Newlywed Tips

Looking for name change advice or some tips for newlywed life? The MissNowMrs experts have created state-specific name change articles and checklists for you. We’ve chronicled our recommendations for how to travel while changing your name AND how to handle voting during the transition.

We’ve also compiled our best guidance for how to handle difficult sister in laws, holidays as newlyweds, the ever-annoying baby questions, and much more. Why? Because, while we are name change experts, we’re also newlywed wives, moms, and sisters.

We hope our name change advice articles help smooth your transition to your new name, and a whole new phase of life. Congratulations and best wishes from the entire MissNowMrs team!

Best Newlywed Advice

Looking for newlywed advice? People love giving advice about all kinds of topics, as a way to help others. You know this, you’re a newlywed who has more-than-likely received an array of solicited or unsolicited advice about how to be the perfect bride, perfect wife, perfect friend or co-worker (basically, how to be Super Woman)!

Here’s 3 bits of advice graciously given to myself and 2 of my colleagues by our closest family members that we felt would help you in your new status as a newlywed couple!

The best advice I received was to never stop talking to your husband. At the time I thought, what is that supposed to mean, of course I’m going to always talk to him. Now, after 4 years of marriage I realize that the person meant talk with (a.k.a. communication is the key). Some people may think this is so easy, but it is in fact one of the hardest things to do.

Most people can talk until their blue in the face, but communicating well is another story. So my advice to you is that a conversation should always be a two-way street when you or your spouse is feeling upset or even happy about something!

Another great piece of advice that one of my colleagues received is to NEVER go to bed angry! Stay up all night if you have to, but always come to an agreed upon resolution to the issue at hand. There will be times that you may have to agree to disagree and that’s ok as long as you remember to respect each other’s views on the issue.

Last, but certainly not least is to remember to show appreciation for one another. Think back to when the two of you were dating (and perhaps living separately). When you were out shopping you would see something (i.e. a shirt or favorite food) that made you think of the other person and smile. What did you do? Maybe you called him/her, texted or purchased the item for your significant other. Don’t stop doing that now! It’s so easy to let life (work, friends, kids, etc.) get in the way sometimes. Remember, often times it’s the little things that count the most!

What is the best advice that you have received regarding your newlywed couple status? Not a newlywed (no problem), what is the best advice that you could give to our newlywed readers? They all want to know what has worked best for you and your spouse to create a happy long-lasting marriage.

Newlyweds: How To Buy Your Dream House

The wedding day was perfection, the honeymoon was even better, but now you are back at home facing a series of decisions to be made as a couple. Perhaps the most difficult of those, is the decision to buy a new home.

Choosing the Right Fit – The first step in the home buying game is very likely the most fun. That is the choosing the right house to make into a home together. This is a very emotional game. While you can look at as many print outs and computer images as you would like, nothing will give the true look and feel of the house without visiting it. While you should always feel free to walk through open houses, it is a good idea (especially for first time buyers) to use a real estate agent. These professionals have access to nearly all houses for sale and can narrow results for you based on the criteria that fit your needs. But, better than that is the fact that they will help you to write an official offer, with the negotiations, and with the buying timeline. Here’s a great place to search for qualified real estate agents in your area.

Soothing the Financing Fears – Let’s face it, for the vast majority of buyers, the main fear in buying a home is the assumption of loan payments. Most mortgages are written for thirty years, and when one stops to consider re-financing in the future and secondary mortgages, those loans can last even longer than that, so it is important to ensure that you stay within a realistic budget. It is always wise to consult a mortgage broker before looking at houses. There is no point in getting your hopes up about the “perfect house” before you know if you can afford it. Mortgage brokers shop around to find you the best lending deal and give you pre-approval for an amount they determine to be the high end of your buying power. That should also mean to you that the amount you are pre-approved is not necessarily meant to be the price you buy at, as you may want to stay within a safer range.

Getting to the Close – Remember, the majority of house transactions come with minor complications along the way. So do not assume that you have the house just because you put it under contract. You will likely have to face other difficult decisions, stressful changes in schedule, and other obstacles before you reach the finish line- closing day. But, it will all be worth it when you walk through the doors of your very own home for the first time. Be sure to savor the momentous occasion with photos and maybe a candle lit take-out dinner on the floor of the empty house that is now your home!

Do you have any advice for newlyweds purchasing their first homes together? We’d love to share your advice with our readers, so please leave a comment!

Newlywed Grooming

We’ve all seen them, the completely mismatched couple. He or she is gorgeous, funny and well dressed, while their partner is frumpy, dumpy and sometimes even downright rude. While sometimes those mismatched relationships work out, no one wants to be the ugly duckling of their relationship. So how do you ensure that you’re well matched with your beautiful wife? Simple upkeep will go a long way to preserving your Prince Charming status.

Hair – Keeping up with monthly haircuts is an easy solution to looking nice. You can go somewhere fancy like the Men’s Grooming Lounge, where you can get a hair cut, color, highlights, massages and more, or be economical at the Hair Cuttery.
Nails – A basic rule of thumb is that your nails should never be longer than your partner’s. You could consider getting your nails done with your wife ( they are called manicures), but if that idea freaks you out, using clippers a few times a week should keep your nails neat.
Manscaping – We’ll leave the extent to which you impliment this up to you. Please know that most women truly appreciate some trimming at a minimum and we do shave our underarms, legs, etc as part of our routine upkeep. AskMen.com has a great article that outlines some of the finer details of manscaping.
Clothes – Wearing clean matching clothes is a married man must. You’re a grown man, so we’re betting you know the appropriate way to dress yourself. Be sure to reference our post on married man fashion for some great ideas.
Manners – Try to keep up the same level of etiquette as when you were dating. Being married is not an excuse to stop opening doors or start discussing bodily functions at dinner. If you think your wife would be offended by something, don’t say or do it in front of her.

The fact that you’re reading an article about newlywed grooming speaks volumes about the great guy you are. Whatever your personal style may be, the point is to make sure you keep up with grooming, even after you’re married.

Newlywed in the Kitchen

How are you handling being newlywed in the kitchen? Marriage brings about the merging of two lives and of course two kitchens. Hopefully you both are fantastic cooks and can alternate who cooks evening dinners. If that’s not the case, you may need to get creative in the kitchen!

Scenario #1: You are used to having a bowl of cereal or yogurt for dinner and your partner is more of a meat a potatoes person.

Get a crock pot! Nothing makes a meat and potatoes guy happier than coming home to pot roast, lemon herb chicken or even lasagna in the crock pot. The best part? You do the prep work the night before and come home from work to a fabulous meal.

Having trouble coming up with ideas or recipes? The Spruce Eats has over 30 crockpot recipes for you to try out and crockpot355 is a blog written by a woman who used her crock pot every day for a year!

Scenario #2: He’s an organic guy obsessed with freshness and you’re perfectly happy eating frozen dinners every night.

If you possess some cooking ability, let your spouse buy the groceries (organic of course) and then plan some simple weekday meals that will make you both happy.

Compromise. Let your partner grill some free range chicken while you steam some frozen veggies mix in the microwave. Everybody ends up with a well balanced meal.

Scenario #3: Both of you counted on your former roommates to feed you.
Sounds like it’s time to tune into the Food Network for some cooking tips, or sign up for a few cooking classes together. You can also check out Rachel Ray’s site for great simple recipes.

Cooking together can be romantic and completely delicious. Select a recipe, turn on some music, open a bottle of wine and then start cooking! One of you can make the salad or sides while the other focuses on the main dish. You may end up making dinner and making out…and who could ask for more than that?!

If the last time you cooked the fire department arrived 30 minutes later, you might have to consider a meal delivery company like Hello Fresh or Blue Apron.

Whatever your kitchen scenario might be, there are solutions out there. Be creative and you’ll both end up happy and full! Do you have any stories from being newlywed in the kitchen? We’d love to hear them in a comment!

Insuring Your New Life Together: A Quick Primer

As a single woman, it’s likely the idea of an insurance policy of any kind ever crossed your mind. In fact, if it did, you probably considered it another expense you just didn’t want to deal with. Sure, most single people carry health and auto insurance, but very few purchase life insurance.

Things have suddenly changed for you. Take a moment to think about all the differences marriage brings about: a bigger home, most likely, another vehicle, and eventually children – all of these factors should be considered when planning your future as a couple. Thus, one of the most important things you and your spouse can do is to insure your life together by considering different types of insurance available on the market. Check out NewlywedFinances.com for more information on newlywed insurance options.

Once you get married you become responsible for another human being and want to protect him or her from the unexpected. Every couple should have a health insurance. That’s just a given. Many employers offer group health insurance that covers you and your spouse, but if it is not the case with your individual employers, both you and your partner should look into purchasing coverage.
Additionally, life insurance is essential, as it protects your family, providing necessary financial resources in the most difficult time. If you thought of putting off the life insurance until later in life when you get older – think again. The younger you are when you purchase life insurance – the lower your premium will be. Keep in mind you’ll be asked to choose between term and whole life insurance plans. Decide which one makes sense in your situation by talking with a reliable insurance agent. Intelliquote.com is a site that lets you compare multiple quotes from life insurance companies to ensure that you get the best rate available.

When it comes to homeowners or renters’ insurance, it is important to consider it when you and your spouse are buying a new house. If you or your partner already had insured property in the past, it would be helpful to contact the same insurance company – its agents will probably offer you a discount on a new policy.

Remember that any insurance policy obtained prior to marriage should be modified, reflecting your new status as a family. Do not forget to indicate the name change or address change; add your spouse to the policy and change the name of the beneficiary on your life insurance, if applicable. Once all this is done, take a deep breath and relax…you’ve now got it all covered!

Have you considered getting more/new insurance now that you’re a newlywed? We’d love to hear your experiences and what you thought was the most valuable thing to insure, so please leave us a comment.