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One Year Later

Wedding
By Emma Chapman

Trey George and Emma ChapmanGuess what? Today is our one-year wedding anniversary. We did it! 

During our wedding season I kept hearing two bits of advice over and over again. Everyone wanted to let me know that marriage is really hard and that we would be more in love as the years went on than we were right then. 

Emma Chapman and Trey GeorgeI must admit that this year I learned they were correct. Go figure! At the time, I heard these things said so much that it started to sound almost cliché, and although I'd say I believed everyone, I also kind of didn't believe them—if you know what I mean.

Marriage is indeed hard. Just like anything worthwhile in life. This year we have seen each other's flaws and imperfections and know each other better for it. We disagree often. We fight sometimes. We are both very stubborn and dislike admitting when we are wrong. Our marriage is not at all perfect; far from it.

But I've discovered that their second statement was equally as true. I can confidently say that I am more in love with Trey today than I was one year ago when we first said, "I do." It's so true! I am so, so in love with my husband. I LOVE being married to my best friend and biggest supporter. Now that we have one year of marriage under our belts, I can very much admit that I am looking forward to the coming years together even more. Although our marriage is far from perfect, it is awesome.

Trey and EmmaToday we are going to celebrate together. We're gonna talk about our goals for the coming year together. I am so excited to consider this first year as our baseline, as we both work to improve our marriage. It truly does excite me so much to think about our potential together. I think I often write about personal, culinary, or business goals here on the blog much more than I talk about my marriage. And truthfully, that's on purpose. I am NOT an expert in that field. Not yet anyway. But we are looking forward to what the years will hold for us. I have a good feeling about us. :) xo. Emma

Credits // Author: Emma Chapman. Photography: Sarah Rhodes. You can read more about our wedding day, my DIY wedding dress and see a short video we posted about our wedding day here. 

74 Comments

  • oh, this is adorable. I am also in my first year of marriage and I couldn’t agree with you more! It’s been a rollercoaster, but an awesome one and I couldn’t imagine sitting next to anyone else.
    Trish

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  • Emma, what a lovely post! Thank you for, once again, being so honest and for sharing your experience. Big congratulations to you and Trey! Best wishes and lots of love for many more years to come xxx

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  • Congrats on your anniversary! May many many equally love-filled years follow!

    I am not married, but have lived with my boyfriend for two years now, and that first year was definitely hard. We fought, we got tired of each other now and again, we disagreed. But our relationship is stronger than ever now and I definitely love him more and more each day! I can’t wait for the day we say “I do” and start that whole new adventure!

    http://cuddlyasacactus.wordpress.com/

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  • Happy anniversary! The photos are really beautiful. It’s strange, but marriage does change things in a relationship even if you’ve been together for years. Great post!

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  • Happy Anniversary! I can agree with all you said. People told my husband and I the same thing and I thought “no, we just love one another so much already. And how could it be THAT hard?” It has been tough. But worth it! Now we are in year 6 and still are so and love, I can’t wait for the years to come.

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  • Happy anniversary! Today is my and my husband’s first anniversary, too!

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  • Congrats. I sometimes dream about being or getting married to my current boyfriend, and I actually can’t really wait for it to happen… maybe:P

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  • Aw, I love that: Marriage is hard, just like anything worthwhile in life.

    Happy anniversary!

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  • A very, very happy anniversary to you both! I don’t know either of you well at all, but from what I do know about you, I can say you’re both very sweet and it’s wonderful to know how happy you both are! You both remind me so much of David and I, so it’s good to know that yea, other people struggle, but just as I’ve found in the past five years, it’s definitely worth it in the end. Celebrate plenty today!

    xoxo
    Taylor

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  • Happy anniversary! I loved this post so much. Thanks for sharing a tid bit of your personal life

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  • This is very sweet, and I can’t believe how fast time flies! Thanks for sharing the insight of hard work and the outcome of deeper love. May all your days be blessed!

    Zarah

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  • Emma,

    I heard those words leading up to our nuptials as well. Marriage is hard work in the best possible way; where persevering through the disagreements produces a deeper and more beautiful love. Happy anniversary!

    Best,
    Alyssa

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  • Perfect marriage is an oxymoron. Any relationship that shares monies and a home will have its bumps and upsets. I wish more people would realize not only are fights normal, they are healthy and when you learn as couple to come through them, you are better every time. Instead, our culture is littered with quick marriages and even quicker divorce. It’s sad. But those of us who fight the good fight with our partners are the better for it. Happy anniversary to you!

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  • Congratulations to you both! We just celebrated our 3 year anniversary, and I must say it only gets better!

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  • Congratulations!! Thank you for sharing your real thoughts on marriage and the advice given to you. I so appreciate when people are real and admit things get tough, but know that those hard times won’t make you back down on your covenant and commitment you’ve made to each other! Have a great time celebrating and setting goals for your next year in marriage! Here’s to many more anniversaries!

    ~L

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  • Congrats on one year!! I’m not married but I understand that in a (good) relationship the two should love each other more & more. Otherwise, well, it doesn’t work out too well. :] // itsCarmen.com ☼

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  • I’ve never heard of anyone besides you and Elsie who discuss goals for the next year of marriage. I like that you plan ahead and talk about how you want to grow.

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  • Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww You guys are wonderful! Really beautiful photos! I am very young and have a boyfriend now. I often think about getting married, and am terrified. I honestly don’t know if I could handle it… I really hope you are both in heaven like I am when with my loved one. Happy wishes forever <3
    And Happy Anniversary 🙂

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  • awww, congratulations! love your dress, btw. and I totally agree 100%. marriage is hard, but there’s nothing better. have a great day celebrating!

    love, arielle
    a simple elegance

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  • It’s a happy thing to hear about healthy marriages. Congratulations to you two! Your outlook is the kind that makes relationships last!

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  • Could not agree more! Well said. I have been married a year and a half, and my husband drives me crazy sometimes with his habits, but I love him more and more everyday. So weird how that works. Happy Anniversary!

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  • That really seemed like it went so fast! Even though I’m not married, I love hearing your insight that is so real. Wishing you more years of amazingness!
    xo Adri

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  • It is hard work, but getting to share your life with your best friend has been the most fulfilling and exciting adventure i could have imagined. we will have been married 52 years in August and plan on many more. We have two wonderful children and 6 amazing grandchildren including 1 grandson’s lovely and talented wife. So hang in there all you newly marrieds and put the work into the marriage and you will reap the incredible benefits of a life together.

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  • Happy Anniversary! Thanks for sharing! I’m glad to know I’m not the only one who fights with my husband (we’re at about a year and a half).

    Also, how has it been a year for you already?! I feel like I was reading about your wedding only a few months ago!

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  • Oh, congratulations guys!
    Just as everyone before me said, i don’t know you but i like you so much, i love to read about things like this fro you 🙂

    I’ve moved with my boyfriend a couple months ago and though we’re not planning on getting married, it feels a little like we’re somehow already there. I know it’s not the same, it’s another step and it’s a big one, but that feeling on having this person to support me more than anyone else, that he is my family, we are a family, we’re building our home… that’s so hard and beautiful. And though yes, it is hard, we love each other more every day.
    I find it sad when someone tells me that those “first months feelings” never come back, because for us those feelings never died, and even more, our fascination for each other grows, our love, our understandment, our will to be the one to back the other one up, the butterflies before meeting for a date, all the excitement, the need to cuddle and chat and do nice things… So i guess it’s all true. Hard but stronger.
    Let’s keep building!

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  • Smiling while I read this and thought, “just wait until 30-40 years from now”. I married my best friend and soulmate 38 years ago and couldn’t imagine life without each other. It just gets better and better. Make sure to nurture your relationship when you are raising a family. Retirement will be wonderful then. Congrats!

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  • Getting married in a few weeks time and found this very interesting… it’s a lovely little insight into two peoples lives. I find myself in that slightly skeptical phase now, reading this I can’t help but think “It’s only marriage, if you’ve been together for a while and are already in love… why should that change”… just because you’ve signed the paperwork and celebrated it with friends and family (or before god in some cases). But it does seem that the act of marriage changes things for people? Why is that? Is it the pressure and importance we put on the concept of marriage throughout our lives? Anyway so many questions I don’t expect answered just thinking out loud 🙂

    Thanks again, Jon

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  • Emma, thank you for another personal and sincere post. This is what I like about these posts, you never seem to sugar the pill but they are positive and motivational. My warmest wishes for many more happy years! We’ll be here to celebrate with you! xo

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  • Cutest wedding photos ever!! You two must have had so much fun on your special day, dear Emma!! My hubby and I celebrated our twelfth anniversary this May, and I can tell you that if the love is there – and you are willing to do the “work” – marriage most definitely gets better and better over the years!! And it’s not about striving for someone else’s idea of a “perfect” relationship, either; it’s about finding your own version of ultimate happiness…together!! Congratulations!!

    http://www.StyleIsMyPudding.com

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  • Chiming in late here but just wanted to say what a lovely, touching honest post. Ill be married 3 years in August and agree that marriage rocks but its not without its challenges but overcoming them is what makes your relationship stronger and more beautiful. Thanks again for sharing. You’re a sweetie Emma.

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  • You truly are the best and I love your honest words about marriage. I wish you a happy time to come and hope that you love each other even more every day.
    Xoxo, Eva from Germany

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  • Happy anniversary! Wishing you two the best.

    We waited 9 years to get married, and I didn’t think I could possibly love him more than I did on our wedding day. Two and a half years later and I love him infinite amounts more than I did then. It’s amazing how love has the ability to multiply.

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  • Happy anniversary! So many people told me the same thing before our wedding (we are approaching our second anniversary) but despite how hard it can be some days overall we have a greater love for each other, and I am happier than I have ever been. Glad to hear others have the same experience of marriage

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  • My husband & I got married at 19. We got lots of negative comments, but here we are almost 13 years later going strong. I would say the first 10 years are the hardest… 🙂

    Reply

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