Do Russians Celebrate Wedding Anniversaries? What We See in Our Shops
Yes, Russians celebrate wedding anniversaries, and flowers are the centre of almost every celebration. Most couples mark each year with a bouquet and a dinner, while the 10th, 25th and 50th anniversaries become family occasions with guests, toasts and gifts chosen to match the anniversary's traditional name.
We have run flower shops in Saint Petersburg since 2011, and anniversary orders come in every day of the year. Many of them are placed by children and grandchildren living abroad who want to be part of the day. This article collects the questions those customers ask us most often and the answers we give across the counter and on the phone.
"Is an anniversary really a big deal in Russia?"
This is the first question we hear from people who grew up outside Russia, and the answer is a firm yes. A Russian husband who forgets the anniversary is the hero of countless jokes, and the morning bouquet is treated almost as an obligation. Wives give gifts too, but flowers traditionally travel from husband to wife, and from children to parents on the milestone dates.
The scale depends on the year. An ordinary anniversary is private: a bouquet in the morning, a meal in a restaurant or at home, congratulations from close friends by phone. The round dates are public: relatives gather, someone gives a speech about how the couple met, and the table is set as for a wedding. For the older generation the silver and golden weddings are among the most important days of their lives, and they remember who called and who sent flowers.
Customers sometimes worry that a bouquet from abroad will feel impersonal. In our experience the opposite is true: a delivery that arrives on the exact morning, with a card in the children's own words, is often the moment parents talk about most at the party. Russian families value being remembered on the right day more than the size of the gift.
The anniversaries that bring the most orders
In our shops three dates stand out. The 10th anniversary, called the pink or rose wedding, brings orders for red and pink roses, usually from husbands. The 25th, the silver wedding, and the 50th, the golden wedding, bring larger, festive bouquets, most often ordered by grown-up children and frequently from abroad. The 1st anniversary, the calico wedding, comes next: young husbands want to get the first one right.
Every year of marriage in Russia has a traditional name, from paper at two years to porcelain at twenty and ruby at forty. You do not have to learn the whole list, but mentioning the right name on the card shows care, and the couple will notice. We have a separate guide to Russian wedding anniversary names and which milestone gets flowers if you want the full calendar.
Bouquets we can deliver
"Which flowers should I choose for my parents?"
For a silver wedding we usually suggest white, cream and pale grey-pink tones: white roses, spray roses, eustoma and a little silvery foliage give the right cool, elegant look. For a golden wedding warm colours work better, from soft yellow and peach roses to apricot spray roses and cream chrysanthemums. For the rose wedding the name says it all, and a bouquet made only of roses is the natural choice.
Size matters more than people expect. A huge box of roses looks impressive in a photo, but an elderly couple has to lift it, find a vase for it and keep it alive in a warm flat. A medium round bouquet with a mix of roses and long-lasting flowers such as chrysanthemums or alstroemeria will look good for well over a week. If the party is in a restaurant, a compact arrangement is easier to move than a tall bouquet.
Always give an odd number of stems. Even numbers in Russia are for funerals, and older people are particularly sensitive to this. Customers who want "one rose for every year" usually add one stem, so ten years becomes 11 roses and fifty becomes 51, and we count the stems for you anyway.
Timing: when the bouquet should arrive
Russians like flowers to arrive on the morning of the anniversary, so the couple can enjoy them all day and show them to guests. When you order in advance you can choose an exact delivery time, accurate to plus or minus 30 minutes, or one of the windows: 09-12, 12-15, 15-18 or 18-21. Pre-orders are accepted 1-30 days ahead, which is the calm way to handle a date you know a year in advance.
In Saint Petersburg our delivery works around the clock, so a bouquet can arrive at midnight for couples who like to start celebrating the moment the date changes. In other large cities express delivery takes 1-2 hours after the order is confirmed, which helps if you only remembered on the day. Anonymous delivery is the default, so you can keep the sender a secret until the card is opened.
The courier calls the recipient about 15 minutes before arrival. If the couple has already left for the restaurant, we arrange a second delivery the same day or leave the flowers with a neighbour or concierge, but only with your consent. If you want the flowers to meet the couple at the restaurant, give the restaurant as the delivery address and choose a time shortly before they arrive.
Keeping the anniversary bouquet fresh
Anniversary flowers are often kept until the last petal, so we always give the same advice. Trim the stems at an angle by one or two centimetres, remove leaves that would sit in the water and change the water every two days. Keep the vase away from radiators, which run hot in Petersburg flats for half the year, and away from a bowl of fruit.
Roses opened in a warm room last about a week; chrysanthemums, alstroemeria and eustoma can last noticeably longer. If one flower starts to fade earlier than the rest, take it out at once so it does not shorten the life of the others, and refresh the water at the same time. Many couples dry one rose from the bouquet and keep it with the wedding photographs, a small custom worth suggesting in your card.
Ordering from abroad: payment, card text and questions
You can pay online by bank card, SBP or Yandex Pay, and foreign bank cards are accepted through Robokassa, which is what most of our overseas customers use. City delivery costs 500 RUB; for remote districts and suburbs the operator confirms the price when confirming the order. Full details are on the delivery and payment page.
The card with your message is free. Customers abroad often write in English, and Russian parents keep these cards for years, so it is worth writing a few lines about the couple rather than a one-word greeting. Mention the anniversary name, wish them health and many more years together, and sign with the whole family's names.
Choose a bouquet in our catalogue. If you would like advice before ordering, call us on 8 (812) 507-67-05. For more on logistics, see our practical tips for sending an anniversary bouquet to Russia.
Frequently asked questions
Do Russians celebrate wedding anniversaries every year?
Most couples do, at least with flowers and a dinner. The 10th, 25th and 50th anniversaries are usually celebrated with family and guests.
Who gives flowers on a Russian wedding anniversary?
Traditionally the husband gives flowers to his wife. On milestone dates children, grandchildren and friends send bouquets to the couple as well.
What colours suit a silver or golden wedding bouquet?
White, cream and soft silvery tones suit the silver wedding. Yellow, peach and apricot shades suit the golden wedding.
Can flowers be delivered at midnight on the anniversary?
In Saint Petersburg delivery works around the clock, so a midnight delivery is possible. In other cities choose an exact time or a delivery window.
Can I pay with a foreign card?
Yes, foreign bank cards are accepted through Robokassa. You can also pay by Russian bank card, SBP or Yandex Pay.
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