| In the months leading up to a wedding, much of our time and energy is directed towards the event. In addition there is the adrenaline and excitement of the anticipation and of the day itself. So the big day comes and goes....what should you expect next. Awareness and insight is often the key, being mindful that the wedding is the start of the journey not the destination; this itself will go a long way to avoiding post-wedding let down.
In response to a request from one of our readers, Relationships Australia (Qld) has prepared some tips for the new bride to help avoid a post wedding let-down. They offer both pre- and post- marriage education courses to enrich and strengthen relationships. They have provided relationship support services in Australia for over 50 years working with individuals, couples and families.
- Avoid tunnel vision; try not to be solely focused on the wedding day, look past the big day itself to married life.
- Ensure you make time to talk with your husband-to-be about things other than the wedding. Have a wedding free zone each week; focus on spending time together as a couple.
- Direct some of your energy and attention to planning some post-wedding activity, such as fortnightly date nights where you alternate who chooses and plans the date. Remember marriages benefit from planning too!
- Plan for the extra time you will have, as almost immediately after the wedding and honeymoon you will regain at least five hours per week that was previously dedicated to wedding planning. Start thinking ahead as to how you would like to make best use of this time.
- Find a new activity to share together. Now that you have free time, use that time to further develop and enjoy your relationship with your partner. Take Salsa dancing classes, learn to rock climb, or join a book club. Just make sure that it is an activity that you can do together and something you are both interested in.
- Reading... check out publications about weddings and marriages at your local library/bookstore, one title to remember is "After every wedding comes a marriage".
- Book in for a marriage course together. Many courses are available for couples in their first two years of marriage. These courses are focused on enriching and strengthening your relationship. Such courses help you to start your journey on the right foot.
A wedding is a day, while a marriage is a lifetime. Your wedding day will come and go, whereas your marriage can be enjoyed and cherished everyday thereafter.
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