
Before we start, let me tell you a small story about how I came up with this topic.
One day, my girlfriend sent me a post with five questions to answer. One of them asked, “What’s a tradition you want us to start after marriage?” I answered all the questions, and we laughed and talked about them for a while.
The next day, she told me she really liked that question and suggested I should write a blog about it. I loved the idea as it felt unique and meaningful.
It isn’t a compulsion to start these traditions after the marraige but I’ve often heard people say that after marriage, love starts to fade — life becomes routine, predictable, and a little dull. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Starting a few small, meaningful traditions as a couple can keep the love, laughter, and connection alive for years to come.
So here I am, turning that one sweet question into a full blog post!
1. Getting something to your partner every month:
Now before we begin I want to clear that by giving a gift I’m not saying going extravagant and buying something expensive.
It could be a handwritten letter or something your partner mentioned while you were having a conversation.
Always remember happiness is enjoying little things in life.
Making it a habit to give your partner a small gift every month maybe something they like, a handwritten note, a bouquet, or a little treat, keeps showing “I’m thinking about you” even when life gets routine.
Research shows that generosity between spouses is strongly linked with higher marital happiness: couples who reported high generosity were five times more likely to say their marriage was very happy.
Another study of gift-giving found that thoughtful gifts (especially those reflecting the giver’s knowledge of the partner) enhance closeness more than generic ones.
Just remember you’re gifting not because you have to, or because it’s for the sake of it, but because you want to.
2. Traveling to a new place once a month:
One beautiful tradition a married couple can adopt is traveling together to a new place once a month even if it’s nearby, just somewhere different from your everyday routine.
When you escape the familiar, you create fresh experiences, laughter, surprises and memories together, all of which keep the spark alive.
Travel also allows you to face small challenges together like navigating a new city, planning a route, adapting when things don’t go as expected and this builds mutual support and deeper connection.
Research shows that couples who travel together report stronger emotional bonds and more romance: one survey found that over 80% of couples who vacation together said their romance was still strong.
Moreover, stepping away from the everyday chores and expectations gives you uninterrupted just-us time, which psychologists say reduces stress and rekindles togetherness.
By making this a monthly tradition, you signal to each other that we’re still exploring life together, still curious and excited.
3. Turning your hobby into a way to express love:
When you take a hobby you love and bring your partner into it or share it with them, you’re doing more than just having fun; you’re building connection.
Now I’ll give you my example. I love to cook, and more importantly, I love to cook for my babe. whether it is something that she likes or something I want her to try.
Now, if you don’t know how to cook, which I suggest you should, then you’ve got to be creative and find out what’s romantic about your hobby.
For example-
- If you’re learning an instrument, then choose a song and play it for her. Even if it’s not the whole song, it’s okay; what matters is your efforts.
- If you’re a dancer, then grab her hand, put another on her waist, and dance to slow music with her, and make sure you hold eye contact.
- If you love reading, then read something to her. Your favourite plot from a book or a poetry, whatever it is, just make sure she’s involved.
- If you love to plant, then plant a tree of her favourite flower, and if that’s not possible, then any flower, and once the flower blooms, you can proudly give that to her.
- If you’re a gamer then challenge her to a race or shooting game.
Whatever your hobby is, make sure that she is involved.
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Studies show that when couples engage in shared hobbies they boost emotional intimacy, create memorable experiences, and strengthen their bond.
For example, one article notes that couples who explore new activities together rekindle the “spark” by activating the same brain circuits as early courtship.
4. Looking after each other’s parents:
I know this is a no-brainer, but in today’s world it is a necessity.
It’s not only you two that are getting married, but two families are getting married.
When you both commit to supporting one another’s parents whether that means visiting, helping with small tasks, or just being respectful and involved, you’re sending a strong message of unity and care.
That shared responsibility shows you’re not just a pair, but a team that honours both families.
Research shows that when couples have positive, balanced involvement with parents and in‐laws, it can boost marital quality and life satisfaction for both partners.
So making the effort to look after each other’s parents not as an obligation, but as a shared tradition of care — becomes a meaningful way to keep your marriage strong, inclusive, respectfully rooted in both your families, and full of warmth.
I’m not saying that you’ve to live with your in-laws because I know how difficult, not for all btw, that is by the experiences I’ve seen and heard. Just a phone call once or twice a week wouldn’t do you any harm.
5. Making sure that premarriage you = postmarriage you:
When you said Yes, you brought your values, your habits, your dreams and your sense of you into the marriage.
Starting a tradition that affirms “this person I am, I remain” means you don’t drift into someone you don’t recognise.
Studies show that many newly-married people experience real shifts in their personality traits and identity in the first months of marriage, which can affect how happy they are.
One long-term study found that during the first 18 months of marriage, husbands and wives both showed changes: for example husbands became more conscientious, wives became less neurotic, and both began to show declines in some social traits like agreeableness.
If you lose sight of you in the marriage, you risk the spark fading as you become just “a spouse” and not “you as you were”.
So by building a simple tradition that honours your identity and then sharing it with your partner, you keep alive the person you were before marriage which keeps your “us” vibrant too.
Thank you for reading.
Would love to hear your opinion and any other points other than these in the comments.
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This post was previously published on medium.com.
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Photo credit: Artem Beliaikin On Unsplash
