Week 2
"The Honeymoon is over" is very cliche. It doesn't have to do with the literal honeymoon being over. That is just the point in your marriage where the high of being newlyweds has worn off. You certainly aren't there yet, but the literal honeymoon is over. Reality sets in. You are married. No more wedding distractions (planning for the wedding, wedding day, honeymoon). Now for the next good part - marriage.
Whitney and I had a great honeymoon. Gatlinburg, TN is not a glamour location by any means, but it was great just to get away with her like that. It took 7 years after our honeymoon for us to get away for longer than a couple days. Because of that, we really appreciated our honeymoon. In your situation, your honeymoon could end up being the last week-long getaway you two have for a little while. Kids have a way of putting a damper on getting away for that long of a stretch.
Another thing to prepare for as you return to normalcy is how to support your wife in the days following wedding and honeymoon. Every wife is different. Some have wedding hangover/withdrawal. Others are just relieved all went well and they can move on with the next thing. In the early days after the honeymoon, it would be good to remind your bride that you are SO happy to have her. Show Danielle an act of love without being surrounded by the glitz and glamour of a beautiful wedding/reception and a vacation. Think of a way to bless her in the days following the honeymoon. Give her something small, but special, related to her love language. The ordinary setting of your home is where your marriage will be built and the most memories are made. This is where you will do your finest work...and likely your biggest blunders. Try to start off on a good note.
The wedding is exhausting (and expensive), but awesome! The honeymoon is amazing. Then the next step - marriage - really begins. Being married to Whitney has been the greatest gift God has given me. Enjoy your gift!
It is easy to fall in love
It takes work to plan a wedding
It takes a lifetime to build a marriage
Week 1
The wedding is a very magical day...even for the groom. As you already know, the most important job a groom has is to make sure his bride finds some peace. In those rare intimate moments on the day of the wedding - find a way to help Danielle find that peace.
The day is primarily about the bride, but you get some great things out of the wedding day too. When I got married, one of my favorite parts of the day was when the first bridesmaid came down the aisle. It was Madi...probably about 12 years old at the time. She had braces, was incredibly tiny (still is), and was probably very unsure of herself as she hit lead off. But when I saw her, I knew that her sister was going to be here soon enough. That is why that moment stands out to me. Whitney came down the aisle shortly after Madi to a song played by her friend on the violin. It might be cliche, but that was my favorite part about the wedding day. When I hear that song now, the approach of my bride is so clear in my mind. It takes me right back to that glorious moment. There is something special about the approach of a bride. She is bringing herself to you completely. Her beauty, her love, her kindness, her fears, her baggage, everything. What a beautiful symbol!
Soak up every moment of that view of Danielle down the aisle. There will be plenty of cameras taking pictures of it. You will get some good ones from your photographer. Probably at quite a price. But the priceless picture is the one you take in your head. Take a good one. It will last a lifetime!
It is easy to fall in love
It takes work to plan a wedding
It takes a lifetime to build a marriage
In the first year of Ryan's marriage, my gift to him was to update a blog on a weekly (or as close to it as I could) basis. The purpose was to give him some tips I have learned about marriage. It was a commitment, but one I was happy to do.
My yearly blog to you will be a little bit more than marriage. I will include some thoughts on father hood, raising boys, and even might have a "guest blogger" (Whitney) to give some wife/mother perspective from time to time.
In general, this blog is mostly for you. But when you see something that applies to both of you, have Danielle check it out too. If Whitney can come on board and enjoy some writing, it will be something you and Danielle can read together.
Anyways, I hope this will be a blessing to you...something to provide a tip or encouragement during your first year of marriage. Enjoy!
