We were so grateful for heaps of wise advice from couples who have lived and loved together for decades in V6, but the advice we collected from newlyweds was just as sweet. It gave our engaged readers butterflies of excitement for what was soon to come, and made our older couples smile with memories of their own just-married days. Victoria from Happily Ever Strader had been married for just ten months when V6 came out, and she and her husband recently celebrated their one-year anniversary! We love what she had to say about her first year of marriage.
Caroline Joy Photography
When our lives were joined in marriage, we established some habits that I hope will stick around for years to come. Our faith has been more practical and tangible to me in these mere months of marriage than ever before. For every decision we make, there is an opportunity to choose our selfish desires, or to choose wisdom and respect for each other and our beliefs. We get to make these decisions together for the first time. I pray that I’ll always remember the sweet joy I feel now when deciding even minor things like our grocery budget…because we share groceries, and because we are a “we.” It’s an overwhelming joy that I would encourage you to cherish and hold on to. Some topics to discuss with your new hubby include: how often you want to entertain, finances and budgeting, serving others together, making time for date nights, and really just establishing what is priority to you as a couple.
For my new role as a wife, the focus is thanksgiving. With almost one year of marriage under my belt, an odd moment that evokes gratitude for my husband is when I catch a glimpse of him in our bathroom. I will notice him shaving or brushing his teeth and I am still overwhelmed by the newness of it all. It catches me by surprise that we get the blessing of sharing the ordinary things of life. In these moments, I choose to smile, because I’m blessed to have a loving man in my bathroom, even if his beard hairs now litter the counter I just cleaned. I’m thankful, and that’s a practice that I want to continue for many years to come.
Katherine Klein Photography
Keep up with Victoria:
Blog: Happily Ever Strader
Facebook: Happily Ever Strader
Instagram: @VictoriaStrader
Twitter: @VictoriaStrader
So excited for you, sweet Victoria! I love your blog, your heart, and your sweet post about being newlyweds. I can say, 3 1/2 year later, it’s a joy and a blessing that my husband & I still have those butterflies.
Love this! Such a sweet couple and I love her blog. Being a newlywed myself I love to see couples that are a little bit ahead of me. Thanks for sharing. :)
Thank you for sharing, friend! There is great joy in never taking for granted even the smallest and most ordinary moments together.