Love is in the Air!

I personally know of 4 weddings and 2 marriage proposals that took place last Saturday.  While I’m not sure if September is the new June I do know that all of these marital happenings around me have me thinking about my favorite blog topic again- marriage.  And while I generally shy away from giving marital advice there are a couple things I’ve learned from my own marriages and those of people around me that I do want to share.  Certainly those readers yet to be married or newlyweds are the audience I’m most targeting here, but everyone wants to have a solid, happy marriage and what better why to improve your own than seeing what works for others?

So, here are my Top 3 Tips for a Happy Marriage

13 Have separate checking accounts.  OR, have a joint account for bills where each partner contributes a set amount, and whatever is left over is yours to do with as you please.  Or have some other system that allows each person to have some agreed upon amount of money they can spend exactly as they see fit without having to get any input from their spouse.  This is generally the only advise I actually share at weddings or engagement parties because I am so adamant about its importance to household happiness.

#2 Going to bed angry is OK.  In fact, sometimes it’s the smartest thing you can do.  It’s amazing how much clearer things appear after you sleep on them and both had time to cool off.  And as a wise man once advised me “You never have to apologize for something terrible you didn’t say.”  

#3 It’s OK to “divide and conquer”.  Yes, you want your significant other to be with you- why else would you have gotten married in the first place?  But if you have multiple invitations for the same date there is nothing wrong with occasionally deciding to have each person going to their first choice event and then meeting up back at home afterwards.  Changes are you will each enjoy yourselves more than if you’d drug your honey somewhere they really didn’t want to go anyway.  You are partners, not Siamese twins.

What are your tips for a happy, lasting marriage?  I’d love to hear them!