April 22, 2022
top trending topics
š Here are some things no one really tells you about being engaged!
š Survive the stress of wedding planning with these helpful tips.
ā¼ļø Be sure to avoid these things when you’re in an argument with your fiancĆ©.
š§” Do you have a friend experiencing infertility? Find out the best ways to support them.
ā¤ļø Generosity matters in your relationship-Ā here’s why.
tips & tricks for growth
plan a great wedding experience
When you dreamed about your wedding experience, did you ever think so many people would participate in the process?
Your mother is hurt because you arenāt wearing her wedding dress. The maid-of-honor has forgotten it is your wedding ā not hers. Your fiancĆ©ās family thinks the wedding plans are too formal. How will you choose two flower girls when you have six cousins who are the right age?
āThese are the landmines that often hit brides out of left field,ā says Elizabeth Thomas, co-founder of The First Dance.āAfter planning our wedding and finding out the hard way that lots of people had strong feelings about certain aspects of āourā day, I wondered if there were other brides out there feeling the same way. I found out there were tons of them. My father and I decided to build this website to help engaged couples manage the people stress of wedding planning and have more wisdom to carry over to their marriage.ā
Checklists canāt predict which wedding tasks or people in your life have an emotion, opinion, or stake in how to complete a task.
tips for newlyweds for a happy, healthy marriage
The bride-to-be shared that it was only two weeks, four days and six hours until the wedding. Her eyes sparkled as she talked, and everyone could tell she was head over heels in love.Ā Many brides who have gone before her know that feeling so well. They also know that starry-eyed love is not all you need to carry you through the marriage journey.
What kind of advice would newlyweds give to engaged couples?
š Research shows thatĀ moneyĀ is one of the least important factors couples consider when preparing for marriage.
š Adjusting to having someone else around and having to consider their thoughts, feelings, likes and dislikes is a huge change.
š Learning how to do the marriage dance without stepping on each otherās toes is a skill that takes time to master.
š Coming together should make you better as an individual and better as aĀ team.
š Finally, keepĀ expectationsĀ realistic.
A great start for your marriage takes at least as much prep time as you put into your wedding day. These couples have high hopes for a long-lasting, healthy marriage. If that is your goal, make it a point to start investing now in your relationship.
The return on your investment will be worth it!
what we’re lovin’
This week’s picks come from Chris Ownby, a husband, #GirlDad of 2, and our Research Strategist here at First Things First! He’s always researching & reading so he’s come across some great things.Take a peek at his recommendations for this week because they are just THAT GOOD. Check ’em out š:
š² Check out @hannahayl on Instagram–Ā Her posts are truly inspiring. Hannah and Shane are an interabled couple who have been very open about their marriage and intimacy, helping to dispel misperceptions about people with disabilities and their relationships. They are an inspiration to me because of their level of commitment, love, and connection.
ā A unique date night experience: take a self defense course. Youāll find that these are often offered by your local community center, martial arts school, or police department. Itās fun, not to mention you learn a great skill. Or, try out a martial arts class. Many schools offer a first class freebie, and you donāt have to commit! (Unless you want to, of course!)
š Have you heard of this thing called Geocaching? Itās been around for a while, but itās a great date experience for the couple who likes to explore together! Itās literally like a treasure hunt using the GPS on your phone, and there are geocache treasures everywhere. Itās a blast. This is a great app to use – chances are, thereās a geocache close to your neighborhood!
share the love
Know a friend who would love reading all the relationship goodness we’ve packed in here? Go ahead andĀ share it with them!