After The Wedding: What Does Marriage Do For Your Relationship?

t’s been six months since our big day. And my, hasn’t time flown. But what has getting hitched done for us? Does it make you a better person or is it just an expensive day out that leaves you with a piece of paper with your name on it?
It makes you a better couple
We actually spend more time apart now than we did before we were married. Weekends away and work trips mean we’re spending more time away from each other, however a sense of trust that seems to come from being wed has meant that although we miss each other when we’re apart, we both know everything will be fine once we’re back in each other’s company.
When flights to Dublin at Christmas were cancelled due to inclement weather and it was too late to get a train to my wife’s home, I had to spend the festive season alone. And while eating chicken dippers and roast potatoes on your own may seem depressing, it was okay because I know I’d be seeing my wife in a couple of days and we’d have seven glorious days off work together. It was also okay because I had a PlayStation 3 and a steady supply of Pringles…
We’ll never have wedding envy again
One of the best things about getting married is the fact that you’ll (theoretically) never have to plan a wedding ever again. My brother recently proposed to his girlfriend and is now in throes of planning his big day. I certainly don’t envy him in this task, but my experiences enable me to offer up words of wisdom and advice that no doubt will be much appreciated.
It also means that from now on anytime my wife and I go to a wedding, we’ll be able to say “it’s nice but not as nice as ours”. It’s not being disrespectful to other people and the work they put into their big day, but weddings are like children, everyone always thinks that theirs are the best.
You’ll have no trouble finding things to do to fill the time
A wedding is not something you can just throw together at the last minute. It requires a lot of planning and co-ordination that will take up a lot of your spare time. Checking out reception venues, meeting with the registrar and honeymoon booking mean that you have little time for anything else.
However, once the honeymoon is over and the thank you cards have been sent out, that all comes to a crashing halt. I did worry that I would have too much time on my hands and would start wandering from room to room looking for something to do while offering random couples my thoughts on their wedding plans. But, thankfully, this was not the case.
As soon as the wedding was done with, new plans took hold and any time that I thought I might have to myself was quickly eaten up. I would advise any prospective grooms to have something in mind to do after the big day. Be it learning to drive or getting a new job, it’s good to have something to focus on afterwards.
It’s wife, not girlfriend
The trickiest thing to get used to after you get married is the fact that you have a wife now, not just a lowly girlfriend. This may be discrimination against those people who decide that marriage is not for them but this is a groom’s website so they shouldn’t be on here anyway.
When introducing my wife to people, my main concern is no longer that I get the name wrong (hasn’t happened with my wife but it did with a previous partner), but that I don’t refer to her as my girlfriend or fiancé. The lump of metal around my finger usually helps me to remember. It’s also something else that men need to consider – as well as making sure that they have their keys, wallet and phone wherever they go, they now have to ensure that the nice, shiny ring hasn’t been left beside the shower or, as one fellow groom experienced, swept away at the beach when passing it to his wife in order not to lose it…