First Year of Marriage Quotes
The first year of marriage is filled with excitement, change, discovery and at times, apprehension. Newlyweds experience an emotional rollercoaster as they navigate the uncharted waters of their first year together as a married couple.
From learning to live together and merging different lifestyles to balancing new responsibilities and overcoming unforeseen challenges, the first 365 days set the tone for the rest of their married lives.
Here are some insightful, humorous, and encouraging quotes about the first year of marriage to chronicle the ups and downs of the memorable first year.
Overcoming Differences and Adjusting to Married Life
“The first year of marriage is still all about compromise. You’re both still learning about each other’s peccadilloes.” – Billy Crystal
Adjusting to married life brings a fair share of surprises. Spouses may discover new things about each other – quirks, habits and preferences – that require understanding and, sometimes, compromise. As Billy Crystal’s quote points out, the first year involves plenty of give-and-take from both parties.
“The first year of marriage is the hardest. It’s the year that you have to learn how to be married.” – Unknown
Early marriage requires couples to navigate uncharted territory as they learn how to “do” marriage. Spouses must learn skills like communication, conflict resolution, showing affection, and supporting each other. The lessons learned in year one pave the way for better partnerships.
“The most important thing in a relationship is not the first two years when everything is roses. It’s the next eighty when the roses die and turn into thorns.” – Unknown
This quote emphasizes that while the first year feels exciting and new, the real test of a marriage is not the honeymoon phase, but the commitment to stay together for better or worse in the years ahead. Successful marriages depend on how couples deal with hardships after the bliss subsides.
Laughing Through the Struggles
“My advice to you after the wedding is don’t expect perfection. Marriage is about becoming responsible for another human being, through thick and thin, good and bad. It’s harder than you think, but it’s also more wonderful than you think.” – Maria Shriver
Legendary journalist and First Lady of California Maria Shriver shares that amidst the effort it takes to make marriage work, there are incredible rewards. Her advice offers wisdom that no marriage is perfect, but embracing the journey together makes it worthwhile.
“The first year of marriage is the hardest. It’s the year that you have to learn how to be married.” – Unknown
Early marriage requires couples to navigate uncharted territory as they learn how to “do” marriage. Spouses must learn skills like communication, conflict resolution, showing affection, and supporting each other. The lessons learned in year one pave the way for better partnerships.
“Save your marriage first and everything else second…Your marriage often comes first, because everything else hinges on it.” – Dave Willis
Author Dave Willis reminds couples that amidst the pressures and distractions of careers, family demands, or other obligations, marriage should take priority. Protecting the union that holds everything together must come first.
Finding Deeper Intimacy and Purpose
“The first year of marriage is essentially a transition period where couples go from knowing each other from the outside to knowing each other from the inside.” – Yvonne Allen
Dating couples know each other to a degree, but living life together as newlyweds offers deeper understanding of the other person’s inner self – their beliefs, dreams, fears and truths. Relationship expert Yvonne Allen notes that the first year is when spouses gain real intimacy.
“The purpose of marriage is not to have pleasure and to be served, but to serve and to please God.” – John Piper
While worldly perspectives on marriage focus on finding happiness and satisfaction between spouses, Christian teacher John Piper offers a different take. He says marriage’s real intent is to selflessly love, honor and serve each other while living out God’s design.
Looking to the Years Ahead
“Learn to calm down and realize marriage is for the long term; it’s a marathon not a sprint.” -Cathy Meyer
Divorce recovery coach Cathy Meyer uses a sports analogy to encourage patience over impulsiveness. Just as marathon runners pace themselves, spouses should take a long view rather than expecting instant perfection.
“The first year of marriage puts the fun into confetti.” – Unknown
Though cryptic, this clever quote compares the celebratory confetti thrown at weddings to the ups and downs of the first year. While weddings are joyful, marriage brings responsibility and challenges too. But there is also fun when newlyweds take life’s hurdles in stride.
Learning Each Other’s Love Languages
“The 5 Love Languages changed my marriage. I was speaking French and Brady was speaking German.” – Gwen Stefani
Musician Gwen Stefani notes how she and her husband Blake Shelton struggled to connect at first because they expressed affection differently. Like learning a foreign language, understanding a spouse’s “love language” takes time.
Embracing Each Other’s Differences
“It’s very difficult to live successfully with a person day in, day out, and for a relationship to continue being magical if you can’t nurture each other through the differences.” – Shelby Steele
This quote from writer Shelby Steele highlights the importance of accepting each other despite differences in personalities, communication styles, interests, etc. Nurturing the relationship through compromise allows the “magic” to continue.
Learning to Have Fun Through Hard Times
“I think we dream so much of a fairy tale marriage that the minute things go wrong, we throw in the towel. That’s not what marriage is for. Marriage has to weather the storms.” – Kirk Cameron
Actor Kirk Cameron uses a compelling metaphor about marriage withstanding storms. Couples shouldn’t expect perfection or give up easily. Learning to enjoy life’s ups and downs together preserves the union.
Appreciating Our Partner’s Unique Qualities
“One advantage of marriage is that when you fall out of love with him or he falls out of love with you, it keeps you together until you maybe fall in again.” – Judith Viorst.
Humorist Judith Viorst makes light of the natural ups and downs even in healthy marriages. Her quote implies that if commitment remains despite fluctuating feelings, spouses can rediscover why they married.
Investing in Our Relationship
“A great marriage is not when the ‘perfect couple’ comes together. It is when an imperfect couple learns to enjoy their differences.” – Dave Meurer
Dave Meurer notes that great marriages don’t happen because two perfectly compatible people found each other. They happen when flawed, dissimilar individuals choose to celebrate each other anyway.
Conclusion:
The first twelve months of marriage overflows with special moments, meaningful milestones and character-building trials that lay the foundation for the rest of married life.
Taking stock of the memorable events through the lens of those who have been there offers wisdom and perspective. As the lighthearted and serious first year of marriage quotes illustrate, newlyweds go through marked transformation in identity, purpose and priorities with their spouse by their side.
Though the initial adjustment period can be difficult, embracing imperfection and understanding marriage’s higher mission makes the effort worthwhile.
When grounded in commitment, compassion and faith in the better times ahead, couples can learn to navigate conflict, express affection, enjoy intimacy and celebrate achievements during their first year as husband and wife. Each lesson and victory accrued together in year one collectively strengthens the marital team.
