5 Ways to Extend the Honeymoon Phase

By Yelena Moroz Alpert, Martha Stewart Weddings

Honeymoons are probably the greatest invention, maybe ever—who wouldn't want to bask under the sun to celebrate your love for each other with an umbrella drink in hand? While ignoring the rest of the world has to come to an end when you get home (bah!), you can extend that awesome feeling of togetherness well into your first year, and beyond. Here's how:
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1. Cook Together

There is something oh-so-intimate about preparing a meal together, and you don't have to be a Top Chef to have fun. Whether you take a cooking class (Sur La Table and Williams-Sonoma stores offer plenty of options) or sign up for those meal-delivery services (HelloFresh and Plated send you all the ingredients with super-simple instructions), getting busy in the kitchen might just translate into getting busy in the bedroom later. Remember—whipped cream has many uses.

2. Take Risks

Honeymoons have this power to make you do things you may not normally try. (Can you believe you swam with sharks?!) Keep that up-for-anything vibe alive by seeking out new adventures back home.

3. Say Thank You

A study from the University of Georgia showed that expressing gratitude is linked to a happier marriage. Notice that niceness trumps nagging—incorporate that mantra into your marriage from the start.

4. Take a Staycation

Create a romantic itinerary—the bar where you got his number, a show at a venue where you had your awesome second date, a picnic in a park where he proposed, you get the idea. Strolling through your old haunts is more than just a walk down memory lane—it will keep that giddy "in-love" feeling aflame.
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5. Watch the Sunset

Yes, this may sound cheesy, but making an effort to partake in a super romantic activity, like watching a sunset, hits pause on the havoc of a quotidian life that can get in the way of truly appreciating each other's company. (And it makes a solid Instagram—#nofilter required.)

More from Martha Stewart Weddings:

• 10 Palace Hotels for Your Honeymoon
• Wedding 101s That Make Planning Way Easier
• Honeymoon Diary: Singapore and Malaysia