When someone sees two people looking at each other madly in love, they usually go straight to, "Oh, they're in the honeymoon phase. This too shall pass." Why does the honeymoon phase have to stop? Can't two people stay in that euphoric state for as long as they're together? Some (most) say no, but here is why you can.
Family
When you first bring home a boyfriend or girlfriend to your parents, they usually treat them like a new puppy. They fawn over the idea that their little girl, or boy, has found someone who makes them happy. They try to impress them because they think their actions are going to make or break your relationship.
After your significant other has come and gone a couple times, parents can start to get complacent. They don't feel the need to give your partner the best piece of steak, or have the decency to not fight in front of them. This is where the honeymoon stage can falter. With no outside support system you have to rely on each other at family functions and you can, at times, resist wanting to go to them in the first place.
Outside relational support is key to making the honeymoon phase work.
Gifts
When a relationship starts, there is usually an outpouring of affection. You want to show how much you care for that person and what better way than showering them with material gifts. These gestures will end, suddenly, whether it is because credit cards were maxed out, or annoyance creeps in. This can be a deal breaker.
One way to keep the gifts coming is to move away from the material side of the relationship. You can show someone you care by many more things than just material gifts. You can hand write them a letter or note, you can send them random love-y text messages during the day, or you can watch their favorite movie.
Anything that shows you pay attention to who they are is the best gift you can give.
Reality
First impressions are key when a relationship starts out, but they can also cause trouble down the road. If you aren't the type of person who is happy all the time, don't do it just because you want to impress your significant other. A primary reason relationships fail is because they start out perfectly. There are no fights because each is afraid of scaring the other off. So, when the first fight happens, it's big. There is complaining of change: "you never used to be like this" is a commonly used phrase.
This is what the honeymoon phase is -- the phase of no fights. Then, people say that when you have your first fight you are out of the phase. If you start a relationship rationally, and go into it knowing there will be fights, and there will be disagreements you will come out on top.
Don't live in a fairytale. If you know what to expect, you can conquer all of your obstacles.
Sex drive
In this day and age, more people are having sex earlier rather than waiting. While there are outliers, it is proven that the longer you wait, the longer you will last. Sex in the honeymoon phase is all about how many times you can do it before your roommate comes home, or how exotic we can get the positions. Only the boring old people do missionary, right?
Wrong! If you treat sex as something other than a connection it will die out fast. The point of having sex is to connect with the person you love on another level. It is something that is supposed to stay between the two of you, not something that gets talked about at the bars, or between glasses of wine.
People lose their sex drive because they have unreal expectations. If you start off as Seabiscuit, anything after is going to be a disappointment and you are going to blame it on being together for too long.
The truth is, slow and steady wins the race.
If you are lucky enough to find someone who burns an eternal flame in your heart -- keep it that way. Feelings of butterflies don't have to go away. True love is supposed to last forever, so why can't the sensations last, as well?
You're supposed to wake up every day with a smile knowing the person you love is right next to you. And if that feeling goes away, it's not because the phase is over; it's because maybe it wasn't really there to begin with.
