Hannah & Brian • October 10, 2004

While we're away on honeymoon, I've scheduled a series of posts about happy marriages I know, the ones that inspire me and give me hope. You can read them all here.

On what day did you get married?

October 10, 2004 

What do you remember most from your wedding?

Brian: Being surrounded by people who loved and supported us; a sense of “arrival” as a couple.

Hannah: Having all of the little things come together the way that we had envisioned.

What is your advice for a happy and fulfilling marriage?

Be honest and open, obviously. Never stop communicating because you can’t actually read each others’ minds. Talk about problems as they arise and not months after the fact. The sooner you air your feelings, the faster the healing time will be.

Keep the big picture in mind. Your relationship is more than the small stuff, so try not to let the little things cloud your view. Your success as a couple doesn’t depend on your ability to fix all of your partner’s quirks and flaws. Remember that you were friends first, and when best friends don’t agree on something, they are still kind to each other.

Hold onto your sense of humor. This is supposed to be fun! 

Anything you know now that you wish you had known when you got married? 

This probably won’t be THE happiest day of your life, especially if you have children, but it’s going to be right up there, so enjoy every minute of it. Spend your money on the good photographer. Eat the delicious food at your reception. Don’t have your reception in your apartment and DO invite your extended family. They may never forgive you, even if you write them personal notes on actual paper, mailed via USPS, explaining your choice, and then invite them to the OTHER huge party you throw the following summer. Well, they may forgive you, but you’ll never hear the end of it.