The holiday season comes with gifts of all types, and often times, it might mean a ring!
If you’re a newly engaged couple, you’re probably going to quickly fill your calendar with all-things-wedding-planning. Here are five things my husband-to-be and I did before the big day that helped us stay centered in our relationship (as it’s so easy to get off track because of the stress of all of the logistics.)
- Keep dating! Don’t forget that this is the last season that you have together where you’re still “courting” so enjoy date nights together before you become just another old married couple. (Although, that comes with its perks, too!)
- Say thank you. While you’ll both have a lot on your plate leading up to the wedding, take a few minutes to say “thank you” to your partner for the time that they spend on wedding tasks. It can be so easy to nag or keep moving on to the next, so stop to show some gratitude when as task has been accomplished.
- Spend time with other married couples. Plan a few get togethers with other married couples. It will be a good influence for you and your partner to spend time with others who are married because you can begin to learn what you want and don’t want in your future marriage. You might also get some really helpful tips on wedding prep or marriage prep from people who were where you are right now at a previous point in their lives.
- Take pre-marital counseling/marriage relationship prep seriously. I’m a big fan of pre-marital counseling and my husband and I really enjoyed the time that we spent with the pastor from our church leading up to the big day. Whether you take a class for newly engaged couples, meet with a pastor one-on-one, read a book, or watch YouTube videos, take this seriously. Everything you hear might not be applicable right then, but the tips you pick up will come in handy later.
- Start to change your mindset from “me” to “we”. The more you can plan for a “we” mindset before you actually get married, the better set up for success you will be. Get used to compromising and putting the needs of your partner first. If you can do this when you’re still engaged, it will be a much smoother transition once you’re married. (Don’t worry…it’s AWESOME.)
Hope this helps. Don’t lose sight of what made you initially fall in love!
With love,
Girl with a diamond ring
GIRL WITH A DIAMOND RING 