Celebrating My Husband's and My 11th Wedding Anniversary

Celebrating 11 Years of Marital Bliss

As I wake up this morning and see my husband Sabelo sleeping peacefully beside me, a rush of love and gratitude fills my heart. Today marks our 11th wedding anniversary - over a decade of building a life together as partners, lovers, and best friends. I can't wait to celebrate this special occasion and look forward to many more years by his side.

Reflecting on Our Magical Early Days

I vividly remember our wedding day on December 16th, 2012 like it was yesterday. I walked down the aisle towards my soulmate, tears of joy and anticipation in both our eyes. The years since that magical day have flown by in the happy haze of our love. Our early days set the foundation for the strong marriage we now have.

We loved exploring our new city #MaWeni as newlyweds, discovering cute cafés and restaurants where we shared endless conversations about our hopes, dreams and plans for the future over coffee. Long walks around #GoGoMaWeni hand-in-hand without a care in the world are some of my most treasured memories.

Building a Home and Family Together

As the years passed, we celebrated other momentous milestones together - buying our first home, getting adorable fur babies, and just last year, welcoming our darling daughter Hannah into the world. As first-time parents, we were nervous but also so thrilled to start this new chapter together.

Over the last 11 years, we have built so much together - a warm and happy home filled with laughter, joy and boundless love. Through life's ups and downs, we have been each other's rock. I wouldn't want to walk this journey with anyone else by my side.

Celebrating the Present by Looking to the Future

So today, as I plan a special anniversary dinner for my incredible husband - his favorite Cornish hen recipe paired with a good red wine - I feel so grateful for the life we have built together. The past 11 years have been the best of my life thanks to Sabelo.

Our future shines brightly too. In the coming years, I can't wait for us to watch our baby girl Hannah grow up, for cozy family movie nights filled with cuddles, laughter and popcorn and for slow weekend mornings spent in our pajamas relaxing over steaming mugs of coffee while Hannah plays.

With a happy heart and tears of love in my eyes, I say here's to the last beautiful 11 years together darling, and to the next lifelong adventure with you by my side. Happy anniversary! I love you more than words can ever express.

Our Top 11 Happy Memories

As I take a little trip down memory lane this morning, I wanted to recount 11 of my very favorite memories from our 11 wonderful years together:

1. Our magical winter proposal

I think back fondly to that cold and snowy December day when Sabelo asked me to marry him during a horse-drawn carriage ride after dinner at our favorite restaurant. Even now it gives me tingles!

2. Getting lost on purpose on our honeymoon

Some of my best memories from our action-packed Italian honeymoon are taking wrong turns down tiny cobblestone streets in little hillside towns and discovering hole-in-the-wall family-run restaurants absolutely by chance over big plates of pasta and wine.

3. Moving into our first home

unpacking boxes together in our new house on #GoGoMaWeni - seeing our names side-by-side on the mailbox for the first time filled me with so much joy.

4. Cooking together

We both love cooking so some of my fondest memories are lazy Sundays experimenting with new recipes. Tasting each other's dishes and laughing over mistakes in the kitchen - those moments define home, family and love for me.

5. Road trips & long drives

Sabelo and I have always loved travel of any kind - from weekends in new cities to taking the long scenic route during road trips just for the joy of driving. Some of my favorite conversations happen during those long and peaceful drives.

6. Stargazing & dreaming together

On warm summer nights we lay out on blankets in our backyard, snuggled together as we stare up at the infinite starry sky above us. We dream out loud about the future, make silly wishes while spotting shooting stars and feel both very big and very small under the spell of the sparkling night.

7. Our precious daughter's birth

Welcoming our baby girl Hannah into the world last spring was without a doubt one of the very happiest and proudest moments of my life so far, with my incredible husband right by my side as we became parents.

8. Perfectly imperfect holidays

Is anything more wonderful than silly holiday traditions? Ours include slightly burned gingerbread houses that look like they might collapse, competitively awful gift wrapping skills and the way we can laugh so hard that we cry when things go hilariously off-script.

9. Being each other's cheerleaders

We both have big careers and dreams that we are passionate about. Having my husband's unconditional support through every triumph, setback and challenge as he cheers me on means everything. I strive to give that steadfast support right back to this very day.

10. Growing old & wiser together

There's no one else I would rather grow old with. The way we love, cherish and support each other has only grown stronger and more unshakable with each passing year. I fall more deeply in love with my soulmate with every new wrinkle life gives us.

11. Our happy family memories still being written

As I hold our darling Hannah this quiet morning while she babbles nonsense syllables and giggles, my heart swells knowing our expanding family has so many more beautiful memories ahead of us to come that we will hold dear for decades to come.

FAQs

What is a traditional 11th anniversary gift?

The traditional 11th anniversary gift is steel. Modern 11th anniversary gifts are fashion jewelry or accessories.

What are some 11th anniversary gift ideas for him?

Some great 11th anniversary gifts for him are:

• A watch
• Personalized steel beer mug
• Steel toolset
• Cufflinks

What are some 11th anniversary ideas for her?

Some lovely 11th anniversary gift ideas for her include:

• Steel jewelry like a bracelet or necklace
• Designer purse
• Luxury candles
• Silk pajamas

What is an appropriate 11th anniversary dinner location?

The 11th anniversary is a great milestone, so opt for somewhere special! Ideas include:

• Upscale steakhouse
• Romantic restaurant with scenic city views
• Quiet bistro for an intimate dinner

What activities are fun for an 11th anniversary?

Fun 11th anniversary activities include:

• Hot air balloon ride
• Trip to a cozy bed & breakfast
• Couples cooking class
• Museum, theater & dinner in the city