| Marriage vows are tremendously important to the | | | | You will discover that happy marriages are built on |
| success of your marriage. Your marriage vows | | | | effort, commitment and love. Being 'in love' is largely |
| embody the emotional, physical and mental | | | | a result of that inner explosion of feel-good |
| commitment between you and your partner and | | | | neurochemicals that occurs when two people are |
| mustn't be taken lightly. As you contemplate and | | | | attracted to each other. Over time this spontaneous |
| research marriage ceremonies and vows remember | | | | 'chemistry' between couples can dilute if left to its |
| that it is not so much the words that are important, | | | | own devices. You both have to work at |
| but the intent behind them. Here are 3 ways to | | | | re-stimulating this chemistry. Love starts as an |
| guarantee that your marriage vows support you | | | | adjective, describing the spontaneous state of Love |
| through a lifetime of married love, passion and | | | | between you, but it must continue as a verb, as |
| romance.... | | | | something you both consciously do to and for each |
| The power of the vow | | | | other. Remember this when you make your marriage |
| Marriage is the joining of two separate people in a | | | | vows to each other. Picture a future in which you |
| shared love relationship of mutual support. Most | | | | both work at loving, cherishing and respecting each |
| marriages result from feelings of attraction and love | | | | other. You will need to get creative and put on your |
| and a desire for a permanent union but long-term | | | | thinking cap to do new things and keep the |
| marriage success requires a true commitment. In | | | | relationship fresh and exciting. Couples who embrace |
| traditional marriage vows, the happy couple make | | | | this responsibility enjoy deep abiding marriages. The |
| promises to each other to the affect that they will | | | | initial stages of a romance are indeed wonderful and |
| care for and support each other through thick and | | | | the love feels so good. But it is nothing compared to |
| thin. Some modern marriage vows contain too many | | | | the deeper love achieved by a married couple who |
| escape clauses and read like a complex business | | | | have loved consciously and given their full attention |
| contract with many stipulated conditions. I advise | | | | to each other by working their marriage vows |
| against weakening your marriage vow in any way. | | | | everyday through a lifetime. |
| Make a real promise to each other. Acknowledge | | | | How to be married happily ever after... |
| that there will be difficult times ahead. But make that | | | | So many marriages falter and fail. Sometimes it |
| promise that you will do your utmost to love no | | | | seems like everyone you know has experienced |
| matter what. Remember that a vow is something | | | | divorce either personally or by proxy. It's scary |
| more than a promise. It is of the heart and of your | | | | contemplating marriage in a world where so many |
| very spirit. A real vow is unbreakable. To break it is | | | | marriages end in divorce and painful separations. |
| to break yourself. Forge your marriage with vows of | | | | What can you do to be different? Researchers |
| that strength. And just imagine what it will mean to | | | | interviewed long-term married couples who described |
| you and your partner to hear that intention when | | | | themselves as 'very happily married'. It turns out that |
| you speak your vows to each other. It gives | | | | this top 1% of couples had unique love strategies and |
| tremendous strength to a marriage. | | | | relationship secrets that they used daily to ensure a |
| Putting YOU into the vows | | | | lifetime of wedded bliss. You now understand the |
| Making your marriage vows personal and important | | | | importance of living by your marriage vows and |
| to you ensures that you can speak them with feeling | | | | 'loving' as something that you do consciously. Why |
| and commitment. If using a traditional marriage vow | | | | not not make it easier to create a super marriage |
| script, make sure you get a copy of it ahead of time | | | | though? You can learn from these mentors and |
| and study it. Look at the words together and discuss | | | | shortcut your learning curve. Imagine having the |
| what they mean to you. Really get into the spirit of | | | | collective marriage wisdom of hundreds of couples. |
| the words so that you attain a deeper understanding | | | | These unique marriage-enhancing strategies have |
| of what they mean and signify. Contemplate how | | | | been compiled for you in The 50 Secrets to Blissful |
| you will apply these marriage vows in the future and | | | | Relationships. |
| visualise them carrying you through a lifetime of | | | | Now you can be one of those couples whose |
| wedded bliss. If you have decided to write your own | | | | marriages thrive and go from strength to strength. |
| wedding vows, make sure that you personalise but | | | | Or you can leave it to chance and risk becoming |
| not trivialise the vows. Think of your wedding vows | | | | another divorce statistic. It makes sense to get the |
| as a magic spell that require great attention to the | | | | advice of those who are succeeding in love already. |
| ingredients. Make sure your marriage ceremony vows | | | | The 50 Secrets of Blissful Relationships empowers |
| embody the total loving commitment that you are | | | | you with the strategies to back up the promises you |
| promising each other. And when you come to speak | | | | make in your wedding vows. I'm so happy to wish |
| them on your happy day, do so with full awareness | | | | you a lifetime of wedded bliss and know that you |
| of their great significance. | | | | can achieve that. With love. |
| Working your marriage vows | | | | |