Today marks the second wedding anniversary for me and my husband! We met online (via EHarmony) in July of 2016, got engaged in December of 2017, and then had a magical wedding on April 14, 2019.

Y’all.

We were less than one year out from the world shutting down and thousands of weddings being postponed or cancelled all together. And “2020” was the year many brides couples wanted for their wedding date. I do not take it for granted that we were able to celebrate in close proximity with a large group of family and friends.

We were also still in our newlywed phase when we had to quarantine 24/7 together in the midst of a turbulent global pandemic. Honestly, as an INFJ, I’m holding onto this quarantine for as long as I can.

You may have read about the staggering numbers of couples that have broken up, separated, or decided to divorce in the midst of the pandemic. I’m no relationship professional but I imagine there were already underlying issues that could no longer be avoided, or that were highlighted by the increased amount of time together. Many people don’t have a home that accommodates the workspace of two adults, and possibly children attending school remotely. Add to the equation limited time with friends, the stress of not seeing family, the inability to de-stress through personal hobbies, truly seeing your partner’s quirks and habits, etc. and you have a formula for possible relationship frustration.

I think the biggest thing that has helped us was starting couple’s counseling shortly after we began dating in 2016 and continuing today. Coming from two very different backgrounds, we initially wanted to work on our communication. However, it has been a support system as we’ve experienced life changes, hit milestones, and faced challenging times like the pandemic and microaggressions at work. While I know mental health is not always put at the forefront of healthcare, I encourage all who are able to go to individual and/or couple’s counseling, no matter what phase of the relationship you are in.

Here’s to five years together, two years of marriage, and a lifetime more of Happy Ever After.