So much for the "honeymoon phase."
Research released on Monday by Deakin University's Australian Centre on Quality of Life found that couples in their first year of marriage are unhappier than those who have been married 40+ years.
Researchers measured the happiness of 2,000 Australians (based on their reported satisfaction in seven areas of life, including health, achievements and relationships) and recorded it on a scale of one to 100. The average score was 75, and newlyweds scored 73.9. By the second year of marriage, happiness was at a 78.4, and those who had been married at least 40 years scored 79.8.
Weinberg attributed newlyweds' decreased happiness levels to a "wedding hangover" -- that depressed feeling couples get when the celebrations are over and the marriage begins.
"Couples build up to the wedding day as the best day of their life, and then find reality biting as they tote up their wedding bills and get back to work after the honeymoon," Weinberg told the New Zealand Herald.
So how can newlyweds cope with the post-wedding blues? Weinberg recommended couples stick it out through their frantic first year and reap the rewards later.
Not sure if you should pop the question? Read Twitter's advice for couples thinking of marriage in the slideshow below.