All I Really Needed to Know About Marriage I Learned on My Honeymoon...

Despite warnings that the honeymoon would not be real life, I cannot help but think back on how significant it was for our relationship. During that time we experienced the Road to Hana in a convertible Mustang, and snorkeled with sea turtles off the coast of Maui. But even more important, my husband and I are realizing that the honeymoon doesn’t have to be over yet!

In the midst of jobs, responsibilities, and someday kids, my husband and I can still practice making our marriage even more fun, relaxing, and refreshing as our first two weeks alone together!  Everyday life seems determined to drain our marriage of all its beauty and color, but then I remember that our love can actually keep growing stronger!

  
Here’s how to bring your honeymoon back into your house today: 

1)    There is nothing that a little bubble bath can’t fix!

Fill the tub {lots of bubbles ofcourse!}, light the candles, play some soft music and jump in!  I always blushed when a mentor of mine would mention that bubble baths were a great way to enjoy one another. But now… all the red is gone from my cheeks! I can confidently say the bath tub is our little sanctuary where we can reconnect after a long hard day. The first thing we checked out in our honeymoon hotels was always the bath tub! And to this day, it’s still a priority!

2)     Take time to clean.

And no...not house cleaning! I remember the months leading up to our wedding, the night before, and our honeymoon, how intricately I took care of every part of my body ; ) Shaving my legs and other odd hairs down there, smelling pretty, and looking fresh were just things I did. I delighted in preparing myself to be a beautiful bride for my husband and I don’t want to neglect that even though we are more relaxed with one another.  All it takes is a few extra minutes in the shower or the bathroom to tidy up for your man! It’s a simple way to say you are excited to be with him!

3)    Wear lingerie… often!

I remember my husband’s excitement each day of our honeymoon- he couldn’t wait to see what I would have on! These sexy surprises don’t have to end even though you have been married for months or years. Of course our husbands still love us in our flannel jammies, but a little extra something can go a long way!

4)    Take walks together holding hands

We had an opportunity to do this every day of our honeymoon. Sometimes we had a destination in mind, other times we wanted to just be together. Now that we are married we don’t always have the time to do this, but we try our best to make time. Now our destination when we walk is simply this- growing closer to each other and taking the time to let our hearts bond as a couple.

5)    Give massages.

Touch is a powerful little tool in marriage that often gets ignored.  On our honeymoon we brought fun and pretty smelling massage oils with us. One of the most romantic things we did together was take just 5-10 minutes at the end of the day to give each other a much needed massage. Relaxing and rejuvenating are two words that come to mind! 

6)    An argument does not have to ruin the day.

I thought it would be impossible to fight on a honeymoon. But it’s not! No couple is immune from the disease of selfishness. I often find myself thinking back to the days of our honeymoon when we fought with a backdrop of palm trees and sunshine. The time we had together was too precious to hold grudges or carry unforgiveness the whole day- we had oceans to swim in and sunsets to watch.  When disagreements arise I still want to remember that life is beautiful and my husband is too amazing to let bitterness and anger fill our marriage.  

7)    Watch the sunset.

When was the last time you sat and watched God paint the sky together? The sunset reminds us of God’s faithfulness in our lives and in our marriage. We cannot do it without Him. During our honeymoon and still today, my husband and I always try to steal each other away for those thirty minutes – it’s romantic and brings perspective to our lives. God is painting our relationship more beautifully with each passing day.

8)    Sleep in late together!

What’s the rush? Let’s be honest, honeymoons are a little deceiving in this area. I was tempted to think that 50% of married life would occur in bed. Obviously, that’s not true! But there is something sacred about staying in bed together… it’s an art that needs practice! Snuggling, reading, and having no plans, but to just relax under a big comfy down comforter, work wonders for married life!  Even when kids come along, there are still ways to make this one of your responsibilities as a married couple!

9)    Be adventurous!

Take a map, hop in the car, and go discover new places! My husband and I spent many days of our honeymoon just exploring- Hawaii and each other ;)  Busyness kills the fun of married life, while adventure keeps time together as couple fresh and full of memories!

10)    Take goofy pictures.

Yep. The kind where hold out your long beautiful arm, and where the photo is 90% of contorted faces and 10% scenery.  Although you may not be discovering the waterfalls of Jamaica together today, you can still capture the love between the two of you through one click of the camera! And not to mention the laughs that always come from looking at the photo afterwards.

24 hours together for 14 days equaled many lessons learned.  Only now am I beginning to realize that everything I needed to know about marriage, I learned on our honeymoon! Okay, so maybe I didn’t learn everything, but it was enough for me to realize our honeymoon doesn’t have to end in one year, five years, or twenty years!  Our one bedroom garden cottage in South Africa can still have the feel of a romantic cabin in the woods, with snow all around us, and warm hot chocolate brewing on the stove. 

What are things you want to remember from your honeymoon that can spice up your marriage?