You said, “I do,” danced at your wedding reception and ate a big slice of delicious cake. The days that a soon-to-be-married couple spends before the wedding are usually frenzied and filled with many things to do as they prepare for the big day, while the wedding day itself is full of excitement and joy. Now that your wedding day has passed, it’s time to move onto the next phase, which is living your lives together! You may need a few tips to survive your first year and ensure it's the best year possible! 

After the Wedding | Tips for Surviving Your First Year 

Picture of LatterDayBride dress by @vintage_lace_photography                              

Managing Disagreements

When two people love each other enough to tie their lives together forever, they may mistakenly believe that they’ll never fight again. Nothing could be further from the truth. The two of you will have disagreements, but after you’re married, fighting is less about who wins and more about maintaining a healthy balance in your relationship. Do this by determining the core issue behind each disagreement. Once you figure that out, you should be able to reach common ground.

Dividing Tasks

It’s important for married couples to divide their combined responsibilities, things such as: household chores, financial obligations and other miscellaneous tasks. Both parties must be willing to participate to make the marriage work. When it comes to deciding who does what tasks, it’s important for the expectations to line up with reality. If they don’t, then resentment will build. Prevent this marriage killer by discussing it out as soon as possible. Decide who will do what household chores and how you’ll pay for your financial obligations. For instance, will both of you work? Or, does one of you make enough so that the other one can take care of most of the household chores? The two of you must agree with what will work best in your marriage.

Dealing with Money

Money is something that comes between many married couples. To survive your first year of marriage, make sure that the two of you are on the same page when it comes to money. Establish a budget that works for both of you and plan your long-term financial goals. You’ll need to save for a home, family trips and the expense of having children. Decide how you intend to save for these things and follow your plan as closely as possible.

Making it Work

The first year of marriage can be a tough one since most couples are trying to figure out how to live together. It takes compromise, understanding and acceptance. As time passes, the two of you will find your way, and you’ll be rewarded with a lifelong companion, one who will share your life with you.