary. Depending on your budget there are a wide variety of locations you could choose, either in the country or abroad. You could simply book a posh hotel room in a big city for a romantic night in, or a weekend away on a cruise. The ultimate romantic getaway in my opinion, and one that I have on the cards with my girlfriend, is a log cabin in the mountains of Austria. Just the two of us, a fire and a fur rug… and snow and stars all around… Feel free to steel that idea.

A Meal – Going for a romantic meal is a present both of you can enjoy and is also another great shared experience for the two of you. Depending on your budget you can really go all out – having a meal on a boat for example or going to the Ritz or somewhere nice with a terrace. You can then buy a bottle of champagne with the meal to get you both feeling relaxed and make sure you’re looking good in a hot dress by candle light. The combination of music, alcohol, food and romance is one that’s always successful and makes a great one year anniversary gift for boyfriends.

Concert – Similar to a meal or getaway this is a gift that you both can enjoy (unless he loves death metal…). Find a band that your boyfriend likes and then book tickets for the two of you (near the back so you can make out). If you want to go all out you could even get a VIP pass and facilitate him meeting one of his heroes. It really depends on how much you love him I guess…

Photo Album – A photo album is great as something a bit more sentimental that takes a lot of time and effort. Today a lot of pictures are digital so to have a keepsake with them printed out is a particularly nice gift and makes something great to show around or look back on in future years. It doesn’t have to be just photos either, you can also include old tickets and receipts from things you’ve done together, love notes, trinkets and whatever else you can find that helps tell the story of your relationship.

Mack LeMouse

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