Did you know Over 2 million people get married every year in the United States alone? Unfortunately, close to 870,000 people also get divorced every year. With these statistics in mind, it’s important you know your first year of marriage will be a key component in setting the tone for the rest of your married life together. Day-to-day interactions and how you handle situations will, in fact, be a strong indicator of whether or not your love will go the long haul.
Every little bit helps, which is why we’re going to break down what you can expect in your first year of marriage.
Celebrating Milestones And Accomplishments Will be Important
You’ve made it through a full year of marriage! That’s 365 days of choosing to love and respect the same person every. single. day. That right there is a milestone in and of itself! Still, many people experience nervousness at the mere thought of “special days” like anniversaries not being as important now that they’re married.
Truth be told, you can expect to feel some tension when important days or occasions get closer – especially if you haven’t brought up the idea of celebrating them. But that doesn’t make the occasion any less important, and it doesn’t mean there aren’t things you can do on a day-to-day basis to celebrate your relationship.
Always take the time to celebrate your partner and her accomplishments. If she received a promotion at work, has a birthday coming up, or if you just want to randomly say “thank you” for choosing you– a small, unique gift will mean a lot to her and will works wonders in keeping the spark alive.
2. You’ll Spend More Time With Other Couples
You may not be out at the bar with your girls every Friday night anymore, but that doesn’t mean you have to spend every weekend sitting on the couch, watching Netflix with your husband. Instead, you’ll find that other couples will be asking you to hang out with them. Double-date nights are awesome, and help keep your first year of marriage exciting! What makes it even better is you can do exactly the same fun and crazy activities you did when you were single – without the pressure of trying to meet someone you could potentially spend the rest of your life with because he/she is there with you!!!
Double-Date Bonus: You’ll be able to learn from other couples, ask their advice about married life, and see living proof of lasting marriages. Don’t be surprised if you find a few “couple role models,” too.
3. You’ll Get Asked The Kid Question – A Lot
Yep – this starts as soon as you enter your first year of marriage. And if you’re already in your late 20s or early 30s, it probably began before you got engaged! Don’t freak out, though – most people are only asking you this because they don’t know what else to say. How you respond – and when you decide to have kids – is up to you and your partner, and no one else.
Whatever you do, don’t let the pressure get to you. Just smile, say “who knows!” and head off to get a glass of wine. You can even ask the person when they’re planning to get pregnant! If you’re not comfortable with even responding to the invasive question, you can simply smile and walk away.
Anticipate These Situations In Your First Year Of Marriage
For big celebrations such as an anniversary, we love the idea of claiming the date with a special, exclusive certificate to commemorate the day you started falling in love.