Newlyweds

Newlyweds are people who have recently entered into a marriage. The time frame during which a married couple is considered newlywed varies, but for social science research purposes it may be considered as to four years into the marriage.

Researchers generally contend that "early in marriage, newly married couples are affectionate, very much in love, and relatively free of excessive conflict, a state that might be called 'blissful harmony'". The "high levels of love and commitment" experienced by newlyweds "are relatively stable during the first year of marriage". The marital relationship (as opposed to other familial relationships, friendships, or work relationships) is the most important relationship in causing happiness in newlyweds. Perhaps counter to expectations or stereotypes, erotic love is not a major factor in the happiness of many newlyweds. Newlyweds experience a "happiness boost" that lasts for the first two years of marriage on average, with happiness levels then returning to pre-marriage levels. Many newlyweds experience feelings of elation, an increase in self-esteem, and a more secure attachment style after the start of their marriage.

Many newlyweds, especially in Western cultures, take a vacation in the immediate wake of the wedding, known as a honeymoon. The honeymoon is part of the wedding ritual in Great Britain and the United States.

Nevertheless, newlyweds may face significant stress as they work to integrate their individual lives into a newly combined social, financial, and legal status. This stress can lead to biological alterations, with endocrine changes found in newlyweds who exhibit hostility in laboratory settings. In some cultures, "[n]ewlyweds are expected to earn a living independent of their parents' help", while in others, the new couple are expected to integrate into the household of one of their parents while working to gain the means to establish their own household. Newlyweds' perception of their integration into their new family can be affected by the amount and type of information conveyed to them by their in-laws. Even when newlyweds in the United States report a positive relationship with their spouse's family, they prefer to look for emotional support from their own family, at least in the early years of marriage. Newlyweds may also discover previously unknown conflicts between their own beliefs. Research indicates that "interactions within households, as measured by years married, influence the rate of agreement between the partners", and therefore that "newlyweds are consistently less likely to agree on partisan choice than are older couples". Newlyweds often feel societal pressure to have children early in their marriage; this pressure extends to same-sex newlyweds.

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