The History of Marriage

The history of marriage reveals that until recently, the emotional health and well-being of a married couple ranked lower in priority than the bonds the marriage forged. Love had less to do with marriage historically than it does today, however, the shift from marrying for social, political or traditional reasons to romantic reasons changed the face of marriage in many ways.

History of Marriage
Historically, marriage created social unions designed to solidify relationships and align communities to a common purpose of establishing family structures. The idea of romantic love was widely embraced in literature and art of the Middle Ages and carried into the Victorian era, where many wedding and marriage traditions were solidified and adopted in the United States. These traditions include everything from why brides wear white gowns to the types of anniversary gifts that couples receive.

Happy Marriages
Most married couples believe that a happy marriage is important to them. Historically, marriage meant a social agreement between families, with little to no regard for how the bride and groom felt, whether before the wedding or subsequently. Today's marriages require emotional and physical nourishment for each person to feel that his or her needs are being fulfilled.

Affirmations of Love
One way to keep a marriage strong is to develop traditions and rituals that reinforce the bond of love and commitment. Couples should try to have a weekly date to spend quality time together without the distractions of work, children or stress. Giving a spouse a small token of love is another wonderful tradition, such as a love note in a lunch bag or holding hands during a walk. Modern marriages require these affirmations of love on a regular basis to stay strong.

Anniversary Traditions
Couples can reinforce their commitment to marriage vows by celebrating the anniversary of their wedding. By reflecting back at the events that lead to the marriage and recalling the feelings of new love and passion, couples can often recharge their emotional involvement in their marriage. Anniversary gift ideas have developed that correspond to the number of years married, with the gifts growing in value with more years. Compare the first anniversary gift of paper goods with the 20^th anniversary gift of fine china. Of course, in a modern marriage, an anniversary gift idea that symbolizes the unique union of the couple is more than appropriate.