While it’s not sunshine and roses every day, saying “I do” has some mind-blowing benefits.

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While Hollywood is more notorious for bad break ups (Brangelina, Johnny Depp and Amber Heard) than blissful unions, there are couples have bucked the Hollywood trend and gone the distance, marriage-wise.

One such A-list couple are Tom Hanks and Rita Wilson. Married for almost three decades and parents of two boys, Hanks, 60, says his love for his missus has only deepened over the years and that, “she makes me laugh harder now than she did in 1986”.

Wilson, 60, revealed in an interview that her battle with breast cancer only made their union stronger than ever. “I was so amazed, so blown away by the care my husband gave me,” she was quoted as saying.

Love may be a many splendoured thing, but marriage gives you a deeper understanding of what it really means. However, matrimony is hard work, especially when kids become part of the mix.

But if you have a spouse who takes their wedding vows seriously and is raring to tough it out with you, then your union will feel like paradise. Here are 10 reasons why it rocks to get hitched!

 

#1. You have a date for everything

Remember the days when you had to hunt down someone to accompany you to a movie or concert, or go shopping? Well, you no longer need to do that now that you have a significant other. Feel like checking out a new restaurant? Just send your spouse a quick WhatsApp text or give him a call to ask what time the reservation should be. Better still, discuss it over dinner at home, it’s you he comes home to every night, after all. When you’re married, you’ve got a date for life!

#2. Having a cuddle buddy

“I love that I don’t have to sleep alone anymore and have someone next to me in bed to keep me warm,” says Sindhu Rathakrishnan, a mother of two girls. Cuddles make everything better ― especially after a long day at work or with the kids, or both! Nothing feels better than crawling into bed at the end of the day for a serious snuggle session with your sweetheart. By the way, when you’re married you have round-the-clock, unlimited access to cuddles. You can get one while watching TV together on the sofa, when watching a movie or even when one of you is doing the dishes. “I love it when my husband hugs me out of nowhere, sometimes I’m rummaging through the fridge and he comes over and gives me a great big bear hug, so sweet!” enthuses Rita Ng.

“I love that I don’t have to sleep alone anymore and have someone next to me in bed to keep me warm.”

#3. You’re always with someone you like

You decided to get married because your spouse is, well, the mostest. So, it’s safe to say that you really like this person and enjoy being around them. When you tied the knot, you get to be with them all the time ― how cool is that! Even on days when you’re both not seeing eye-to-eye, what keeps the marriage going is that you remember the qualities that make him or her special to you.

#4. You have inside jokes and memories only both of you are privy to

Spending so much of time together means making priceless memories only both of you will ever remember. Your first vacation together, the first time you woke up next to each other, the first night at home with a newborn…these are moments that will last you a lifetime. They are also the ones you’ll both revisit throughout your marriage and speak about fondly. Make sure you’re snapping as many pictures as possible along the way, too, it’ll jog your memory when you’re both old and grey.

#5. You have someone to share your thoughts, dreams and frustrations

It’s very important to have genuine and reliable friends, even after you’re married. They are there to offer sympathetic counsel when you need to vent on your marriage woes because let’s admit it, not every day will be smooth sailing. However, only a husband or a wife will drop everything they are doing to lend their spouse a listening ear. They are the ones who remember something you said in passing and remind you of it when the time is right. They are also the ones you can be completely vulnerable with and allow yourself to let off some steam. The best part? They will never judge you for it.

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#6. You have someone to act silly with

“I knew my hubby was the one for me when I realised I can act like a complete fool around him and he will join me!” says Rebecca Nathan, mum to Liam, 3. “We love to play pranks, randomly break into a song and dance and laugh really loudly. I think our little boy has our genes as well, thank goodness for that.” Who doesn’t want to be with someone they can let loose and goof around with 24/7? More of that, please!

#7. You have your own personal cheerleader

Actress Sarah Jessica Parker, best known for playing Carrie Bradshaw in Sex And The City, once shared her secret to staying happily married to fellow actor and hubby Matthew Broderick for 20 years. “…you need to be with someone who believes in you 100 per cent. If you don’t have that, there’s no point.”

If you have a spouse who spurs you on when you’re about to give up, who proudly announces your achievements to the world and thinks you look stunning in sweatpants, you’re in good hands. “I am inspired by my husband every day. He is someone I respect and love very much, and he motivates me to be a better person in every sense of the word,” says Diane Othman, mum of three girls.

#8. You have someone who just “gets you”

Tackling the ins and outs of marriage and life in general will definitely give you a front-row seat into the inner workings of your other half’s thought processes. Don’t be surprised when you realise you can read each other’s minds after a while. “I love how my husband just knows how something will make me feel. Or why I reacted the way I did, even if I was in the wrong. It’s not something he figured out the first day he met me, but because we’ve gone through thick and thin together,” explains Desiree Chan, mum to Ethan, 6 months, and Chloe, 5. “So much so that he can actually say to others, ‘Desiree won’t be happy if that happens’ and he will be completely right.”

“The best part about being married for me is knowing that I have someone around who loves me, cares for me and can help me change the nappy when I don’t want to.”

#9. You have someone to share everything with

That sinful dessert, paying the bills, doing the household chores, taking care of the kids… Now that you have a partner for life, you won’t have to tackle any situation ― good, bad or ugly ―by yourself. You can bounce ideas off your significant other and solve problems together, it takes the weight off one another and you also feel like a team. It’s the both of you against the world…and the crazy kids! “I love sharing and doing things together with my husband,” notes mum Shivani Priyadarshini, 35. “And knowing that no matter what, he will always be there for me.”

#10. You have someone to take care of you

If you have the sniffles, your hubby will tuck you into bed and get (make?) you some chicken soup. When you come home late from work, your wife will re-heat your dinner. Marriage means putting each other first, having someone to lean on when the weight of the world gets too heavy and cutting your spouse some slack when you realise they’re not perfect or when they just need a break. “The best part about being married for me is knowing that I have someone around who loves me, cares for me and can help me change the nappy when I don’t want to,” says Kumari Revi, mum to Dhilan, 2.

Photos: iStock

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