This may sound obvious, but your wedding day is not just a big event. Your wedding day is the first day of your marriage. The wedding itself is where you exchange vows and make a lifelong commitment to one another. It is a celebration of the start of your marriage.
With this in mind, consider how much time you are spending preparing for your wedding compared to the amount of time you’re spending preparing for marriage. We’ve put together a short list of some very practical things you can do to prepare for marriage.
Chat with an older couple
Imagine you have signed up for your very first marathon. With no prior experience, would you be satisfied with just buying a pair of new running shoes and hitting the road alone? You would probably join a running club or find a running partner because there is value in accountability.
When it comes to marriage, each couple is different, so there is a lot you’ll learn “on the job”. There’s also a lot that you can learn from an older, more experienced couple. People who have “been there, done that” and can offer advice to you, as a soon-to-be-married couple. This will give you an opportunity to hear their stories, follow their example and ask for advice.
Michelle Garrihy Photography | Eloping in Ireland
Start having date nights
I know what you’re thinking… “We go on dates all the time” or “We already spend a ton of time together”. But how much of that time is spent talking about the wedding? How often are you spending time together just running through a list of wedding-related things to do?
Start going on dates and put in place a new rule: No wedding talk! Catch up on what you’ve both been up to during the week. You don’t want to get caught in a rut where all you talk about is your wedding, because when the wedding has come and gone, what will you talk about?
Spend some time apart
Use your engagement season to cultivate a social life that doesn’t revolve around your marriage. Don’t spend all your time together alone, but start being deliberate about investing in your friendships.
Gather your bridal party and get them involved in wedding tasks. Sure, these tasks are related to the wedding, but it’s a great way to show your friends that you value their contribution and it’s a good chance to bond!
Spend some time getting to know each other’s families. Have lunches together, go for walks, look at childhood photos and ask questions about your Other Half’s upbringing.
Find shared hobbies
You might not enjoy talking about football, and your Other Half probably isn’t interested in watching Love Island with you, so it’s time to find things that you can do together, so that you aren’t spending all your alone time on the couch, watching Netflix.
Start collecting board games. Join a gym together. Go on a cooking course. Buy a camera and learn to take great photos together.
There are tons of things you can do together, which will help to strengthen your relationship. Spending quality time together is so important!
