page_title: Newlywed
section_title: Happiness and honeymoon
hierarchical_section_title: Newlywed / Happiness and honeymoon
caption_attribution_description: Photo of Jo Stafford and Paul Weston after they had returned from their honeymoon in 1952.
context_page_description: 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 up to four years into the marriage.
context_section_description: 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.
caption: Musicians Jo Stafford and Paul Weston as newlyweds, upon returning from their honeymoon in 1952.
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