Marriage: The Beginning of the Beautiful Journey of Two Souls
Many believe that the first year of marriage is one of the hardest. Promote a strong and happy married life by going over your vows with your spouse and digging deep into the real meaning behind them.
What are vows for marriage? This is a dialogue between you and your spouse designed to strengthen your marriage. Some couples choose to write their own vows while others go with the traditional promises.
Traditional vows often go something like this: “I [NAME], take you [NAME], to be my lawfully wedded husband/wife. To have and to hold, from this day forward, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, to love and to cherish, ‘till death do us part. I pledge myself to you.”
Too often, couples view these words as a mere tradition and don’t pay attention to what they are actually saying to one another.
Here is a deeper look at how important wedding vows are to your marriage.
I Take You to Have and to Hold
By saying these words, you are telling your spouse that when it comes to loyalty and companionship, you belong to one another.
To hold also implies a physical connection that is special between partners.
Science and research back up the importance of physical intimacy in marriage. This intimacy exists both in and outside the bedroom.
Studies show that feeling the touch of someone you love lowers stress, whether it’s during sex or while holding hands. Further research indicates that the oxytocin released during lovemaking increases trust and builds strong bonds between partners.
As stated above, physical intimacy is more than just having sex. True physical intimacy involves being affectionate with one another regularly. This boosts oxytocin and marital satisfaction.
Studies show that physical affection is strongly related to partner satisfaction. This includes giving or receiving massages, cuddling, hugging, kissing on the lips or face, and caressing.
The more physically intimate couples are, the more love they feel for one another. This makes it so important to live up to the vow of being intimate together.
I Pledge Myself to You
Part of your vows for marriage means promising to stay together forever.
Having a happy married life isn’t a given. It takes hard work, love, and determination to make a marriage work.
By pledging yourself to your partner you have made a solemn vow before your friends, family, and by law.
Strive to be honest with one another in your marriage, even when it’s hard. This creates an excellent backbone for your relationship built on trust and respect.
There will be many times when other desires may get in the way of spending time together.
But, pledging yourself to one another also means putting your marriage first. Doing so shows you treasure your spouse and the bond you have created.
Vows are more than just a collection of words you say to each other, they are a promise to your spouse. Through your vows you promise to love your partner through the good and bad for as long as you both shall live. Reflecting on your vows will contribute to a happy married life.
Author Bio: The author is a relationship expert with years of experience in training and helping couples. Her mission is to provide inspiration, support and empowerment to everyone on their journey to a great marriage. She is a featured writer for Marriage.com that supports healthy happy marriages.
