Is your calendar sending you notifications that your wedding anniversary is coming up? Does that reminder send you into a spiral about what to do to celebrate and how to show your partner all that these last 365 days has meant to you? We know the feeling, so we wanted to share some of our ideas with you for you to book mark for when you’re ready!

I want to start by saying that a heart felt card is never a bad idea! If that is the only gift you can give, great. If it sets the tone for the main gift, even better!

1. A custom sketch

Did you know that I not only sketch AT weddings, but I can also sketch from one of your favorite wedding photos? Order a custom sketch for a new perspective on your wedding day, proposal, or engagement shoot, and more art for your partner to hang on your walls! Also, in case you weren’t aware, the “traditional” first anniversary gift is paper. So there you go!

2. Wedding Cake remade (not frozen from a year prior)

I’m not sure who decided that the best wedding tradition is to eat year-old frozen cake, but I would like to request an upgrade. Connect with the bakery that made your wedding cake and have them remake the top tier so you can enjoy the cake as much (if not more) than you did on your wedding day. 

3. Add on to the rings

Nothing says love like fine jewelry! Kidding (but not really). Add to the stack with a new ring - just like trees gain rings to show their age, so can your marriage! 

4. Private Picnic

If you have been on TikTok you have seen how beautiful and romantic a private picnic can be! Your partner is bound to ask if you are going to re-propose (AKA this would be great to combine with the updated ring stack). If you live in NY state we have a great connection- The Garden of Era Luxury Picnics which you can find on Instagram here: @thegardenoferapicnics.  If you live in the DC metro area this is the host for you: Luxe Picnics @luxepicnics.d.m.v

5. services

If you’re less of a “physical presents” and more of a “doing” kind of couple, here’s a suggestion: house cleaning services while you take them out to their favorite lunch and spa. Nothing makes an “act of service” love language spouse melt like doing something that they probably would have had to do on their own. Extra points if your spouse doesn’t have to decide who, what, where, or when!

Which of these anniversary gifts would you like most??

Let us know in the comments below what your favorite gift you’ve received was! We’d love to hear from you.

Samantha Shammas, Author and Owner of SamiaLynn

Trends can be fun and for those that have been married for a while, it can be even funny to look back on what you (initially) thought was important or looked good. So I asked people who have been married for 5+ years what details they still LOVED about their wedding day. Not everything will last the test of time, but these did for them! So if you’re in the middle of wedding planning and are probably a little overwhelmed, maybe one of these notes will help some of those decisions:

“We really made it ‘our vibe’! Classic vintage with a quirky twist. I also DIY’d a lot!

-Kate

“Spending 10 minutes alone, just the two of us right after the ceremony before greeting people. We also had a live band, lots of dancing, and an open bar! It was so fun!”

-Alison

“Instead of a guest book, we had folks write us letters that we would open in the future. We opened letters on year 1, 5, 7, and then the last will be opened this year at year 10. We’ve had so much fun on those anniversaries, popping open a bottle of champagne and reading wonderful notes from everyone who was there with us that night”

-T

“We did NOT do a first look. As much as I love them from the planning side, I’m glad we didn’t do it.”

-Mallory

“I tell everyone to do this (and our planner told us): While everyone was at cocktail hour, we had a private room overlooking the [cocktail hour] space where we were able to drink champagne and eat appetizers in peace for 10-15 minutes together. It was a way to see the decor and our guests celebrating without anyone knowing we were on the balcony above observing and taking a moment for ourselves”

-Jessica

“We loved doing a first dance, a garter toss, and a fun exit!”

-P

“Our wedding was in St. Lucia and we spent a week before and after the wedding there. People filtered in and out based on availability, but we got to spend real time with everyone instead of just the wedding day (when you really don’t spend time with anyone)”

-Jenn

“I had three flower girls and I don’t regret that. I loved them!”

-Candice

“We did our first look before the ceremony so all our photos were already taken. After the ceremony we spent 30 minutes together in private before joining the party. Being able to mingle with friends and family during cocktail hour was important to us. Almost 10 years later and it’s still the best part of the night outside of dancing!”

-Tara

At the end of the day, make your wedding your own and concentrate on what’s most important to you both. Remember to take even a few minutes to just soak in those special moments alone. Whether it’s during a first look, after the ceremony, or a private dance at the end of the night; because the entire point of the WHOLE THING is that you got married to your special person and the stress and adrenaline of planning can sometimes take from that.

If you’ve been married for over 5 years and have something to add, let us know in the comments below! We’d love to hear from you.

Samantha Shammas, Author and Owner of SamiaLynn

Custom wedding (specifically bride) illustrations were the very first custom offering I ever started created. It’s now grown into all sorts of custom illustration offerings including couples, friends, family, etc and I love offering all sorts of options so everyone can find what they’re looking for! However, when it comes to custom, the process can be a bit more confusing than simply buying an art piece and I get the same common questions over and over so let’s do an official FAQ on how to order a custom wedding illustration:

who are custom sketches for?

Literally anyone and everyone as art should be! The whole point of ordering a custom piece is to have something special that you can connect with before or after the wedding day. And they make great gifts as well because who doesn’t love something custom made for them? Here at SamiaLynn we are inclusive and not here to judge. No matter who you married or who you’re gifting to, everything is an option.

can you sketch [insert your idea here]?

It’s the number one question I receive and my favorite answer this always: “when you can draw, you can draw anything!”. If you have a specific art style in mind, I always ask for example photos so I can let you know whether or not that’s a style I can accomplish. If you love the way I draw already then I can draw you anything you’d like! This is your vision, I’m just here to make it happen

does it have to be an exact photo of what i want?

Absolutely NO! If you do have an exact photo you’d like me to draw, that’s amazing. However, most of my clients want to “build” their custom piece so aside from the people/pets/background you want to be the focal point, feel free to send me any inspiration photos, or photos for specific poses, clothing, scenery, etc. These photos also, by no means, need to be professional, but if you’re getting a sketch of any clothing that has a pattern or embellishment (lace, beading, etc) on it then I will need clear/close up photos. If it’s a wedding dress and you know the designer, you can always let me know and I will look up the gown if you don’t know the exact style number or name.

how does the process work?

Like I mentioned in the previous question, we’re building this piece together and go through it step by step! After you send over photos, descriptions, ideas, etc, I will work on a super rough draft for you to approve the layout. If we’re working through multiple ideas, I will send those over at the same time so you can pick which one you’d like to go with. From there I’ll send you the final lines and you’ll approve it or request changes before I fill it in with color and details.

What if i don’t know what i want?

That’s totally fine! I love bring a vague idea to life! We’ll just go over what you’re generally looking for, who you might be gifting it to, and your “why” behind the order. Talking it out always brings the right answer to the surface.

Can i pick the illustration size?

The default size for custom wedding illustrations are 11x14”, but all sizes are certainly available and are custom quoted so feel free to ask!

What is the turn around time?

For custom illustrations, an approval of the rough draft is required before I will complete the order and ship out. The faster the approval, the faster the completion. Typically, I can ship out within 1 week of the order, however, if I have a number of orders to complete it could take up to 2 weeks. First class USPS domestic US shipping is included in pricing which (depending on where it’s going) takes roughly 3-7 business days. Rush rates for both creation and shipping are available for an extra fee.

where can i buy a custom sketch?

I sell custom illustrations through my website and Etsy. Items available through samialynn.com are only shipping in the USA and Canada right now, but hopefully will go international soon! If you’re not in the US or Canada, or would like to ship elsewhere, you can purchase through my Etsy shop here

how do illustrations ship?

All regular sized illustrations are shipped in a plastic sleeve with chipboard in a non-bendable envelope along with a piece of cardboard for extra sturdiness to ensure the paper stays flat. All custom, non-framed illustrations come wrapped in tissue paper and ribbon. Orders larger than 11x14” are shipped rolled up in a tube. Option to add a free gift message if it’s being sent directly to the recipient!

i have more questions!

I’m always here for you! Just send an email to samantha@samialynn.com and I’m happy to answer any questions you may have. Hope to hear from you soon!

Samantha Shammas, Author and Owner of SamiaLynn

Sam here! 👋🏼 I’ve been working in weddings for a long time and I will be the first to tell you that this industry moves SLOW when it comes to trends. AKA “new things” don’t pop up super often (and if they do, it was slowly forming from something else anyway).

HOWEVER, a few months ago I was sketching at a reception and met my first wedding content creator. If you’re like me and thought “Wtf is a wedding content creator?” then this is the blog post for you. Her name is Hannah Bruce and she graciously answered allllll of my questions so you can decide if having a content creator is right for your big day or weekend. Because I don’t know about you, but I was immediately intrigued, so let’s dive in:

What does a wedding content creator do?

As a wedding content creator it's my job to capture all the raw, candid, and unseen moments. I also capture all the details that the couple spent hours upon hours planning that they might not even see or fully be able to take in on their wedding day. I film everything vertically on an iPhone so it's perfectly formatted to share on the couple's social media. I deliver all the raw footage as well as edited videos the day after their wedding so all the couple has to do is hit post!

I think it’s also important to note that a content creator has no intention of replacing your photographer or videographer and should not be treated as such. They are there to capture moments for your social content and aspects of the wedding that you as the couple have missed (i.e. guests interacting with any entertainment, their reactions to dances/food/decor, cocktail hour, etc)

What value does this bring to a wedding experience?

I give couples another way to remember their wedding to the fullest. Having someone dedicated to taking videos for you to look back on allows your guests to be guests and you and your bridal party to be fully present. So often the day after the wedding, the couple doesn't have any footage from the day before and they have to wait several weeks for their photographer or videographer to send the final edits. And having edited videos to easily share on social media the next day is just icing on the cake!

Who is the ideal client for this service?

Any couple that wants those candid, behind the scenes moments and/or videos to share on Instagram or TikTok. I approach each wedding differently, so if you're into making fun/trending videos for social media, I'm here for you! And then I also have couples who are less interested in posting and just want to see their wedding from a different angle and have those memories captured.

What end product do couples receive and how long does it take?

The couple will receive all the raw video clips which are sorted into folders (ie. getting ready, ceremony, cocktail hour, ect.). As well as edited videos (between 2-3 depending on the package they choose) and before the wedding we decide what kind of edited videos they'd like to recieve. Everything is delivered via Google Drive the day after the wedding!

What’s the ballpark cost to hire a content creator?

Between $800-$2000 depending on how many hours, the season, and year.

(Note: this does not include travel fees)

Could vendors also hire you?

Yes!! I'm available for anyone and everyone's content creation needs!

(Fellow vendors: if you’re like me and find it next to impossible to get content of yourself working, this is your solution!)

Hannah is based in DC and is also a professional ballet dancer! She married her high school sweetheart in 2020 and has since built a social media presence sharing tips, tricks, and inspo about all things wedding related. This past year she launched “To Have & To Post”: her wedding content creator service. Be sure to follow her on Instagram and TikTok @hannahraybruce and her content creator page @tohaveandtopostweddings.

I recently made a reel using all video content from the wedding we worked together! Click here to check it out on Instagram

So, engaged couples, what do you think about this service and would you have it at your wedding? Let me know!

Samantha Shammas, Author and Owner of SamiaLynn