Subsequent Marriages
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Did he/she ever start over with another marriage? How did his/her family react? How was this marriage different from his/her first? Choose this Topic to chronicle their new life together.
Did he/she marry more than once?
- How many times did he/she marry? Had any of his/her spouses previously been married?
- Why did his/her previous marriage end? Was there a divorce? If so, was it amicable or bitter? Was there a death?
- What did he/she learn from previous marriages that he/she brought into the new relationship?
- Did his/her expectations of marriage differ after having been married before? Why? In what ways?
- Was he/she reluctant to remarry? Why or why not?
- How and where did he/she meet his/her new spouse? What was the initial attraction? How long did he/she date before he/she was engaged? Did he/she live with his/her spouse before he/she was engaged or married? Had his/her spouse been married before?
- Describe his/her engagement. Who proposed? Was the proposal a surprise or was it expected? What was their reaction?
- Did both families approve of the engagement and marriage? Why or why not? When did he/she first meet his/her in-laws? Were they accepting? When did his/her spouse first meet his/her parents? Did they welcome his/her spouse?
- How long was his/her engagement? Did it seem to last forever or did time just fly by?
- What was their wedding like? Did they have a large ceremony, a small ceremony, or did they elope? What made them decide to have it this way? What was the preparation like?
- Describe how he/she felt. Did he/she have the same feelings as he/she did during his/her first wedding?
- Who attended the wedding? Were their family and friends present? Did anyone participate in the ceremony? How did they choose them? Did they have a flower girl or a ring bearer? Who were they? Were children from previous marriages present?
- Was the reception memorable? Was food served? Was there dancing? How many people did they invite? Was it as elaborate ashis first marriage?
- Did they have any traditional customs or rituals at the reception? What were they?
- Did they go on a honeymoon? Where did they travel? Describe the vacation. What was most memorable?
- Did they go into marriage thinking they could change something about the other? What were some of those things and how did it work out?
- Did they go through any major adjustments when they were first married? How did they work through the issues of joint finances, housing, and living with another person? Were there any children involved?
- If children were brought into the marriage, how did each spouse adjust and react to having an instant family? If there were initially problems, were they able to overcome them?
- Describe the various stages of their marriage. Were there any high points that stand out? What about any low points? In what ways did their marriage grow stronger or weaker from them?
- How did they spend their holidays? Did they trade off between families? If they traded, did it put a strain on the families?
- Did he/she feel he/she had to give up anything when he/she got married? his/her home, career, independence, or friends?
- What did he/she gain by getting married? A lifetime companion, more time with the one he/she loved, financial security?
- Describe his/her spouse. In what ways was his/her spouse different from or similar to his/her previous spouse?
- Who played which roles in their marriage--breadwinner, homemaker, and decision-maker? Did these roles change over time? In what ways?
- At the start of their marriage what did they have in common? What about their differences? After being married for awhile, did either person change?
- What issues did they argue about when they were first married? Money, politics, child rearing, religion? As their marriage matured, did they argue about the same issues?
- What differences were there in each of his/her marriages? Did being married before help or hurt his/her subsequent marriages? How?
- Did his/her different spouses ever meet each other? Did any problems arise between his/her different spouses? Over what issues?
- Did this marriage end? If yes, why? Was it through a divorce or death?
- If he/she had it to do all over again, what changes would he/she make in any of his/her marriages? Why?