The second wedding anniversary is often called the "cotton anniversary," which is pretty fitting when you think about it. Cotton represents comfort and durability, which is exactly what starts to define a marriage once you’re past the honeymoon phase. It’s like the relationship has gotten softer, but also stronger, kind of like a favourite cotton shirt that gets better over time.
The whole idea of using materials to symbolise different anniversaries actually started in the Victorian era. They probably picked cotton because its strong, woven fibres remind people of the way a marriage works—two lives becoming more tightly bound together. Plus, back in the day, cotton was super valuable. It was often included in dowries as a practical gift for newlyweds to set up their home. And even in ancient times, cotton was seen as a sign of prosperity and fertility because of how useful it was and how much of it you could harvest.
If you think CloudCloth would make the perfect gift for your second anniversary, feel free to explore the collection here. Want to make it even more special? We can arrange custom embroidery for you! Just drop us an email to catherine@cloudcloth.co.uk and we’ll take care of everything for you.