Looking for the best marriage books for newlyweds or engaged couples?
Well today, we have compiled a list of 7 must-read books for newlyweds and engaged couples. Plus 2 books that require teamwork (input) from couples.
More importantly, these books are packed with useful information to help you work together as a couple. So you can build the healthy, successful, and fulfilling marriage you both desire.
And while these books are ideal for newlyweds, married couples at any stage in their relationship will benefit from reading them too.
Now, let’s get started!
Best books for newlyweds and engaged couples
1. First Year of Marriage: The Newlywed’s Guide to Building a Strong Foundation and Adjusting to Married Life by Marcus and Ashley Kusi
This book was inspired by our podcast, The First Year Marriage Show, and is full of marriage advice based on our first-hand experiences.
Also, it’s non-religious, easy-to-read, and practical. Plus, it includes a FREE workbook you can download to use along with the book.
We published this book to help newlyweds build a strong foundation for their marriage. Although we wrote this book for newlyweds, it’s a must-read for engaged couples too.
From our experience, many couples get nervous before their big day.
You’ve probably heard more than a few expressions about cold feet and runaway brides, but First Year of Marriage helps couples plan for a future together so they don’t have that pre-wedding anxiety.
First Year of Marriage deals with common struggles couples face every day.
Through our stories and advice, you will learn how to:
• Shift your way of thinking from ‘I’ into ‘We’.
• Find the root cause of problems in your relationship.
• The four steps of creating a vision for your marriage.
• Create a budget together.
• Grow together as a couple.
• And other topics relevant to newlyweds.
The tone of the book is conversational, making it easier to read together or bring up with your spouse. Newlywed couples can easily read it together.
2. Things I Wish I’d Known Before We Got Married
Gary Chapman, an experienced marriage counselor, has filled Things I Wish I’d Known Before We Got Married with all of his best advice for couples. Although it’s written primarily for engaged couples, newly married couples can learn a lot from it too.
Chapman focuses on the fact that marriages that fail are often because of poor planning. He also shares strategies on how couples can overcome the difficulty. It is very practical and will help you prepare for a great marriage.
As he says, it’s not a book on how to plan a wedding but how to have a successful marriage. It serves as both a book and a workbook, filled with a useful appendix and learning exercises designed to help partners work together.
This book is ideal for couples that are considering marriage but want to learn about one another more.
You will learn to understand your significant other and work past minor annoyances (such as leaving the toilet seat up.) It covers everything from intimacy to household chores, so there is plenty of content for couples to read and learn.
This book is a great companion to First Year of Marriage and his other book below The 5 Love Languages, but it can be read as a standalone.
3. The 5 Love Languages: The Secret to Love That Lasts
Another great book by Chapman, The 5 Love Languages pairs well with the two books above but can be read alone.
In it, you’ll learn about the five love languages, discover which one you and your spouse speak. It’s a bit like a personality test and reveals truths about yourself and your relationship that you may have overlooked.
Relationships are as complex as people, and couples often struggle to figure each other out. The 5 Love Languages explains why we think and act differently by using this very simple test.
There are also handy multiple-choice questions and exercises to help build your own couple’s profile, which guides you further through your love language.
The stories and advice teach couples to not focus on the nit-picking and pet peeves in a relationship but to understand your spouse’s way of thinking. The book is easy to read and there are additional resources online.
4. Boundaries in Marriage
Boundaries in Marriage is a Christian/religious-based book for married couples.
The book delves into the importance of boundaries and how to set them clearly in order for your married life to go smoothly.
Like a good fence, boundaries are most effective when they are clearly defined. Your spouse may not even realize they’re doing something wrong until you mention it.
Boundaries in Marriage takes you through the ten laws of boundaries that help husbands and wives find points of friction in their relationship.
Understanding who ‘owns’ which feelings, attitudes, and behaviors in a marriage help couples to communicate better, enhances intimacy and builds trust in marriage.
Boundaries in Marriage is full of stories meant to instill values while respecting individual boundaries. It also teaches newlyweds and even older married couples how to keep your in-laws out of your marriage.
5. Love & Respect: The Love She Most Desires; The Respect He Desperately Needs
This is another Christian/religious text that focuses on women needing love and men desiring respect in a relationship.
Love and Respectteach couples that love and respect must be balanced and that your spouse’s way of thinking may differ from your own. It’s best for couples of faith that are suffering rocky times in their marriage and need extra counseling.
Love and Respect has plenty of relatable stories about other couples. Eggerichs provides the tools and advice that newlyweds, engaged couples, and those going through a marital crisis can use.
The book focuses on the “Crazy Cycle” or the fact that without love, women don’t respect their husbands and without respect, men lose love for their wives.
Although, we believe it is dependant on a person’s personality rather than their gender. Using this theory, there are exercises and questions to remember when interacting with your spouse in the future.
Overall, this book is about men loving their wives, and wives respecting their husbands in unique ways that promote a healthy marriage.
6. The Total Money Makeover: Classic Edition: A Proven Plan for Financial Fitness
After the wedding ceremony, the honeymoon, and the thank you cards are sent, newlyweds have to deal with a new task: managing money together.
Finances is not a glamorous topic and often one that goes overlooked, but managing your finances can help keep your relationship stable.
The Total Money Makeover will explain to you the myth about debt, how to get rid of debt like student loans, credit cards etc. and how you can build wealth for your family and generations to come.
It breaks tasks down into seven easy baby steps, each designed to help you budget as a couple, so you can pay off your debt and build wealth.
The methods in this book can be used in day-to-day situations too. Plus the advice is designed to rein in spending and bulk up your bank account.
It’s another great read for newlyweds and engaged couples who are thinking about marriage because it will help you become better with money management.
Whether budgeting is a new concept or you’re struggling to deal with additional bills and costs, The Total Money Makeover has enough practical tips for you.
7. Communication in Marriage: How to Communicate with Your Spouse Without Fighting by Marcus and Ashley Kusi.
Another book by us, Communication in Marriagetackles one of the biggest problems many couples face every day: communication with each other.
In fact, effective communication is the key to a successful relationship; a vital skill needed in marriage. Couples at any stage in their relationship should understand that, but it’s especially important for newlyweds.
Communication in Marriage teaches you how to communicate with your spouse and emphasizes the importance of trust.
As you know, anger, yelling, and placing the blame can lead to negative feelings and behaviors that are toxic to any relationship. We will show you the 4 different communication styles and proven communication skills you need to communicate differently without fighting.
While all married couples eventually butt heads, Communication in Marriage will help you to really talk with each other, which in turn results in fewer arguments. It’s also an easy read if you need something for over a weekend.
If you want to have deeper and engaging conversations that builds trust and enhance’s intimacy, this book is for you.
Also, the fun and thought-provoking questions will help you get to know each other more intimately.
Bonus 2: Our Bucket List Adventures: A Journal for Couples
This bucket list journal for couples will help you two to create the bucket list adventures you want to accomplish as a couple.
Specifically, it has a fun bucket list activity for couples to do together.
Read at least 3 of these books for newlyweds and engaged couples
If you’re soon to be married or even planning on the next big step in your relationship, you should be prepared to make some changes in your life. Because relationships take work.
In addition, effective communication with one another is key to maintaining a healthy marriage.
So if you really want your marriage to succeed, pick 3 of these recommended books for newlyweds and engaged couples. Ideally, two from the first list, and one of the bonus books.
Then read them with your husband/wife (or future spouse).
Why?
Because it will help you build a strong foundation for the successful and healthy marriage you want.
Also, these marriage books are simply the best books for newlyweds. Books that will enable you to begin your journey of building a great foundation for your marriage and family.
Discover the best 7 must-read books for newly married and engaged couples today. Books that will help you build a healthy, lasting and fulfilling marriage.Click To TweetRead the books before your First Year is over.
From our experience, these books for newly married couples are the best tools for building a lasting marriage. We have read most of these best-selling marriage books.
In fact, we highly recommend you read them before your first year of marriage is over.
By reading them in your first year or even before you get married, you will discover the essential skills you both need to practice to succeed as a married couple.
For more marriage tips, visit our first year of marriage advice page for our best articles for newlyweds and engaged couples.
You can also listen to our podcast, The First Year Marriage Show, to learn from the first year stories of couples who have been where you are today.
Final thoughts
Understanding your partner and being able to work through any obstacles that come your way can help your marriage thrive.
Hopefully, this handy list of books for newlyweds and engaged couples will provide you with everything you need to build a strong foundation for the marriage you both desire.
Each book is designed to bring you closer as a married couple and strengthen your relationship in at least one way. So, whether you’re already married or about to be, start planning for your future together.
Check out these books, read them together, and revisit them when you’re having problems in your relationship.
Lastly, we will love to know how these books for newlyweds impacts and even transform your marriage. So feel free to send us an email.
You might also like:
Best 13 Marriage Books for Couples to Read
20 Marriage Lessons We Learned From Our First Year of Marriage
How to Change Your Name After Marriage In 8 Simple Steps
115+ Bucket List Ideas for Couples
13 Fun Activity Books for Couples to Fill In Together
P.S. We will be adding more books to this list as we discover them. Feel free to message us your favorite ones too.
Image courtesy of Brandi Redd
