Just married, now what?
You have just spent months (even years, gasp!) planning the most important day of your life and then that day came. And went. So, what now?
Many people start to feel a sort of post-wedding gloom and guess what, it’s a real thing says, experts! Studies show that couples often feel down or bored after the wedding, regardless of how the day went.
Laura Stafford, a professor and director of the Bowling Green State University’s School of Media and Communication, and Allison Scott Gordon, an associate professor at the University of Kentucky’s Department of Communication, have conducted two studies on depression, specifically concerning newly married women.
“In 2016 we looked at 28 women, half of whom said they felt sad or let down after their wedding,” Ms. Stafford told NYtimes.com. “These women were the center of attention, and planning a wedding takes up so much of your time, it would be weird to not feel some kind of let down.”
There are many reasons behind the emotional rollercoaster, from simply returning to everyday life or fears concerning the new role of being a spouse. So how do you move past the sadness and focus on an amazing day? Here are a few tips from past couples on how to beat the post-wedding blues.
Explore a new hobby like creating a new gym routine
Schedule the honeymoon for a month or two after the wedding. You won’t have to jet off the very next day and you’ll get to settle into your new life all while having another event to look forward to.
Use all of your newfound wedding planning spreadsheet skills in your professional life.
Give friends and family advice on their wedding planning.
Focus on creating your home together, from decorating to organizing.
Set weekly or monthly date nights with your new spouse.
Still feeling down? Don’t hesitate to reach out to someone, like a therapist, for help.
Did you experience any post-wedding slump? If so, what did you do to beat the blues?
Images by Lloyd Photographers
