Your big day
has come and gone and the honeymoon is over. You're looking
forward to living your new life as a married couple. Most
couples feel that marriage gives them a closer bond and
sense of commitment. They feel more like a family than they
did prior to marriage, even if they lived together.
Just as you may experience
post-wedding blues, your parents will probably feel a little
bit down when it's all over. They worked hard and their
emotions ran the gamut with you while you prepared for your
wedding. All the excitement ended rather suddenly, perhaps
leaving them a little depressed.
Send a postcard or give them a
quick call while you're away on your honeymoon. When you
return, invite them over for a special dinner at your new
home. Let them be involved while you open your gifts. When
you receive the proofs from the photographer, look through
them together. Put together a special album for each set of
parents so they have a memento from your big day. This
period of post-wedding blues usually doesn't last longer
than a few weeks. Be sensitive to parents' feelings and
needs at this time.
WEDDING
GIFTS
Keep the gifts that you will use and gifts like china and
crystal that you want to save for future entertaining even
if it means having to store it. You'll appreciate it years
from now.
Of course, you'll have some gifts
that you know you don't like and will never use. Return
these gifts if the giver will not know. Get credit at the
store where it was purchased and purchase the items you
really want.
HOUSE
HUNTING
The decision about where you will live after you are married
is a reflection of your taste and your style. Should you
make you home in a high-rise or a single-family dwelling?
Should you buy or rent?
The three things you need to consider in choosing your new
home:
1. Location. Do you want to live downtown or in the 'burbs?
Do you want to be close to work, relatives or recreational
facilities?
2. Cost. As a general rule, plan to spend no more than 35%
of your combined gross monthly income on dwelling costs and
expenses for existing debts.
3. Lifestyle. If you entertain frequently you'll want lots
of space. A gourmet cook requires a large kitchen. If you
are into fitness, the required facilities should be in the
building or nearby.
4. Design. What large pieces of furniture do you have to
accommodate? What quantity of electrical outlets do you
require?
Don't assume that you cannot move
directly into your own home after you are married. There are
real estate agents out there who have some very creative
plans for getting you into an affordable home right after
you return from the honeymoon. There is at least one bridal
home registry program that makes it possible for your
friends and family to contribute to the cost of your first
home together.
