Singaporebrides | Relationships
January 2022
10 Simple and Fun Ways For Newlyweds to Maintain and Strengthen Their Bond
Follow these simple and fun ways to bond with your love during your married years.
We all know marriage requires hard work and effort to keep the love alive. As newlyweds settle into married life and get too comfortable living with one another, they risk falling into a marriage rut where they no longer feel excitement for each other or start to drift apart due to various reasons. As alarming as this sounds, this is completely normal.
As a newlywed, you should know that every married couple has gone through a rut at least once in their marriage, and so will you. Most of the time, it doesn’t mean that there is something seriously wrong with your relationship. It simply means that both of you have to make a conscious effort to maintain the bond with your partner and keep your relationship thriving.
To help newlyweds keep the spark alive and strengthen their bond with their partners, we’ve put together a list of 10 simple and fun ways to help couples maintain and strengthen their bond with one another.
1. Go for a relaxing spa session or create your very own at home
Emily and Jun He’s Wild and Breathtaking Pre-Wedding Adventure in The Faroe Islands by Synchronal Photography
Spa sessions are a great way to relax your mind and body, so why not treat yourself and your spouse to an hour or two of complete relaxation and indulgence away from the hustle and bustle of daily life?The calming session will help soothe your nerves and emotions, allowing both of you to connect and love with a more open and receptive frame of mind.
Alternatively, you can create your very own at-home spa and have fun while doing so. Designate a corner of your new home for the activity and set it up with spa-like must-haves, such as relaxing spa music, a dimmed environment surrounded by some candles (scented or otherwise, you decide!) or fairy lights and massage oils.
Take turns giving a massage to each other, and who knows, this activity might lead to another fun yet bonding activity in the bedroom!
2. Cook a meal or go for cooking lessons together
Janice and Glenn’s Stunning Pre-Wedding Shoot in Cappadocia, Turkey by Kursat Acar and White Grandeur
They say, the way to a man’s (or woman’s) heart is through his (or her) stomach, so why not whip up a meal together with your partner instead of letting him or her do all the work in the kitchen by themselves?
Cooking is an excellent bonding activity for couples, even if both of you aren’t great cooks. This easy-to-execute activity is a great idea for couples to spend time with each other, interacting and working together to complete a dish. You can start with making pancakes and eggs for an at-home weekend brunch date, or if you are adept in the kitchen or simply adventurous, you can try out more challenging recipes.
When you’ve successfully completed the meal, the fun and experience you’ve had together will make your relationship stronger and the meal more delicious. Or, if things don’t work out in the kitchen, at least you had fun together; you can always order food back home or head out together for food.
Alternatively, you can sign you and your spouse up for some cooking lessons if you aren’t too confident about being in the kitchen on your own. Learning a new skill together and how to work together as a team will bring you closer to your spouse and strengthen your bond with one another.
3. Always make it a rule to eat together
Shi Yun and Darren’s Hiking Pre-Wedding Shoot on Coney Island by Happyphotopeople
There are some who say that a couple who eats together, stays together, and I couldn’t agree more. Meal times are an opportunity for us to spend some quality time with our favourite people amidst our busy schedules.
You and your spouse can make use of meal times to catch up with each other’s day while enjoying food that both of you love. Make a pact to keep your phones away from the dining table so you can focus on and connect with each other without the constant distraction of answering a text or browsing social media.
4. Turn chores into a fun activity that you do together
Celine and Marcus’s Taekwondo Pre-Wedding Shoot with Z Wedding by Chris Ling International
Now, we all know that household chores is a subject that causes the most arguments and disagreements in a marriage. But, did you know that it can also help strengthen a bond between a couple?
Rather than assigning who does what chores, why not work together and do them as a team? Your partner can wash the dishes while you dry them, or you can hang the freshly done laundry while he keeps the dry ones. Make the best out of the time spent on doing chores by spending that time together, talking about your day and interacting with one another, or put on your favourite playlist and jive to some of your favourite tunes, turning your chores into something fun to do.
5. Get intimate with your spouse
Amelia and William’s Dreamy Destination Pre-Wedding Adventure in Indonesia by Fire, Wood & Earth
Whether it is cuddling, kissing, getting into a shower together or making love, getting intimate with your spouse is essential to your bond with one another. Through a simply hug or kiss, the levels of oxytocin, the love hormone, in your body increases, resulting in a surge of positive emotions.
This surge of positive emotions will deepen the love and connection you have for each other, bringing you closer and heightens the need for more intimacy. That is why couples who engage in frequenters acts of intimacy such as kissing or lovemaking tend to enjoy a higher level of marital satisfaction due to a stronger emotional and physical bond with each other.
Being intimate with your spouse is also a way of saying “I love you” without words and nothing feels better than the feeling of being loved. So, cuddle and kiss away!
6. Make time for pillow talk every night
Audrie and Eugene’s Dreamy Pre-Wedding Shoot by Smittenpixels Photography
It has been said time and again that communication is the key to a successful marriage, and a couple who keeps talking to each other is more likely to get closer over the years than one who stops communicating with one another as time goes by.
Think back to the early days when you’ve just started dating. Remember how you would tell each other every little detail of your day and stay up late just to talk to one another on the phone, even if you have nothing to say? That’s what you need to keep doing even after you’re married to strengthen your bond with your partner.
Make a pact to go to bed at the same time every day or a few days every week and slot in some time for pillow talk before you fall asleep. Bedtime is a great time for you to catch up with the going-ons in your lives because you’ll start to relax as you prepare to wind down for the night, snuggled right next to your love as you bond over the day’s happenings.
Talking about serious matters such as financial matters or your plans for the future is also equally important, so don’t neglect to talk about these with your spouse. Make time to communicate your thoughts on these matters so that both of you are on the same page and can work as a team to achieve your goals.
7. Learn to enjoy each other’s hobbies, or pick up a new one together
Stephanie and Li Ming’s Rustic Wanderlust Styled Pre-Wedding Shoot in Coney Island by Bridelope Productions
Joining your spouse in an activity that he or she loves doing is a great way of expressing your love and spending more time with him or her. It shows that you care enough about them to want to learn how to enjoy their hobby together, even if you would rather spend the time doing something else.
While you’re at it, you get to spend quality time with your love and pick up new skills and experiences along the way. And if it gets tough, you know your partner will be there to support and guide you along.
Alternatively, you can both pick up a new hobby together. Pick something that both of you have not done before, such as joining a cooking lesson or go indoor rock climbing together, and bond over the shared experience of embarking on a new adventure and learning something new together, creating another set of memories that you’ll look back fondly on.
8. Try something new together
Elaine and Gabriel’s Gorgeous Pre-Wedding Adventure in Sumba by Darren and Jade Photography
Remember that rush of excitement and the happiness that coursed through your entire being when you went on your first date, watched a movie or went on a holiday together for the first time? All those first experiences you and your spouse went through together played a part in strengthening the emotional bond and attachment you have for one another.
However, all first experiences will eventually become routine in your marriage, which is why it is important for couples to constantly look for something new to do with their spouse so that they can continue experiencing firsts and bond with one another over shared adventures and experiences.
It doesn’t need to be something big or radical. You can start small, like going to a concert together or go backpacking on your next holiday. Depending on the activity, you and your spouse may discover new sides of yourselves and fall in love with one another all over again.
9. Always keep a night free for date night
Chloe Choo and Tan Choon Yan’s Cool, Urban Pre-Wedding Shoot by Pixioo
Regardless of how long you’ve been married or whether you have children or not, you should always set aside time for date night with your spouse. Unlike your pre-wedding or pre-children days, it doesn’t need to be anything fancy (or, it can be, if you want it to!). The aim of having a date night is for you and your spouse to connect and continue bonding with one another without any distraction (yes, that means no phones or laptops, or little ones!).
So, whether that means a dinner date at the nearest hawker centre or snuggled up in your love’s arms for a binge fest on Netflix, always remember to keep a night free to bond and reconnect with your spouse to keep the passion alive in your marriage.
10. Travel together and experience new adventures as a couple
Ivy and Julius’s Epic Mountaintop Pre-Wedding Shoot on Trolltunga, Norway by Juan from Juanmoleyfotologue
Travelling together is one of the best ways to bond with your spouse and keep the spark alive in your marriage. Going on a holiday will bring you and your spouse closer to one another as you explore new places and share exciting adventures and experiences together.
It will also give you quality time away from the usual humdrum of daily life, allowing you to focus on and prioritise each other and the experience in front of you, away from distractions like work and electronic devices.
While travelling is one of the best ways to bond with your spouse over an exciting and new experience, it is not the only way to do so. Where travel is out of the question, you can still spend undisrupted quality time and bond with your partner without a passport.
Aim to create an opportunity where you and your spouse can bond over a shared experience or adventure and spend quality time with one another without any distractions. It can be as simple as going cafe-hopping across the island every weekend, or trying a new activity such as hiking or cycling that’ll allow you to discover new sceneries, places and adventures that you can enjoy together and bond over.
At the end of the day, it doesn’t matter what you do to bond and reconnect with your partner. As long as you are making an effort to spend quality time with one another, your bond with each other will get stronger and better as the years go by.
Feature image from Stephanie and Li Ming’s Rustic Wanderlust Styled Pre-Wedding Shoot in Coney Island by Bridelope Productions
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