When you’re in love for the first time, imagining that anything will ever go wrong can be hard. When you and your new partner hit your honeymoon phase, it’s all roses and butterflies; everything seems perfect.
The reality of relationships is not as clear-cut as romantic comedies make them out to be, though. What goes up must come down — and this includes the honeymoon phase. If you want your relationship to last forever, then your best bet is to accept that each stage has its ups and downs.
Before we discuss the specifics of how long does the honeymoon phase last and what you should do when it ends, we should discuss WHAT it is.
The Honeymoon Phase Is a Time of Pure Bliss
The honeymoon phase is a time of pure bliss. It’s the first stage of a relationship, characterized by an intense feeling of being in love. The two of you are on cloud nine, having found what seems like your soulmate. You want to spend every moment together and can’t believe how lucky you are that this person exists in your life. As a result, you’re both content, if not slightly dizzy with happiness at times.
Eventually, you’ll get over your new relationship high and start to notice little things about your partner that drive you nuts. You’ll realize that they snore, don’t clean up after themselves or are extremely picky eaters (and thus bad at cooking).
The Time a Honeymoon Phase Lasts Varies by Relationship
The honeymoon phase is a complicated thing. It can last for a few weeks or it can last years. It depends on the couple and the relationship. The honeymoon phase varies from person to person, too — some people get super into their new partner immediately and others take longer to warm up.
The truth is that you shouldn’t worry about how long the honeymoon will last: If you’re feeling good in your relationship, enjoy that stage of things!
It’s natural to want things to be perfect all the time, but life doesn’t work that way. Relationships are a constant evolution — they’re always changing and growing. There will always be ups and downs, good times and bad; there will always be challenges that come up that you didn’t see coming. The key is figuring out how to navigate those difficult moments with your partner, so they don’t end up pushing you apart.
The Average Honeymoon Phase Lasts From 12 To 24 Months.
So, how long does the honeymoon phase last? The average honeymoon phase typically lasts from 12 to 24 months. However, the length of the honeymoon phase varies based on many factors, including the person and couple involved.
For example, suppose you’re a hotshot executive working in New York City who is married to a flight attendant living in Salt Lake City. In that case, your relationship will likely last longer than if you were a stay-at-home parent with five kids and an unemployed spouse.
Don’t miss to read an Ultimate Guide: How Long Is a Honeymoon
Living Together Before Marriage May Impact the Honeymoon Phase Length
The honeymoon phase may not last as long if you live together before marriage. Some research indicates that couples who cohabitate before marriage have a shorter honeymoon phase than those who don’t.
Couples who live together while dating often feel like they’ve already learned everything there is to know about their partner, so when they get married, it’s almost like going backward instead of forward in their relationship.
Your Gender May Play a Role
If you’re a woman, you may have noticed that it’s harder for you to fall in love with someone than it is for men. This is because men seem much more likely to show their feelings of love quickly, while women tend to be more cautious and hesitant about getting into relationships.
You May Never Experience the Honeymoon Phase
Some people never experience a honeymoon phase. This can be because you are not having sex or are not in love with the person. However, it is important to note that this is only sometimes the case. Some individuals simply do not experience the honeymoon phase because of their personality types. You may also not experience this feeling if you begin dating a lifelong friend.
Remember: the honeymoon phase is not a universal constant. It can be shorter or longer for different people and many factors may affect its length and intensity.
The Honeymoon Phase Will End Eventually
It’s okay if the honeymoon phase is over because it wasn’t real. It was a fantasy and now you’re back to reality — but that doesn’t mean your relationship is doomed or won’t last. The honeymoon phase will end eventually, but what comes after can be just as good.
It’s normal for relationships to have ups and downs and to go through different stages of life together. You may not feel like you’re in a “ honeymoon phase ” anymore, but that doesn’t mean things are wrong!
Real Love is Not a Rom-Com Movie
The honeymoon phase is a time of pure bliss: You’re on top of the world, your partner is perfect and you can’t imagine being without them. But how long does this feeling last? In real life, most relationships don’t have simple beginnings or endings like in movies, where people fall madly in love after one date and then get married after six months.
The honeymoon phase doesn’t always happen immediately either — it may take weeks or even months before you feel completely comfortable with each other. And even if you do feel comfortable enough to move in together early on, that doesn’t mean things will stay blissful forever!
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What About When the Honeymoon Phase is Over?
How do you know when your honeymoon phase is over? Unfortunately, it can be hard to tell. Suppose it’s been a while since you’ve had any significant fights or disagreements. In that case, chances are good that you’ve already moved on from the early stages of interest and infatuation.
However, if there have been some significant upsets lately (whether they’re related to one another or not), then it may very well be a sign that the honeymoon phase is coming to an end.
Although this time in your relationship may end with some big problems between the two of you, don’t lose hope! The honeymoon may have come and gone for these other couples, but things didn’t stop there for them.
They kept going through rough patches together until they finally got through them all together as a couple who knows how much they love each other no matter what happens next because their love has been tested so many times before now and still stands strong today. Even despite everything else, outside forces might throw them down the road.
Some Partners Choose To Leave When The Honeymoon Phase Ends
Some people leave when their honeymoon phase ends because they don’t want to deal with reality. They’re not happy and they want out of the relationship. The sad thing is that these people are usually so wrapped up in themselves that they don’t see what they’re leaving behind, even though it’s right in front of them.
If you’re lucky enough to be in a happy relationship and your partner wants to leave because their honeymoon phase has ended, I feel sorry for you! Your partner will miss out on everything wonderful about a real relationship: comfort, trust and friendship.
It’s a chance to really build your relationship
The honeymoon phase is great but it also constitutes living in a fairy tale dimension that prevents you from really seeing your partner. Once the honeymoon phase is gone and the excitement of the relationship has settled you begin to notice more and more things about your partner. This can be a stepping stone to strengthening your bond and grow.
While you may discover a lot of great things about your partner that you took at face value, you may also start to find little things that bother you. Instead of bolting to chase the high in a new relationship, you can double down and grow together as partners.
The First Step Is Accepting That It Will End
If you are going to make a relationship work after the honeymoon phase wears off, you will first need to accept that the exciting feeling will end. However, that does not mean you are no longer in love. It simply means you are comfortable with your partner, which is NOT bad!
Instead of dwelling on the honeymoon phase coming to an end, enjoy the fact that you are in a strong, healthy and committed relationship. You have a partner sticking by your side even after learning EVERYTHING about you. That is what true love is all about, loving each other’s flaws and all!
Keep Positivity Alive in Your Relationship
The honeymoon stage is about keeping up the positivity you both felt when you first met. By remembering why you fell for each other, you can keep that flame alive and avoid getting complacent or lazy. It’s also important to ensure that you’re on the same page regarding finances and children, as well as any other major issues that might come up.
Keep Things Spicy in and Out of The Bedroom
The honeymoon phase is like a magic spell that brings out the best in you and your partner. It’s not just about the sex, but how everything feels when you are together. You feel like you can conquer anything together; this sense of mutual admiration and respect for each other makes everything so much easier to handle.
What does it take to make the honeymoon phase last longer? First, do what attracted you to them in the first place! People often fall into routines after marriage or take their partner for granted once they get comfortable with each other.
Keeping things interesting and maintaining that initial spark between two people who have recently married is important for them and those around them. Some couples don’t realize how quickly feelings can change once they’ve settled into married life together.
Take An Interest in Your Partner’s Interests
There’s a lot to love about your partner, but there are likely also things that you don’t care much about. However, the more you can support their life goals and commitments to others — like friends or family — the more they’ll feel supported by you. And this can lead to an overall happier relationship and more togetherness when you spend time with each other.
Spend time together! Taking an interest in your partner and their interests, goals and plans can help maintain a happy and healthy relationship even after the honeymoon phase ends.
Can you bring back the honeymoon phase once it’s gone?
Unfortunately, once the honeymoon phase has run its course, there’s no way to bring it back. What you’ll need to do keep the relationship afloat is to put in real effort. Here are a few ideas to help you keep the spark alive;
Do little things to make your partner happy
Everyone likes to feel appreciated from time to time. Normalize small acts of kindness in your relationship that remind your partner that you care about to them. Try to keep the excitement of the earlier days of your relationship alive by keeping the compliments and surprises as vibrant as they were when you first got together.
Spend time part
This may seem counterproductive to drawing you closer but hear us out! You probably spent the last 6 months to a year of your relationship wrapped around each other. While that’s a good thing, it leaves very little room for your partner to miss you. Try to have hobbies and friendships outside of each other to allow you to develop other parts of your individual lives separately while also giving each other time to establish how meaningful time spent with your partner is.
Be a good listener
Once the need to be each other’s perfect soul mates at face value takes a back seat, your partner will begin to share more and more personal things about their life. Take this time to listen and give a shoulder to lean on when necessary. While you may want to chip in while they speak prioritize making them feel safe and heard while their frustrations.
Try new experiences
Trying new experiences together can help you regain the excitement you has when you first got together. Always look for new and adventurous ways to add some excitement into your life.
Try to participate in activities that motivate you to work as a team
Working as a team even for a small camping activity can help you learn more about your partner in terms on strengths and weaknesses and can help you identify how you can complement each other better.
Don’t get too comfortable
It’s easy to get comfortable once your relationship has entered an autopilot mode. This could lead to little effort placed on making your partner feel seen or even how much effort you put into looking good for your partner. Consistency is key to thriving long after the honeymoon phase has come and gone.
The Bottom Line
The honeymoon phase is a great reminder that life can be sweet and exciting. But it’s important not to get too caught up in it because things return to normal soon enough. The best thing you can do is enjoy the moment while it lasts!
This honeymoon stage is a great time to start working on your relationship and learning how to communicate. You may feel like you are in love, everything is perfect and you do everything to keep the romance alive. Still, it would be best if you didn’t let the excitement of the new relationship cloud your judgment when making big decisions, because the honeymoon period may end in a few months.
Sources:
How Living Together Before Marriage Impacts Relationship, Divorce (womenshealthmag.com)
