Wedding and Anniversary Trivia for Seniors: 20 Questions
Oct 7, 2026
Here are twenty wedding and anniversary trivia questions with their answers, split into four rounds of five. The rounds run from the gifts and customs of an old wedding day, through the names we give to anniversaries, into the trappings of a church or register-office wedding, and finish with honeymoons, photographs and the years that followed.
These are details people lived through: a borrowed sixpence in a shoe, a punch bowl at a reception.
Round 1: wedding gifts and customs
- The old rhyme lists something old, something new, something borrowed and something — which colour? A blue · B red · C silver · D white. Answer: A, blue. A silver sixpence in the shoe completed the rhyme.
- What does a bride traditionally throw to the unmarried women at the reception? A her bouquet · B her veil · C her glove · D her shoe. Answer: A, her bouquet. Catching it meant the next wedding.
- Which grain was thrown over the couple as they left the church? A rice · B wheat · C oats · D barley. Answer: A, rice. Paper confetti came later.
- Which man stood beside the groom, held the rings and made the first speech? A the best man · B the usher · C the page boy · D the bride's father. Answer: A, the best man. His speech is still the part guests remember.
- In Britain, a couple's intention to marry was read aloud in church on three Sundays. What were these readings called? A banns · B notices · C proclamations · D fees. Answer: A, banns. Announcing a wedding this way made it public.
Round 2: anniversary names, from paper to diamond
- Which material gives the first anniversary its name? A paper · B cotton · C leather · D tin. Answer: A, paper. Cards and letters marked the first year.
- What is the traditional second-anniversary gift? A cotton · B silver · C silk · D wood. Answer: A, cotton. Cotton and paper are the quiet early names.
- Which material names the third anniversary? A leather · B linen · C crystal · D bronze. Answer: A, leather. Wood, iron and wool follow; lists vary by country.
- Which metal gives the twenty-fifth anniversary its name? A silver · B pearl · C ruby · D gold. Answer: A, silver. A silver wedding is one everyone says aloud.
- What is the fiftieth anniversary usually called? A golden · B diamond · C ruby · D emerald. Answer: A, golden. Diamond belongs to the sixtieth, ruby to the fortieth.
Round 3: old-time wedding trappings
- What was a "hope chest"? A a chest of linen saved for marriage · B a box of gifts · C a case of letters · D a cash dowry. Answer: A. Young women added to it for years.
- What did the French word "trousseau" mean? A the bride's clothes and household linen · B the dress alone · C the bouquet · D the wedding breakfast. Answer: A. It travelled to the new home in a trunk.
- Where did couples go for a quick civil wedding when a church service was not possible? A the register office or courthouse · B the library · C the station · D the school hall. Answer: A. Wartime weddings often fitted into short leave.
- What was served from a large bowl at receptions in the 1940s and 1950s? A wedding punch · B cocoa · C root beer · D iced tea. Answer: A. One recipe of fruit and sugar served the whole room.
- Before recorded music was everywhere, what usually provided the dancing? A a live band or local musicians · B a disc jockey · C a television · D a jukebox. Answer: A. A piano in the corner often did the work.
Round 4: honeymoons, photographs and after the big day
- What is the traditional name for the trip taken straight after the wedding? A honeymoon · B bridal tour · C courtship · D engagement. Answer: A. For many couples it was two or three nights nearby.
- In the age of film cameras, what did couples wait weeks to collect? A the photographer's prints · B a video · C a newspaper notice · D the cake. Answer: A. Proofs arrived in an envelope.
- Which short notes went to everyone who gave a gift? A thank-you cards · B invitations · C Christmas cards · D receipts. Answer: A. Gifts and givers were listed until every card was written.
- Which ring is given at the engagement, before the wedding day? A the engagement ring · B the wedding ring · C a signet ring · D an eternity ring. Answer: A. The plain band came later, at the ceremony.
- What is it called when a long-married couple repeat their promises in a second ceremony? A renewing their vows · B eloping · C a wedding breakfast · D a courtship. Answer: A. Golden couples often do it with grandchildren watching.
Hosting notes that keep the table talking
- Open with the gifts round. The rhyme and the rice get answers early, and the table settles in.
- Let small tables answer together. Two or three people reach more answers, and the discussion is the enjoyable part.
- Finish with an open question. Ask whose wedding everyone remembers best, and let the room answer without scoring.
More rounds and themes
If the wedding round goes down well, a nostalgia trivia night pulls several themes into one longer session, and the word games for social clubs fill the gaps between rounds. Groups often follow this quiz with a kitchen trivia round. An old anniversary card passed round the table can spark memories of the day in someone else's family.
Frequently asked questions
How long does a twenty-question wedding trivia round take to run?
About forty-five minutes at a comfortable pace. For a shorter sitting, run the gifts round and the honeymoon round.
Do we need any props or photographs to run this round?
No. Every question can be read aloud from the sheet. A wedding photograph passed round the table gives everyone something to look at while they think.
What if the table disagrees about an answer?
Read the question again and add one more detail, such as the decade or the country. A disagreement usually turns into a story about a wedding day.
Can the questions be split across two shorter sittings?
Yes. Each round of five works on its own; rounds one and two suit a coffee break, rounds three and four an afternoon session.
Where can we find more trivia rounds on family themes?
The trivia collection holds free printable rounds on food, travel, school days, cars and farm life, and the printable centre adds word searches and bingo cards.
These questions are offered for fun, enjoyment and social activity, with no medical claims.