Danielle Tate

Newlyweds: 6 Tips to Bring Your Marriage Back to Life

Do you need a few tips to bring your marriage back to life? There are so many responsibilities in life that keep piling on your plate as you grow up, and may begin to interfere with your “alone” time with your spouse. Schedules can be so hectic that your marriage unintentionally is put on the back burner, causing frustration and tension to grow between the two of you, and your daily schedules may naturally become somewhat of a routine, and you simply go through the motions. If you have transitioned into parenthood, then you surely know that your life becomes kid-centric, as your attention, your emotion, and your everyday activities are focused on your little one now rather than each other.

If you’re experiencing this, you’re not alone, but the important thing is to recognize when your lifestyle is hurting your marriage, and then do something about it! Just as all things in life, it’s good to find a ‘healthy balance’ in all that you do.

Here are a few ideas to help keep your marriage alive and healthy:

*Surprise your spouse- who doesn’t love a surprise?! Sneak a note in your spouse’s lunch, or their brief case, just letting them know how much they are appreciated and loved!

*For parents – have a dinner date one night a week (after the kids are in bed) to relax together and enjoy one another’s company. Not a parent yet? You and your spouse could go out on a date once a week or as your schedules and budgets allow. Try going to a movie or dinner at your favorite restaurant.

*Day time chat- if you don’t normally communicate with your spouse during the work day, call, text, or write a quick email just to let the other one know that although you’re busy, you are still thinking of them, and while you’re at it you may want to even throw in some naughty comments that you wouldn’t say in front of the kiddos (however, keep the freaky emails to your personal email account, not your work email—otherwise you could find yourself in the HR Office or worse)!
*PDA’s – need I say more?

*Go for a walk with your spouse and hold hands. You will both benefit from the exercise, the physical connection and the uninterrupted adult conversation that distractions such as children, TV, internet, blackberries, iphones, etc. don’t permit!

*Think about what the two of you would do when you first got together…do it again! Sure you’re older and wiser, but you’re still a couple in-love…now show each other (and have some fun doing it)!
What have you done to rekindle your relationship? Our readers would love to know your tips and tricks to a happy and healthy relationship, so please leave a comment.

The Hidden Meaning In Your Wedding Bouquet

What’s the hidden meaning in your wedding bouquet? Bridal bouquets are the epitome of what your wedding was or will be like. Some are big, pink and covered in crystals, while others are fashioned out of twigs and tiny wildflowers. Have you ever wondered if there was a deeper meaning to your bouquet?

In fact, there is! Every flower has a meaning that was assigned during the Victorian era so sweethearts could communicate their innermost feelings via blossoms instead of words.

We’ve decoded our founder’s wedding bouquet, and here’s what we found:

Hydrangea – Understanding
Lily of the Valley – Happiness
Peonies – Ambition & Determination
Cala Lily – Purity

Not too bad for a few flowers chosen out of magazines! If you’d like to decode your wedding bouquet or even plan the flowers for it specifically, check out this article on The Knot.

Now that you know the hidden meaning of your wedding flowers, our October Giveaway of a custom 11″ x 14″ shadowbox floral keepsake (a $460+ value) is that much better! There’s no better way to preserve your bouquet, than trusting it to Keepsake Floral, the Nation’s leader in special event flower preservation. They will create a custom-crafted work of art you will treasure for years to come!

Overjoyed to win our outstanding October giveaway? Leave a comment on this, or any of our floral keepsake posts on Mondays this month and you’ll be automatically entered to win. Tell us all about the flowers in your bouquet, if they have special meanings or significance.

The randomly selected contest winner will be announced on October 31^st!! If we don’t hear back from the winner within 2 weeks, we will randomly select a new winner to make sure someone ends up with this great giveaway!

**If you tweet this giveaway by clicking the retweet button below, you’ll receive an additional contest entry!**

Ohio Brides: MissNowMrs is offering 2 Free Tickets to Today’s Bride Shows!

Today’s Bride is offering MissNowMrs.com’s newlywed blog readers 2 free tickets to any show! Simply register here and receive your tickets instantly online. These tickets are valued at $10 each. Visit todaysbride.com for show details or call 330-670-9545.

Ohio’s longest running, largest bridal shows have more fashions, more vendor choices, and more ideas all in one day! You’ll see new and inventive ideas from over 80 different wedding professionals each weekend eagerly waiting to showcase their products and services, as well as registering to win a multitude of prizes!

Sunday, Oct 17^th 2010 – Embassy Suites – Independence, Ohio
Sunday, Oct 24^th 2010 – Sheraton Suites – Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio
Doors will be open from 10:00-4:00 with three unforgettable, runway fashion shows at 11:30, 1:00, and 2:30. Bring your friends & family. Arrive early and spend the day!

IT’S ALL HERE! Fashions, Music, Tastings, Demonstrations, Samples and Expert Advice.
SAVE TIME by seeing & comparing everything for your wedding in one place.
SAVE MONEY with special discounts and offers for show attendees.

Marriage Advice: Heavy Topics Create Light Hearts

It’s time for a little marriage advice ladies. It took you (and your spouse, if you’re one of the lucky ones) your entire engagement to plan your wedding and less than a second to say “I DO.” Was there any time in there for you to have a serious conversation on what your expectations on marriage were and what makes up a successful marriage?

Couples often times spend so much time thinking about every last detail that goes into the perfect wedding that they forget that life as newlyweds (and the responsibilities that come with your new status as a married couple) begin the moment the wedding is over! Ok, maybe that was a bit over dramatic…but it certainly begins upon returning from your honeymoon.

It’s so important that prior to your marriage you discuss topics that will surely come up in your future. You may be thinking, well it’s too late now—we’re already married, but I’m hear to tell you that it’s not!

Here are important topics not to be taken lightly that the two of you as a couple should put some thought into:

What do we expect in terms of how our marriage will work?
This includes having a clear discussion on the following: When do we plan to start a family and how many children do we want? Will we have pets? Will we share household responsibilities such as: cooking, cleaning and paying the bills?

Do we understand each other’s communication style and how will we resolve conflict?
How will the two of you handle conflicts in your relationship? It’s not as easy as it was when you lived separately or when you were dating and you could hang up the phone and talk tomorrow. Discuss how the two of you will work together to resolve any issues that may arise in the future.

What do we expect from our sexual relationship?
This is some serious marriage advice. Discussions about what you need and expect sexually from your partner could definitely help alleviate future arguments!

Do we have a financial plan?
Remember that upon marrying someone, you acquire their debts (if they have any). You should definitely know each other’s credit history (i.e. credit score) as this will have a direct affect when you file for a loan to purchase a home or vehicle. If one of you has credit card debts or school loans, you will both be paying them off. You may also want to discuss whether or not you will have separate or joint bank accounts. It’s best to be upfront about finances because surprises are nice, but not when they come in the form of financial stress!

How will spirituality play a role in our marriage?
You will more-than-likely know whether or not your spouse has a spiritual background, but do you know if you believe the same things? Will you actively practice your religious beliefs as a couple? Having a belief system could help you both with any future struggles, although issues could arise if one of you is more spiritual than the other.

Discussing these tough topics may be awkward at first, but in the end these are some of the topics that can make or break a marriage. So, make it a point to sit down and communicate to benefit your married union, and it will only help you as you start a family and go through this crazy thing we called life…together!

What do you think of our marriage advice? Did you discuss any of these topics with your spouse? How did you feel afterward? Was it beneficial or a waste of time?

Introducing the Sparkling Anniversary

We just created the Sparkling Anniversary! You’ve heard of the “Golden Anniversary” and hopefully we’ll all make it there and beyond with our beloved spouses, but what about your up-coming anniversary? All anniversaries should be celebrated, especially your first! You’ve made it through an entire year of newlywed challenges/changes and are still standing strong together…so celebrate!

Did you absolutely love wearing your wedding gown with gorgeous jewelry to match? Who says you can ONLY be a princess on your wedding day? If you’ve got a first anniversary (or any anniversary) coming up, it’s time to start planning Princess Round II.

Consider going out to dinner at the venue that hosted your Big Day or planning a night out on the town. Whatever you decide, you need to get dolled up! Select a dress from your closet (or even go shopping for a new one) and then pick out some jewelry…your first anniversary should be known as the “Sparkling Anniversary” instead of “Paper Anniversary”.

Need some help in the sparkle department? We can help! Leave a comment on this, or any of our jewelry posts on Mondays this month and you’ll be automatically entered to win our Stylish September Giveaway.

Share your anniversary dreams with us and how ADORN jewelry will complete your look. The randomly selected contest winner will be announced on September 30th!! If we don’t hear back from the winner within 2 weeks, we will randomly select a new winner to make sure someone ends up with this gorgeous goodie!