Your friend just got married and you couldn’t be happier for them. But as you watch the two of them start this next chapter of their lives together, you are also beginning a marked change in another relationship – the relationship between you and your friend. Amongst all the changes, here are 5 ways to maintain a relationship with your married friends:
1) Group hangouts: When you hang out with a married friend – it’s not unlike hanging out with the couple. Be prepared for being the third person in the crowd, but if you get along well with your friend’s spouse, it’ll be effortless to hang out as a group.
2) Choose appropriate activities: Now that your friend is married, he or she might not be as inclined to party the night away, and go bar hopping every weekend, but they might be available for dinner, movie, brunch! Decide what is appropriate to do together as a duo, or as a trio.
3) Plan ahead: Married friends often have a tight schedule or become more of a homebody in their relationship. Therefore, planning ahead and scheduling hangout time in advance makes it more likely that you’ll get to spend time together.
4) Text, email, call: While meeting up face-to-face with your married friends can get difficult- especially as they start to become parents, you can find alternative ways to keep in touch. Text, Gmail chat, email, social media and Skype are a few of the many options. Use technology to stay updated.
5) Be prepared: And last of all, remember that friendship is a two-way-street. If you feel like you are putting in too much effort – your friend always bails, is unreliable, and not respecting your time, this isn’t fully tied to being married. If you feel like your friendship and time is being taken for granted, it’s time to move on. Take the time to invest in friendships that make you feel respected, loved, and happy.
