The Nest Newlywed Handbook

Book excerpt: If only the answer to every marital question were as easy as “I do!” For many couples the challenges of planning their nuptials are a piece of (wedding) cake compared to what comes after: How do we merge our finances—or do we? Do we need to spend every free minute together? And how do we decide where to spend our first Thanksgiving? Online wedding community The Knot was fielding so many questions like these from their newly married members that they were inspired to create an entirely new site—The Nest—dedicated to the unique issues that face people in the first few years of marriage. A 24/7 virtual married-best-friend-who’s-been-there-before, the site and its thousands of just-married members dish out advice on everything from how to get your permanent roommate to pick up his or her dirty socks, to how to inspect a property when you’re buying your first home, to foolproof guidelines for entertaining the in-laws. Unlike single friends (who don’t have the experience to give tried and true advice) or Mom (who has lots of experience but tends to give too much advice), Nesties share their experiences with no strings attached—and free of the worries that come with real-world friendship. Now the editors of The Nest have brought together the very best of this hard-won knowledge, plus their own astute insights into the early years of marriage, to create a unique resource for navigating the sometimes bumpy road of marriage. Touching on everything from money to sex and starting a family, they go where no etiquette book or self-help manual has gone before, providing real-life solutions for the myriad problems even the happiest couple can encounter when two become one. Get tips and tricks on: • Merging your money (or not) • Building the family fortune • Loving your in-laws • Buying your first home • Decorating as a duo • Divvying up the chores • Keeping the flame alive • Fighting nicely • Talking about kids • Maintaining your single friends • Hosting during the holidays • Figuring out the future This book is filled with advice, detailed to-dos, checklists, quizzes, and worksheets that are sure to spark conversations, fix problems, and get your new life together on track and off to a good start.