married life

What You Should Know About Remarriage

Life can be strange and unpredictable. While many people dream of sharing forever with their one true love, sometimes marriages come to an end, either through divorce or death. Some are fortunate to find another love worth committing to through matrimony, especially much later in life. In many places, Canada included, stigmas surrounding remarriage are going away. If you’re lucky enough to marry a second time and want to celebrate with loved ones, here are some details worth your consideration.

Informing Your People

With a first wedding, couples are usually enthusiastic about making announcements to loved ones, either through word of mouth or sending save-the-date notices. How you let people know about your upcoming nuptials may be different the second time around. If you have children, especially from the previous union, you should let them know first. A new marriage can be a lot to process, regardless of your children’s ages. Be sure to let other friends and family members know also. You can choose to inform an ex-spouse, but be mindful of how that might impact that relationship as well as those of your children and mutual loved ones.

Inviting Who You Want

Speaking of ex-spouses, you should know that you’re free to invite anyone to your big day. As we get older, our relationships change. Some people fall out of our lives, and we form new bonds with new people. You don’t have to invite everyone who was at the first ceremony. No two couples will be the same, so your guest list should be what you and your partner decide.

Making It Your Own

A remarriage is entirely what you and your future spouse make of it. You absolutely can have the things you may or may not have had the first time around, such as a wedding shower, a bachelor/bachelorette party, a white gown and other customs. Solemnizing a union should be a joyous occasion, even if it’s not the first time. There’s wisdom in believing that how you start a thing can set the tone. If you and your partner want to go big, do so. It’s your wedding and you’ll fly if you want to!

Bringing the Kids

Including your children and your spouse’s children in the ceremony is important. It’s a great way to involve them and reinforce the idea that you still love them even if you’ve found someone new. Consider having the kids participate in the ceremony as part of the wedding processional or by doing something special like reading a poem or a passage from a religious text or favorite book. A child giving a toast to the newlyweds at the reception is also a nice touch.

Putting Together a Gift Registry

Couples who are marrying again are welcome to create a gift registry. Remember that gifts are a way for those near and dear to celebrate you and your love. If you go this route, consider items that are best suited for you and your future spouse’s life together. Don’t feel pressured to request things like flatware if you already have a great set. Consider including items at different price ranges so others can participate without undue financial burden. Be aware that some people may not buy presents, especially if they bought ones before.

Minding Your Venue

You and your partner may want to marry according to a particular religious tradition. Some sects may forbid second marriages. It’s important to confirm with the officiant as well as a church or faith institution that remarriage is allowed. Some faiths may require you to take additional steps before you can remarry.

Getting a second chance at marital bliss is something to be celebrated. No matter the reasons for the first union’s demise, you should feel free to have a second marriage according to your and your spouse’s preferences. Make your second big day everything you want it to be with those you cherish.

Things To Look For When Buying a Family Car

As a newly wedded couple, you’ve promised to move forward in life together. As part of the pledge you’ve made to one another, you will face major decisions as a pair. One of these decisions may involve choosing a family car. Whether you already have children to transport or will in the near future, you will likely require a vehicle that accommodates the needs of an active family. You’ll need to consider the usual items such as price point, fuel economy, maintenance costs and reliability, to name a few. Here are some considerations for you to chew on.

Prioritizing Space in a Car

It goes without saying that the more people in your household, the more room you’ll need in a family car. That sports-car coupe with the convertible top may have worked when you were single, but now you likely need an automobile that comes with more space. Over the past years, wagons, minivans and sports utility vehicles have been the autos of choice for those looking for a people hauler. Larger vehicles such as minivans and SUVs usually have second and third rows for carrying your smallest and most precious cargo. Look for autos with second and third rows that are not only spacious but also easy to get into for loading and unloading the kiddos.

In addition to carrying passengers, the best family vehicles also include ample cargo space. From hauling groceries to feed an entire family to transporting luggage and essentials for a road trip, the trunk or cargo area is important, so you’ll want to check to make sure it’s adequate. On some SUVs, there will be a trade-off between leg space in a back row and the cargo area.

Putting Safety First

Because you’ll be transporting the ones you love, it’s important to look for vehicles that have high safety ratings. A quick internet search can help you see the specific ratings for a certain vehicle make and model. Not only should you make note of safety performance, but you should also look for features that make a family car safer to operate:

  • Side airbags: Cushions that deploy in the event of a collision
  • Blind spot monitoring system: Warns you of cars that are in the blind spots of your side mirrors
  • Lane keeping or lane departure warning: Notifies you that the car is drifting into another lane or actively steers the car to stay in a lane
  • Forward collision monitoring and alerting: Alerts you of a potential rear-end collision and may apply brakes to prevent a crash
  • Tire pressure monitoring: Notifies you when tire pressure is below the recommended level
  • Adaptive headlights: Headlights that turn in the direction of steering for improved roadway illumination
  • Rearview camera: Shows a wide view of what’s behind you when the car is put into reverse

Other features such as facial recognition, proximity sensors and other types of cameras help boost the safety performance of some vehicles. Automotive technology is always evolving, especially with respect to safety. The latest features may inspire you to go with a new family car over a pre-owned option.

Checking for Kid-Friendly Features

Have you ever struggled to install a car seat in a vehicle? Not all backseats are created equal when it comes to seat belt configurations. If you have more than one young child, you may find that some cars don’t cut it with respect to multiple car seats or booster chairs. Many newer vehicles will check to see if a rear door has been opened and send a warning to check for a child or pet when the engine stops.

The right family automobile is out there. It’s important to find something that works for you and your household. In addition to your budget and gas mileage, pay special attention to the interior space, safety features and kid-friendly details when narrowing your options.

Tips for Surviving Your First Year of Marriage

The first year of marriage can be a tricky one. Thankfully, surviving it with your partner is not a complicated endeavor. Consider these tips.

The first year of marriage can be a tricky one. Thankfully, surviving it with your partner is not a complicated endeavor. Consider these tips.

The time leading up to your wedding can be a chaotic period. With so much planning to do, you may not consider what life will be like after you’ve tied the knot. The first year of marriage can be a tricky one. There are a number of adjustments you are going to need to make in order to accommodate your new status as a couple. Thankfully, surviving the first year of marriage is not a complicated endeavor. Consider these tips to gain a little bit of insight on how to make this year an enriching one.

Conflicts Will Happen

It stands to reason that you and your significant other have already gotten into a few fights before deciding to get married. Conflict is a natural part of any relationship. For some reason, however, many couples become a lot more concerned about arguments after getting married. Though it may feel like fighting is going to put you on the path to divorce, this isn’t the case. How you handle the conflicts, however, can and will dictate the future of your relationship. Learn to pick and choose your battles. This is the best way to avoid unnecessary squabbles.

Communicate

A great way to reduce conflicts and enjoy your first year of marriage is by communicating. More often than not, problems in a relationship develop when two people are no longer on the same page. Unfortunately, it is easy to fall into the wrong habits with your spouse. When you both work long days, you may not feel like discussing relationship topics when you’re together after work. This might force you to push off issues that need attention. By focusing on open communication, you and your significant other will be able to understand where the other is coming from.

Be a Partner

During your first year together, you and your spouse will be learning how to properly support each other. Understanding how to be an actual partner to your significant other is a process of trial and error. Everyone has different needs and emotional requirements when it comes to relationships. The way you prefer to be comforted when you’re upset may be very different than what your spouse requires. The trick is paying attention and understanding the best way to provide support when it is needed from you.

Include Family

Marrying a person means you are marrying his or her entire family. This can often be a point of contention. If either of you has intense family members who cause a lot of drama or are very needy, you can’t take it out on each other. Keep communication open and mention when you feel like a family member is being too much. You also need to be receptive to criticism from your significant other about your own family. Be mindful of the way your relatives behave and the demands they place on your relationship.

Stay Physical

Physical contact is wildly important to keeping a relationship alive and healthy. While you don’t need to have sex every night, it can be good to try and be physical with one another when possible. Endless studies have shown a consistent sex life can keep the fire burning in a relationship. Get into a groove that makes sense for your own schedules during the first year of marriage, and learn how to keep romance alive for years to come.

Practice Patience

Finally, learn how to practice patience. People who are slow to anger are usually a lot easier to deal with. If you fly off the handle at every little thing, it will only cause unneeded stress in your relationship.

Surviving your first year of marriage is no small venture. Get into the right habits by following these tips, and you will be able to discover the best way to keep your love alive.