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Going out for dinner, drinks, and dessert might make you feel sleepy; not sexy.

Physical intimacy is important in long term relationships. Somewhere between 15-40 percent of married couples are in what's defined as a "sexless" relationship, meaning it's normal for you to go a month or more without doing the deed. That doesn't mean all those people are unhappy, of course. When couples are on the same page about their frequency, even if it's low, everything can be hunky dory! But it's also often the case that one or more partners want more, and are frustrated. That's not a recipe for a happy relationship, not because the physical act itself is vital, but because a lack of sex usually has root causes like poor communication, less intimacy, or a lack of quality time together. When issues like this pile up and go unaddressed, divorce is a common endpoint.

But almost everyone has experienced those days or evenings where you have the best of intentions, you really do. You've secured a babysitter, carved out time for each other, and put all your ducks in a row for a romantic evening. But after a night out, you're just utterly exhausted! Does that mean you aren't attracted to each other anymore, that you don't love anymore, or that you're on a runaway train to Splitsville?

A sex therapist has one surprising solution for couples to try: Reverse the order of operations.

In other (slightly crass) words, "F*ck first."

marriage, couples, marriage advice, marriage tips, dating advice, love, relationships, relationship advice, sex, divorceIs doing "it" before going out a marriage-saving life hack? Photo by Womanizer Toys on Unsplash

Vanessa Marin is a licensed psychotherapist with 20 years of experience as a sex therapist. She's made it her mission, along with her husband Xander, to help married couples keep their spark alive with really down-to-earth, practical tips shared on social media (and some funny skits, too).

In one recent video, the Marin's challenge everything we thought we knew about date night:

"You're on the way out the door for a sexy date night," the couple narrates. "But stop, you're already doing it wrong."

In the skit, Xander then turns to his wife and cheekily says: "Oh my god, babe. We forgot to f*ck first."

"The whole idea is you have sex before you go out on date night or out to a big party," she says, "because, let's be honest, once you start eating, drinking, staying up late, it's really hard to get excited about having sex after a big night."

She then urges her viewers to try out the little tweak to the usual routine and let her know how it goes.

Warning: This video contains strong language.


@vanessaandxander

Watch this before your next big night out! We’re in the holiday party season—which means eating, drinking, staying up late, and falling asleep before intimacy can happen. 🥺 Use the "F*ck First" rule to increase the likelihood of intimacy. Instead of waiting until the end of the night, prioritize intimacy *before* you go out. 🍷🍽 Think about it—by the time the date's over, most of us feel full, bloated, tipsy, or just plain tired. And honestly, all you probably want to do is crash into bed, right? 😴 By putting intimacy first, you’ll avoid the post-date slump and create a stronger connection for the rest of the evening. 💫 And share this with your partner so they know what you’ll be up to before your next date night! 😏 #relationshiptips #forcouples #marriedlife #datenight #ignitethespark #spicytime

Marin explains in the video that the "f*ck first" rule was initially developed by love and sex columnist Dan Savage.

In an interview with GQ, the famous author of the column Savage Love explained that the concept actually came to him around Valentine's Day, when disappointed couples would email him the day after to ask if their relationship was doomed because they hadn't "consummated" their big evening out with their partner.

Warning: This quote contains even more strong language.

"They got flowers, they got chocolate, they got taken out to dinner, but they didn't [have sex]. And I would look at that trajectory: flowers (who gives a shit), chocolate (I love chocolate), a big heavy romantic meal with wine and crème brulée and everything else... and who wants to f*ck after that? So, if you want to make sure you get f*cked on Valentine's Day, f*ck first, then go out to dinner. ... Then when you go home you won't be going home to performance anxiety or disappointment if nothing happens."

He doesn't mince words, but you can't argue with his logic.

@vanessaandxander

Waiting for secs to “just happen”? 😬 That’s a fast track to frustration and missed connection. Initiating isn’t just about getting things started—it’s about owning your desire, showing your partner you want them, and keeping that spark alive 🔥 When you’re proactive, you’re creating a shared experience—not leaving it up to chance or falling into a one-sided rut. Take the lead. Take up space. Be an equal player in your pleasure. ✨

The video racked up nearly two million views and tons of opinions from people in relationships.

Many agreed with the approach and admitted to practicing it themselves to great results.

"it also builds a great connection for the rest of the night"

"This has worked great for us! Plus if we’re still up for it later… that’s just an added bonus."

"tried it, we just stayed in bed and watched Netflix. 10/10 would recommend."

"My hubby and I have done this for years lol. It’s a great tip!"

"me and my bf call this 'quickie before the function'"

But others felt the "rule" offered up some logistical challenges, especially for parents.

"Explain this to the babysitter for me"

"Nothing like our kids screaming outside our door to really set the mood"

A few commenters had concerns they'd never make it out to dinner if they did this, while others saw it as a perk.

"I can’t go out with my hair and make up ruined," said one.

Of course, falling asleep is always a major concern. Sex is tiring yet relaxing, and releases a combination of neurochemicals that's proven to make us sleepy. So, if you choose to practice this technique, you may wind up missing out on socialization time and the fun bonding you'd planned with your partner.

So, it seems there are no silver bullets for busy couples looking to make more time for intimacy. There will almost always be something getting in the way or fighting for your attention (like kids... always the kids). But if you've got your communication and affection down, and you just need a little extra time and energy, Marin's suggestion might just work wonders for your relationship.

An angry wife shares her thoughts with her husband.

A husband invited some new coworkers over for dinner and instead of properly introducing his wife, he made a sexist joke that she felt was belittling. The wife, who goes by the name Sadie on Reddit, shared the story on the AITA forum to ask if she responded correctly.

Spoiler alert: Yes, she did. “My husband invited his new coworkers over for dinner. When they arrived, he introduced me by gesturing at me and saying, ‘This is Mrs. Smith (he didn't even say my name)...the housewife!'" Sadie revealed.

“I looked at him for a second, then I started laughing hysterically,” Sadie continued. “I then told said, ‘No, honey, I work full time, and YES I still act like a housewife when I'm home because you simply can't bother to help.’” After Sadie’s remark, the guests stared at the husband, who tried to laugh it off and then changed the subject by asking them if they wanted a drink.

The rest of the dinner was awkward, with the husband and wife exchanging angry glances. After the guests left, the husband blew up at Sadie, saying that she laughed like a “lunatic” and that she ruined “his image.”

couple, fighting, spouses, husband, wifeHusband fussing at wife.Canva Photos.

“I told him he was wrong to lie about my status and deny my degree, to begin with,” Sadie continued. He said I could've talked to him about it privately later but not like this, and making his coworkers think he's useless.” Sadie asked the online forum if she was out of line, and they responded with a collective, "No!"

People overwhelmingly supported the wife, raising an issue far beyond the fact that her husband was seriously inconsiderate. It’s a big red flag in a relationship when one spouse diminishes or belittles the other in public or private.

“Men who diminish their partners to look better at the office are gross. He only seemed to care about his embarrassment and not yours. I'd be mortified if my husband used a lie that robbed me of my success and accomplishments to prop himself up," one user responded.

“It's a red flag for the relationship. He doesn't want a partner who is an equal. He wants a dependent woman who he can provide for completely so he can feel like a man," another user added.

Some also noted that it was wrong of him to disparage homemakers.

"He diminished (being a housewife is not a ‘low’ role, but he meant it that way) you in public, you corrected him. In public. As he deserved,” said another.

woman, red flag, gif, couples, fightRed Flags Reaction GIF by Kamie CrawfordGiphy

The viral post received over 24,000 comments, highlighting the idea that belittling your partner is a serious sign of a dysfunctional relationship that should not be ignored.

According to Psychology Today, backhanded compliments, digs, and subtle put-downs are attempts by one partner to make the other feel small and themselves feel big. “Although cleverly disguised as a joke or a compliment, these comments may qualify as ‘toxic’ if they sting, cause confusion, and replay in a person’s mind for days, disrupting their peace,” Erin Leonard, Ph.D. writes.

Ultimately, commenters overwhelmingly agreed that Sadie was right not to let her husband's belittling compliment go unnoticed. By sharing it online, she opened up a meaningful discussion about appropriate humor in relationships. Studies show that it’s healthy for partners to joke around with one another, but when the comments are thinly veiled put-downs and backhanded compliments, it’s no laughing matter.

couple, couple fighting, husband and wife, red flags, conflictHusband and wife sit on opposite sides of the couch looking unhappy.Canva Photos.

This article originally appeared last year.

People are sharing their unexpected romantic moments.

Heartbreak can turn people off of the idea of romance, but even the most cynical among us can't help but smile at a genuine love story. And as it turns out, the most romantic moments often aren't the fancy, candlelight dinners or the view from the highest floor or the sunset walk on the beach. Often, the sweetest and most memorable moments aren't the ones you plan, but rather when something silly or accidental or unexpected happens.

That's why when someone asked, "What's an oddly romantic thing that's happened to you on a date?" people's responses had people swooning.

The initial response to the question read, "Was on a date with a guy and we kissed and his watch started beep[ing] really loud and we looked down and it said 'abnormal heart rate detected' lol." That story prompted people to start sharing their own unique romantic moments.

Pulse goes up. Pulse goes down.

"Was dating my now-wife and she had some medical issue that took her to the ER. She’s hooked up to the monitor and I’m sitting at the side of the bed facing all the machines. I notice that when I hold her hand her pulse goes up and when I let go it goes down.

This leads me to laugh a bit and, when she asks, explain how 'Pulse goes up, Pulse goes down!' by holding her hand. She blushes adorably and I kiss her and it’s all cute. It became a cute little thing I tease her about.

Years later and the situation is reversed—I’m in the ER and she’s come in to visit me. I’m sitting in bed talking to her when she suddenly gets sad and pouty.

romantic stories, pulse, heartrate, love stories, love"Pulse goes pp, Pulse goes sown."Photo credit: Canva

I ask what’s wrong and she says how she was watching the monitor and testing “Pulse goes up!” but my pulse goes down when she holds my hand.

I say 'Of course it does. I’m always on, always active. My mind is constantly racing - Never off. The only time I feel safe and comfortable enough that my entire mind and body can actually slow down is when I’m with you.' She teared up."

We’re married and we still tease each other about “Pulse Goes Up, Pulse Goes Down!”

Oops, I forgot my sleeping bag…

"First 'date' was a weekend hiking/camping trip. We had been friends for a very long time, but we had both been in other relationships most of the time until that point, and we clearly had the hots for each other (I say this because I don't recommend people to go on a first date as a camping trip if you don't know the person well lmao).

romantic dates, hiking, camping, first date, couplesImagine a forgotten sleeping bag bringing you together.Photo credit: Canva

The first night it stormed terribly, and I legitimately had completely forgotten my sleeping bag like a moron and was freezing. She shared her sleeping bag with me and we cuddled for warmth.

We've been married for six—seven years now. Looking back, I always tell people I was playing 4D chess when in reality I was just a f__ing idiot who didn't bring his sleeping bag on a camping trip lmao. She knows the dark truth and still married me. She's a keeper."

"Have beautiful babies."

"The first time my husband and I went on a walk together, it was the DAY we met so we definitely weren’t dating yet but we were definitely vibing with each other and flirting. This homeless guy stopped us while we’re walking and asked for money. We give him some cash, and as he’s leaving he shouts 'I HOPE YALL HAVE SOME BEAUTIFUL BABIES!' 😭😭 It was awkward for the rest of the walk lmaooo, but we did in fact have some beautiful babies, and more to come lol."

aww, gif, couples, dates, love storiesTv Land Awww GIF by Throwing ShadeGiphy

Tiny footprints

"The first time I ever picked up my wife in my car she drew little feet using the palm of her hands on my passenger window. For the next few weeks during winter whenever I started my car the frost would melt slowly revealing the tiny footprints hidden beneath. Simply reminded me of her every time and it put a big dumb grin on my face."

Bloody kisses

"Lol reminds me of when my husband and I were dating long distance. I went to visit him one day after a few months apart, we kissed in greeting then he reeled back in horror because I had blood all over my face. Turns out HE had gotten a nosebleed like a damn anime character. ❤️"

kiss, long distance, love, couples, cute, nosebleedsAnime nosebleed Giphy

Spontaneous snack bar stop

"We were walking through downtown, talking and having a blast when he suddenly disappeared. After a couple of minutes he reappeared and it turns out he rushed into a snack bar. The day before I had been talking about how my favourite candy bar was being stocked less and less in the Netherlands and he saw some in the glass display and rushed in to buy me one. I almost swooned."

A simple touch

"First date, we went to dinner + a movie on Valentine's Day. I left my lights on, so I had to call CAA to get a jump. It was -20 so we had to snuggle up tight to preserve bodily warmth. When we parted, she reached out and touched my face, and I just about died.. I always felt I was very ugly, and to have her accept my face just broke my heart (in a good way.)

Married now, and I look back on my bonehead maneuver on that first date as having been essential. She needed to know what she was getting into..."

romantic moments, odd love stories, romcom, sweet love stories"All to yourselves, just as your requested…"Photo credit: Canva

"Per your request, sir"

"On the first date with my wife we went to see a movie together and have dinner. The theater was empty, the kid walking through before the show started, looked right at me and said 'All to yourselves, just as you requested' and gave me a wink.

We both laughed after he left."

All-in on the cheesy romcom moments—but not really

"First date I ever had with my now husband. We went ice skating at PPG place around the Christmas tree and then took the incline up to look at the skyline. I’m from the Pittsburgh area and he is from Southern WV. He came up early from Thanksgiving break when we were in undergrad and grad school respectively at WVU. He was all in on the cheesy rom-com moments and made me feel like a Princess.

Turns out not only does he hate ice skating, he is afraid of heights, and also a die hard Cincinnati Bengals fan who didn’t even flip off Heinz field once. This man did a slew of things he hated and never complained or whined because he could tell I was having so much fun. I am incredibly lucky to have him and I’ve never made him ice skate again."

Here's to those surprising romantic moments that form some of our sweetest memories with our loved ones.

via Doug Weaver/TikTok

Doug Weaver explains "Husbands in Training" lessons from his mother

Even though the marriage rate in the United States is on a steep decline, chances are that the majority of kids growing up today will get married at some point in their lives. If current trends continue, about half of those will end in divorce.

Research published in the Couple and Family Psychology journal found that the top five reasons for divorce are a lack of commitment, infidelity, too much conflict, getting married young, and financial problems.

Wouldn’t it be great if we were taught from a young age how to be a good spouse so we could avoid these pitfalls? Many of them are totally solvable with good communication and commitment from both parties. But in American culture, most of us aren’t taught the specifics of how to have a happy and healthy marriage. Most of us tend to pick things up from watching the married people in our orbit, most likely our parents.

No comment on how that's going.

husbands, wives, marriage, couples, love, relationships, marriage tips, marriage advice, love stories, menThough people are waiting longer and being more particular about marriage, the divorce rate remains pretty stubborn.Giphy

The other way we learn is by making the mistakes ourselves. By then, it's usually too late. And the data around second and third marriages isn't very promising when you dig into it.

Artist Doug Weaver had a much different upbringing. His mother, Mickey, made a curriculum for him and his two older brothers when they were kids to help them be great husbands when they got married.

You've heard of things like "Mom-Son Date Night" (some dads and daughters do it, too) where mothers will take their boys out on a "date" so they can learn basic chivalry and manners?

Weaver's training was like that on steroids.

"When I was a kid, my mom did this thing for me and my two older brothers called 'Husbands in Training,'" he explained in a TikTok video that has more than 5.9 million views. "It was a full, multiple-level curriculum on how to be a better husband."

Weaver says the training covered topics from chivalry to eating to a rather uncomfortable discussion on "the ethics of the porn industry." His mother also stressed the importance of listening to women and identifying when another man may be giving them trouble.

"There was a lot of really good stuff in that curriculum," Doug said. "There were things like what to do if your spouse says something and the information they give is wrong. How to handle it if they say something wrong in public versus in private, when it is appropriate to correct them and when it isn't."

Weaver’s mother was also way ahead of her time because she made a big deal about teaching her sons the importance of consent. "We talked about consent, we talked about the basics of respecting and honoring women and listening to women, and all of the things that really just make you a decent human being," Doug explained.

A young Doug must have absolutely hated sitting through conversations with his mom about porn, sex, and consent... but as a grown man, he looks back on the lessons fondly.

@dougweaverart

Husbands in training! #parenting #storytime #story

The lessons were so powerful that even Weaver’s father decided to take the course. "A lot of the things that we were learning from my mom were things that he was never taught growing up,” Weaver said. "So, he decided he also wanted to take 'Husbands in Training.'"

It brings to mind pre-marriage counseling or couples therapy. Programs are often offered (or mandated) through churches, so they aren't usually a great fit for the non-religious. And couples without active "problems" may resist the idea of attending couples therapy due to the stubborn stigma around it.

The course officially ended when Weaver and his brothers got married. "My mom even made certificates of completion that she signed and gave to each of us on our wedding day," he shared in his TikTok clip.


However, the video Weaver shared was so popular on TikTok that he’s making his mother’s course available to the general public. “After posting about ‘Husbands in Training’ on TikTok, the TT community really wants my mom to produce content about raising boys to be good men,” he wrote on a GoFundMe fundraising campaign in 2022.

The overwhelming response to Weaver’s TikTok has inspired a new YouTube channel to spread Mickey’s lessons far and wide. But it has also made a lot of people realize that teaching people how to be great spouses is a lifelong journey and should be a major part of child-rearing. Learning how to be a good spouse shouldn't just be something we pick up by accident.

As for Doug Weaver, his training appears to be paying off in the form of a happy marriage.

This article originally appeared three years ago.