After you’re engaged, things can start to change in your relationship, even if it’s just because of the stress related to the wedding planning. Even if you plan on eloping, your relationship is transitioning to a new phase, and it could use some attention and guidance.
Check out some of the best relationship advice for engaged couples and make sure that you’re doing everything right before the big day. Whether you want a big wedding day or a small ceremony, these changes will affect your relationship, so be pro-active about it.
1. Don’t Stop Dating
A regular date night is a must even for married couples, so don’t give it up after getting engaged. Spending time together and creating special memories is very important, particularly if you’re planning a big wedding, which means both of you will be under a lot of pressure. Find the time and energy to keep going on great dates together.
2. Avoid Rushing into Wedding Planning
Just because the proposal is over doesn’t mean that you have to go into wedding planning mode right away. Not rushing into it is some of the best relationship advice for engaged couples. Enjoy the new status in your relationship and cherish the present before you start focusing on the future. Wedding planning can get very stressful, so you should easy into it gradually instead of going full steam ahead.
3. Keep Your Identity on Social Media
Once you found the one, it’s normal to want to shout it from the rooftops, but you shouldn’t flood your social media with an avalanche of “we”. If you start posting about your wedding planning constantly, you might end up getting unsolicited advice or even guests who invite themselves to the ceremony.
4. Figure Out Your Priorities
Now that you’re committed to a long term relationship, some of the best relationship advice for engaged couples is figuring out where you stand on really big issues. If you have different opinions about having children or any other big aspect of your married life, now is the time to set the record straight and find common ground. Going ahead with the wedding planning when each of you has different expectations for the future is not a good idea.
See also: 10 Ways to Make Him Miss You
5. Get on the Same Page Financially
Since weddings can end up costing a lot of money, it’s important to do some financial planning together. It’s important to figure out common priorities (expensive honeymoon or down payment for a house?) and make sure that you have a cohesive plan when it comes to sharing your finances. Remember that if one of you has a bad credit record, that will affect the other’s finances as well after the wedding.
6. Set Good Boundaries
You probably don’t need to worry about your boundaries as a couple, but some of the best relationship advice for engaged couples is to make sure that you set clear boundaries for your family and friends. Decide together how much you’re going to let them get involved in the wedding planning and in your relationship from now on.
7. Pick Your Battles
Since you’ll be handling more stress as you plan your wedding, it’s more important than ever to let go of things that don’t really matter in the long run. Make compromises and don’t try to prove you’re always right to your partner. It’s more important to be happy than right.
8. Keep Your Anxiety Under Control
The best relationship advice for engaged couples is to make sure that you’re not going to place importance on small details. Pre-wedding jitters are sometimes based on the fact that you know you’re not right for each other, but even couples who are very happy and content can experience them.
More: The 10 Worst Things to Say to Your Man
9. Start Thinking Like a Married Couple
Having your partner’s back at all times is one of the ways you prove how much you care. Start thinking like a married couple and support each other in order to transition to this new phase in your lives.
10. Try Pre-Marital Counseling
When you’re struggling with some issues that you just can’t agree on, take some of the most useful relationship advice for engaged couples and go to a few counseling sessions. Starting your life together as a married couple with a strong foundation is the best thing you can do right now.
