Amidst all of the excitement, there are some challenging things about being newly engaged. There's the fact that you now have to plan the wedding on top of trying to bask in the beautiful glow of the bling on your finger. And while in-laws sometimes contribute to any stresses of being newly engaged or married, they really don't have to be. Your new sister-in-law may be protective of her sibling, but you can make everyone's life so much easier by embracing several traditions to start with your sister-in-law that'll make you bond and hopefully create a new friendship in the process.
Not everyone clicks, and that's totally OK. You don't have to be BFFs with your boo's sister — especially if it's not in the cards. But even if your personalities clash a bit or you are just too different, you can always try to connect. By starting traditions that focus on each of your interests, you can relate to each other in different ways and establish a respectful, loving relationship.
If you already get along with your sister-in-law, all the better! These traditions will give you fun new things to look forward to each month (or however many times you want to repeat them), and will spice up your girls' outings a bit. Instead of doing the same thing all of the time, you get to venture out and think of new things to do.
In my opinion, manis and pedis are honestly the bread and butter of every friendship. Feeling down? Paint each other's nails. Have nothing to do? Head on over to the salon for some trendy nail art.
It's not for every person, but if you find both you and your sister-in-law love a good acrylic or gel nail, get together for a manicure every month. You can catch up, grab coffee afterwards, and admire how glam your nails look. Pampering yourself is something you both deserve anyway, so why not do it together?
Rom-coms and sappy romance dramas are just so addicting to watch. No matter how corny or predictable it may be, you seriously cannot look away. Plus, crying with your sister-in-law on the couch with a bottle of rosé is going to be such an experience for you two. You're definitely going to bond with movies like Pretty Woman, The Notebook, or Bridget Jones's Diary streaming in the background.
Food brings everyone together, so make this one tradition to bank on strengthening your relationship with your sister-in-law. Pick a date once a month and try out a spot that you've been eyeing. Whether it's based off of a new type of food you want to try, or a restaurant that just opened up, you'll enjoy some killer bites and have quality one-on-one time to dish. Depending on your budget or schedule, you can opt for a dessert place or new coffee shop as well.
DIYs aren't for everyone, but if you and your sister-in-law are the crafting type, you should definitely try and pick a date each week or month to churn out some great creations. You can pick a theme, either based off of an upcoming holiday or whatever you're feeling. Google or YouTube a few fun ideas, and follow your crafting hearts from there. You'll have some funny fails to laugh about and also some new cute crafts to show off in the process.
Whenever you're in need of something free and fun to do, you can try window shopping. You and your sister-in-law don't even need to have the same sense of style, and that'll honestly make it so much more fun.
Get together with her, grab some bubble tea, and scope out a cute cobblestone sidewalk with boutiques, or hit up a local shopping center. Conversation just tends to flow so well when walking about, and you'll get a nice sense of who your new sis really is by seeing what her fashion preferences are.
Cooking with someone is a lot like crafting together because you get to make something cool (and yummy, in this case) while being able to bond. You can also easily be at different levels of cooking expertise (or lack thereof), but the memories will flow either way. You can show each other something new as well as learn how to whip up a delicious new recipe! Making something sweet or savory will certainly bring you closer, and your palates will thank you.
Both you and your sister-in-law can pick a TV show or movie of your choice, and makes the other one watch it. Even if it's just one episode each, this is a really fun way to not only get into each other's minds, but also open up and see if you share some of the same interests. Choose how often you want to do this, whether it's each month or every week (depending how ambitious you want to be). And who knows? Maybe you'll find your new favorite show and learn a thing or two about your new sis.
