Brides and nerves go hand in hand, all the way down the aisle. Do your nerves have some special meaning? It's a possibility! Medical journal Family Process published an article recently that gives credibility to the nagging doubts many women have before walking down the aisle. Could those cold feet have a special meaning? Some recent research supports the possibility that pre-wedding jitters have some real significance.
Matthew Johnson, one of the study's authors and an assistant professor at University of Alberta, told Science Daily, "If you are having doubts about the relationship, just ignoring them may make a difference years down the road." Everyone gets nervous before and during the wedding. The important thing to discover is the source of those butterflies. Is it sexual tension, performance anxiety, or just an overwhelming fear that you are doing the wrong thing?
The study suggests that couples who confidently exchange their "I do's" are just as happy 18 months later. Another important milestone confident couples reach is the three years benchmark. At this juncture, successful couples still value their partner and feel as if they made the right marriage choice.
The "cold feet" study followed 610 newlyweds for four years. Happy marriages found couples spending time together, providing one another with emotional support, and actively building a life together.
Should you cancel the wedding, because you have some wedding jitters? The study's authors suggest that people who have doubts or concerns should participate in premarital counseling or at least some serious self-examination. Ignoring those doubts could lead you to a short, unhappy marriage. That's not good for anyone.
