I'm a birthday fan! Sometimes I actually forget my own anniversary but so does my husband so I guess that's ok. Birthdays have always been much more of a big deal to us than our anniversary. I'm not sure why...
If I didn't have my partner, then I probably wouldn't be able to go on living, anyway. In a way he's like my needing to breath to live. We do EVERYTHING together and I CAN'T imagine my life without him!
A birthday is just something that comes around each year, unless you stop breathing, of course. An anniversary is something that is earned and takes some work to achieve. My relationship of 19 years (in 2 weeks) has been relatively easy to enjoy and reach but there are still compromises and work involved.
In the most perfect situations, an anniversary is something that isn't guaranteed from year to year. But if you are fortunate enough to be breathing, you will have a chance to celebrate another year on this earth.
By the way, today is my daughters first birthday, her nickname is "Pooh" and she will have Winnie the Pooh on her birthday cake.
I think Birthday's are really important but a wedding anniversary is the most important. Its a reminder of the best day of your life and the promises that were made on that day.