You know what they say, marriage is not a walk in the park. You’ll encounter ups and downs–it will be one heck of a ride! With that in mind, your first few months together will be an exciting time. You’ll experience many “firsts” as a married couple, including good and not so good things. Don’t worry about it, though. All newlyweds go through a short adjustment phase before learning to ride life in unison.
To give you preview, here are some marriage “firsts” most couples experience after the wedding.
(1) Your First Big Fight
When you were dating, you’ve probably already had a number of fights. But after you get married, you will soon encounter your first big fight. Once the blissful beginning starts to fade and real life kicks in, there’s that one fight that blows the roof. Some couples find themselves raising their voices at one another for the first time or having an extra prolonged period of the silent treatment. Don’t worry, it’s all part of married life and as you go along, you’ll learn how to communicate better and handle opposing opinions and misunderstandings better.
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(2) Your First Major Purchase
After the wedding, you will soon buy your first major purchase as a couple–like a house, or a car! For many, this is one of the first major milestones because it’s quite a big decision with major financial impact, too.
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(3) Your First Conflict with Your In-laws
Remember that you will be going through an adjustment period. You won’t only need time to adjust to your spouse, but also to your in-laws. During this phase, many newlyweds encounter their first conflict with in-laws. It’s part of the process of getting accustomed to your new life with your new family. One thing you can do is prepare your parents for the wedding day and life after by talking to them often and spending time with them as much as you can beforehand. This way, you’ll get to know them better and the adjustment will be less drastic.
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(4) Establishing Your First Family Tradition
As newlyweds, you’ll be constantly dreaming of the kind of life you want to build together, including the traditions you want to set for your family. Will it be? Discussing the traditions you want to set up is a fun activity with your spouse. It’s one of the marriage firsts couples enjoy a lot.
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(5) Your First Big Gathering as a Couple
Celebrating is now twice as fun now that you’re married. Your first big gathering with friends and family–for example, during Christmas time–is a time you’ll receive a lot of questions about how married life is so far. Be ready to answer a lot of questions! But more importantly, it’s the first time you’ll be attending a celebration and appearing as husband and wife. The feeling of this simple realization is profound.
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Aside from this, you may have many other firsts as husband and wife–the experience varies per couple. Look at this as a period of “breaking the ice.” While not all firsts are good or happy experiences, they’re valuable starting points to life ever after. Don’t stress about them! Take them one at a time. Soon enough, you’ll get the hang of married life.
