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Moving In Together After a Wedding: How to Ensure Your Marriage Handles the Change
So, your wedding went off without a hitch, you’ve just said “I do,”. Everyone had a great time and your honeymoon was everything you hoped for and more. Now, the real fun begins—moving in together. At least this is what you believe until it’s time to blend the two homes into one. As part of our Post-Wedding advice and tips section, we’ll delve into the topic of moving in together after a wedding and how to ensure your marriage handles the change in the right way.
Yes, it’s a big step, filled with excitement and a few surprises (like discovering your partner’s mysterious habit of leaving socks everywhere). When my husband and I moved in after our wedding, I quickly learned that sharing a space is both an adventure and a test of patience. But as you navigate this new chapter, you’ll find that it’s in these moments—big and small—that you truly start to build your life together.
If you and your spouse aren’t already cohabitating, it’s time to start planning the move. Unfortunately, even small moves can be stressful but it doesn’t have to affect your happiness. Moving in together after the wedding can be a relatively smooth experience.
Keeping the Peace While Moving In Together
You and your spouse are probably excited about your first shared home as a married couple. Chances are, you both also have plenty of plans and visions of what life is going to be like. However, combining two households is a big step, and arguments over everything and nothing can quickly pop up.
To help make sure that the process goes smoothly and no one is left with any hurt feelings, here are some tips on how to navigate the small move.
Have a Conversation
Throughout your relationship, you and your spouse should have conversations. Many studies have shown that communication is key for maintaining a healthy relationship. You can discuss everything from life goals to what to serve for dinner at the reception.
Even the flavor of the wedding cake can come up for debate. Maybe you love chocolate while your spouse prefers lemon cake. Your relationship has survived these differences and even thrived, so don’t stop now.
Before your wedding, sit down and discuss the upcoming move that lies ahead. Talk about what you’re bringing to the shared home and what your spouse can’t bear to leave behind. There will need to be some give and take. For example, you’re probably not going to need two dining room or bedroom sets. Even a recliner can start an argument.
Your conversation should also cover the moving budget. Are you planning on hiring professional movers or does your spouse want to make it a DIY project? Figuring out these details before the wedding can relieve a lot of the stress. Now, you can focus on your upcoming ceremony and the honeymoon.
Watch this video to learn how bad communication can be a danger to your relationship:
Consider Timing
Planning a wedding can give stress a whole new meaning. Even planning a small, intimate ceremony can leave couples seriously considering the benefits of eloping. The last thing you both need right now is additional stress.
Trying to fit a move in a few days before your wedding is rarely a good idea. Even if one partner is handling the move while the other takes care of the wedding details isn’t the best idea.
This also applies if you’re trying to schedule a move a day or so after your wedding. You and your spouse need some time to decompress and get used to the new chapter in your lives.
Be Ready to Provide Emotional Support
If you or your spouse are used to living by themselves, suddenly sharing a home can take a bit of adjustment. You can easily develop habits of living by yourself that may not translate well into a shared home. You should be ready for a period of adjustment and this can create some stress.
You can relieve some of the stress by being there for each other. Support each other’s decisions and be ready to listen when your partner is starting to feel overwhelmed. After unpacking, take some time to ensure you each have some personal space.
You don’t need to give each other an entire room but the transition to a shared home is easier when you both have a space to call your own.
Divide the Responsibilities
Some relationships seem to work just fine when one spouse is making all of the decisions. If this works in your relationship, great, but this still doesn’t mean one spouse should be handling everything. Eventually, resentment will start to develop and this can cause problems in the relationship. Remember, marriage is a partnership and this means sharing responsibilities.
The timeline for your wedding and upcoming move is moving pretty close to each other. One spouse shouldn’t be responsible for handling everything. Creating a checklist and dividing up the tasks can simplify the process and reduce stress.
For example, if you’re in charge of finding a reception venue, your spouse can look for reputable moving companies. Don’t forget about friends and family, as chances are, they’re dying to help with some of the tasks.
Watch this video for some more tips and questions to ask yourselves:
Make the Home Ours
Moving in with your spouse means the home isn’t yours, instead, it’s ours. This distinction can be crucial to ensuring the moving process goes smoothly and there aren’t any arguments. Remember the conversation when you and your partner discuss what’s coming on the move? Keep this in mind during the unpacking and arranging process.
If your partner wants to install a TV on a wall where you want to hang a favorite picture, don’t get into a heated argument. Your spouse has an equal say in what goes where.
A successful marriage understands the value of compromise and this includes the moving in together process. Your home should reflect both of your personalities and this may mean dealing with a TV in a spot you’re not thrilled about.
Make Time for Each Other Before the Move
A lot is going on in your life right now—you’re planning a wedding and a move—even the most organized individual is going to feel overwhelmed at times. I’d also recommend hiring a professional moving company to take away the stress of the move of your shoulders. For example, if you’re one of our followers in Salem, Oregon, and planning a move after the wedding, consider reliable companies like Suddath movers in Salem. They’ve got the experience and resources to make your transition smoother, so you can focus on the fun part—decorating your new place!
With everything that’s going on, you and your spouse may not have a lot of time for each other. This shouldn’t be a big deal since you have the rest of your life after getting through the wedding and moving.
But this can be a mistake, since stressful times are when you want to lean on your spouse. Besides, making time for each other is a great way to escape from all of the stress that comes with a wedding and a small move.
Remember, you’re both in this together, and sharing the stress can help strengthen your relationship. After all, if you can plan a wedding and a move, you can accomplish anything together.
