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It’s the day and age of instant hook-ups and instant break-ups. How many times have you heard of old-time romantics sighing over the lack of romance and the death of true love? Do you want to prove them wrong? Then one way to do it is to recognize and celebrate relationship milestones.
In the good old days, a boy and girl would meet each other, circumstances would lead them to get closer, they would date, marry, have children, and live happily (mostly) ever after. Even if there were problems, there would at least be an effort to save the relationship.
Not anymore. Getting into a relationship is as easy as swiping right in an app-obsessed world while getting out of it is as easy as packing your bags and moving out. The answer to what relationship milestones should you celebrate can be hard to come by when romantic connections become so fleeting. However, if you are among those who cherish long-term, meaningful, and loving relationships, then learn to celebrate the small moments and joys that will add love to your life.
What Are Relationship Milestones?
To identify important couple milestones in a relationship that you’d want to celebrate and commemorate with your significant other, you need to first know which incidents or occurrences qualify as milestones. Every journey in life is made up of moments and something as important as a relationship is no different. That is the reason why events – however big or small – should be noted down and celebrated.
Milestone meaning in relationships is all the moments that lead a couple toward a new direction and encourage them to take it to the next level – are important. Noting them down, being aware of them, and making it a point to raise a toast to these moments are what separate a nice, solid, and healthy relationship from flaky ones.
From traditional milestones – the first time he asked you out, the first time you danced together, the first time you kissed or met each other’s parents – to seemingly trivial things such as the moment he texted you for the first time or you made him breakfast, anything can qualify. Celebrating both small relationship milestones and major relationship milestones is a good thing because it makes both the partners feel appreciated and acknowledged.
The idea is to strengthen your togetherness and deepen the bonds so that you can signal your intentions toward the relationship. More importantly, if there is trouble in paradise, these memories can always help to soften the blow and perhaps motivate for reconciliation.
Related Reading: 60 Ways To Celebrate Spouses Day
15 Relationship Milestones That Call For A Celebration
Now, here’s the thing: every relationship has its own journey and therefore, its own timeline. Several self-help books and love gurus might list out moments to watch out for or tell you how your relationship should progress. Kiss on the third date, have sex on the fifth, pop the question after six months so on and so forth. There are also people who believe in celebrating stages of a relationship by month. Now, what are the relationship milestones worth popping the bubbly? We have compiled a fun list – see if they resonate with yours.
1. The awkward first date
When it comes to major relationship milestone, this is the first relationship milestone and this one definitely holds special meaning for most couples. The first meeting, the first time you see each other, and the first time you share a meal together. These are some of the things you will never forget if this relationship progresses and goes in the right direction. They could be your potential partner. This relationship could go the long haul. All these uncertainties make this date magical.
It’s the date where you are checking each other out, putting on your best behavior and mentally making plans for the future course. If you and he realize there is sizzling chemistry, chances are you will remember everything about the date – what you wore, where you went, what you ate, so on and so forth. If you’re trying to figure out what relationship milestones should you celebrate to jazz up your love life a bit more, this is a good place to start.
Pro-tip: Recreate your first date and celebrate the milestone by remembering the events that took place that night.
2. The day love hormones kicked in
This is another major relationship milestone that you have to celebrate with your partner. Do you remember the exact day, time, and moment you fell in love with them? Was it on a rainy night when the two of you went to get some ice cream? Was it the moment you were sick and they come over with some homemade soup? Or was it the time you had to travel to another city for work and you realized you can’t spend your life without them?
The day you fell in love with them and the moment you said those three little words to each other for the first time. These are special moments that mark the beginning of a new relationship. That’s why these couple milestones have to be celebrated in a grand way. Falling in love is one of those rare yet significant moments that live in your heart rent-free for the rest of your life.
You forget about all the troubles and sorrows you faced in your past relationships. You just want to spend all your time with them and have shared experiences with them. You don’t just want them to be your love interest but you also see them as your life partner in the long haul.
Pro-tip: Describe to them in detail the moment you fell in love with them. Try to describe how you felt as well.
3. The first kiss of love
Does this need any elaboration? If you kiss on the first date (the general rule is that you should not but well, you never know), then good for you. But if you like to take things slow, then the first real kiss is likely to be very special. It’s the time you realize you have something inexplicable going on with this person and one thing may lead to another. By this time you have given each other pet names and you have a feeling that this new relationship is going to last.
This is one of the small relationship milestones that have a greater impact on the relationship’s future. A kiss is what decided whether or not the two of you are on the same page. If they kiss you back with the same passion and zest, then congratulations. You have a new love interest. If they pull back and give you a side hug, then perhaps the two of you aren’t on the same page. The first kiss and the three little words that you say to each other after or before the kiss have to be added to your relationship milestones list.
Pro-tip: Take them to the place you first kissed them and recreate the memory every year.
4. The first time you do the deed
The first time sex with a special person is an important relationship milestone, something you definitely want to cherish for a long time. These two events surely qualify as important milestones in a relationship that deserve to be celebrated. While these are not the kind of milestones you’d want to celebrate with a lavish dinner with friends, they can be the perfect excuse to plan a romantic date night in an intimate setting and liven up the spark you felt when your lips locked for the first time or when you made love to each other.
This is one of the first relationship milestones that couples remember and celebrate when they are long past their honeymoon phase. Making love for the first time can be nerve-wracking for many for various reasons. Some think their bodies are unlikeable and some wonder if they are good in bed. They fight through all these negative thoughts and get intimate with their potential partner. Celebrate such significant moments with your life partner and tell them those three little words every now and then.
Pro-tip: Tell each other how you felt the first time you made love and talk about experimenting in bed.
5. Making it Instagram official
Relationships and Instagram go hand in hand once you have transitioned from casual dating to exclusive dating. You know what the cool kids are saying these days: if it’s not on social media, it doesn’t exist. That’s why when your dates are going so well that you decide to officially ‘see’ each other, it is time to announce your intentions to the rest of the world.
This is an important step as you are letting each other’s friends and family know that you are dating this person. So, take your time before you make it Insta-official. When the two of you feel comfortable to announce it to the world that you are officially taken and off the market, this can be done through a lovey-dovey Instagram post with a heart emoji and writing each other’s pet names in the caption.
Pro-tip: If you are genuinely serious about them, then change your Facebook status to ‘in a relationship’.
Related Reading: 20 Ways To Make Your Husband Fall In Love With You Again
6. Your first holiday together
We would say that spending holidays is one of the most important relationship milestones before marriage or even living in. There has to be a certain amount of trust established between a couple for them to take that trip together. Firstly, there is attraction and then, there is the comfort level. They say, to get to know a person well, you need to travel with your partner.
Have your first trip together and add it to your relationship milestones list. Before moving in together, a holiday is a chance to strengthen what you already have. When you travel with someone you have just fallen in love with, the destination seems extra special, which you may even want to revisit later to celebrate.
Pro-tip: Don’t know where to take your partner to celebrate this milestone? Here are some options – Paris, Maldives, Goa, Prague, and Manali.
7. The six-month mark
You are in the honeymoon phase of the relationship and everything looks rosy to you. It may be sweet to mark every little stage of a relationship by month – marking the dates on a calendar or in your memory. But if you are looking for a solid timeline, six months of dating and spending lots of time are relationship milestones worth celebrating.
There are those who publicly acknowledge the three-month period too but we suggest waiting for six months before you spread the confetti. Six months is a good enough time to know your partner – their habits, personality, and quirks.
Pro-tip: Celebrate this six-month mark by taking them on a picnic or a fancy dinner date.
8. Your first argument
The attraction is real. The relationship is real. As the relationship progresses and once the honeymoon phase fades, you will have disagreements, conflicts, and fights over trivial and major things with your new partner. When you start dating someone exclusively and begin to spend time together, disagreements will crop up and there will be a fight or two. How you prevent it from getting uglier is entirely up to you.
Don’t be surprised if, in a fit of anger, you may even want to call the entire thing off. But what’s important is resolving the conflict or getting back again after a short split. Those are relationship milestones worth taking note of. Celebrate your patch-up by going for a nice dinner or a romantic holiday, secure in the knowledge that you can tide over differences.
Pro-tip: After the argument, try to communicate in a better way where you and your partner feel heard, seen, and validated.
9. The first time you throw off the masks
When you realize you are in a solid relationship, you learn how to trust them. You want them to rely on you for emotional support. When the two of you slowly open up and start sharing each other’s vulnerabilities, insecurities, trauma, and fears, you have to mark them as significant moments in the relationship. Do you know why this needs to be celebrated as a relationship milestone? Because you find out that this person won’t hurt you or use your vulnerabilities as ammunition against you.
Not just that. You also learn to love them for who they are. You have thrown off your masks and have revealed to one another your true selves. You have found ways to communicate better with your partner and you know how to keep their secrets safe. The fact that you have learned their deepest darkest secrets and yet you chose to love them is a remarkable thing.
Pro-tip: Tell your partner you love them with all other flaws and imperfections. Don’t amplify their insecurities by triggering them.
10. The grand proposal
Arguably, the next big step is the grand proposal. This proposal could be any of the following things:
- Asking them to move in with you
- Proposing to them to get a pet with you
- Asking them to tie the knot with you
However matter-of-fact you may get about the whole ritual (it’s the normal progression of a healthy relationship, it’s a given after months or years of dating, etc), a proposal is always a special moment you will cherish throughout your life. Say those three little words and let them know you are ready to take this big step with them.
It might be a casual one or the most romantic proposal that your partner may have spent days planning, but when it arrives, it gives you memories to last a lifetime. It’s a date that deserves to be observed with fondness every year even if you do get married. If you ask us, it ranks right alongside your wedding anniversary among the special milestones in a relationship. Of course, that means it’s a cause for celebration.
Pro-tip: Go down on one knee and don’t forget the ring.
Related Reading: 22 Ways To Make Your Wife Happy
11. Meeting the families
Now that you have decided to make it official, the next big relationship milestone is definitely meeting your partner’s parents and seeking permission. Now, this might be a bit old-fashioned way of doing things but these traditions have their own charm. You have to meet your partner’s family and they have to meet yours. You have to ensure everyone gets along well, and then the awkwardness of announcing your intentions to get married and seeking your parents’ permission to relationship milestones in their own right that are special for every couple in love.
If you connected on an app, then this certainly qualifies as one of the most significant online dating milestones that you must celebrate with your partner and family because not many connections made in the virtual realm make it this far. If yours has, then you two must share a special bond – and that fact must be celebrated at every opportunity you get.
Pro-tip: Warn your parents and siblings beforehand to not share any embarrassing stories.
12. The elegant engagement
The glittering moment finally arrives – when he slips a ring into your finger. An engagement is the final seal of approval and exclusivity. A big fat engagement is not exactly unusual but an intimate ceremony has more value.
The engagement can be a private affair though having your family and some really close friends can make it lots more fun. Especially if you don’t intend to get married immediately, then having a grand engagement party is one of those relationship milestones that give not just plenty of photo-ops but also memories to hold on to.
Pro-tip: Invite your friends over and drink the night away.
13. The big fat wedding
It’s the ultimate – the day you were waiting for. The one that arrives after a relationship has traversed a long journey that may have had its ups and downs, good and bad days, and a lot of understanding and misunderstandings. While it is hard to predict the future of any relationship, a wedding and the vows exchanged are something special.
You should celebrate every marriage anniversary, no matter how long your relationship has been – it could be a few years or a decade, or more. But anniversaries are relationship milestones that make you appreciate what you have. Go for a holiday, buy your partner some cool gifts, throw a surprise for him or her – every little romantic gesture will add to the love.
Pro-tip: Don’t break your vows. Stand by your partner. Communicate your conflicts. Forgive and forget.
14. Buying something together
Another unforgettable moment is when you make a big joint purchase. It’s not the most important thing but it is a memorable moment. It could be a beautiful dream home – something you would talk about during your dating days. Or perhaps it could be a luxury car. It could also be something as small as getting a pendant with each other’s pet names written on it.
Perhaps it’s a venture you start together. These are all achievements and moments that are relationship milestones that deserve celebrations of their own. When you come together as a unit and buy something that you both love, it can stand as a testimony to the love you share.
Pro-tip: If you love going on road trips together, then buy an automobile together.
15. The birth of your child
When you’ve gotten married to the love of your life, you have a dream for each other. A small house, kids, a pet, and a partner who won’t leave your side no matter what. You look forward to sharing a life with them. When the two of you decide to have your first child, it is one of the biggest relationship milestones that deserve to be celebrated in a grand way. Having a child together is one of the blissful experiences of life. However, you have to make sure that this new entry doesn’t affect the relationship dynamics between you and your partner.
Pro-tip: Become each other’s support system and divide the chores equally.
Key Pointers
- Relationship milestones are the little and big things that take place from the time you meet your partner to the time the relationship lasts
- Some relationship milestones include kissing them for the first time, spending holidays with them, and going on vacation with them
- It is important to celebrate such romantic moments regardless of the longevity of the relationship because it keeps the relationship alive and prevents it from falling into stagnancy
There you go! All the important relationship milestones you have to celebrate with your partner to keep the relationship alive and harmonious. You can celebrate these milestones by going on a dinner date or by going on a holiday trip. If you don’t want to celebrate them in a grand way, then you can just get your partner some fresh flowers and remind them that they are valued and this relationship is your number one priority. Either way, you have to celebrate these significant moments with high spirits.
FAQs
There is no particular timeline that needs to be followed as the journey is so personal. But a general timeline is as follows: first date, first kiss, first makeout session, few more dates, making it official, meeting friends and family, the proposal, engagement, and wedding.
Six months is a milestone in relationships because six months are enough to make decisions about a person – it’s like a first hurdle crossed because it indicates that the relationship has a future provided both partners are willing to explore it further.
Every relationship goes through a phase though the experiences in each phase might be different from one person to another. You meet someone, get attracted, date him or her for a while, experience different emotions including disappointments when there is a fight, followed by a patch-up, solidifying the relationship, proposing, and then taking it to the next level of engagement and marriage.
There are different versions of the five stages of a relationship. But at the very basic level, the five stages are attraction, dating, disappointment, stability and commitment. Most relationships go through the entire gamut before walking up to the altar.
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