Marriage Cheat Sheet 2026

The 30 highest-yield Marriage facts, distilled from real exam questions. Print it, save it as a PDF, or study it here — free, no sign-up.

1. What is a 'honeymoon fund' in modern American wedding culture? → A registry option where guests contribute money toward the couple's honeymoon trip
2. Which of the following is a sign that emotional intimacy has broken down in a marriage? → One partner stops sharing personal feelings, fears, or dreams
3. Which of the following happens when a spouse refuses to communicate? → Stonewalling
4. Couples therapists often flag 'contempt' as the most destructive relationship dynamic. Contempt looks like: → Eye-rolling, sarcasm, and treating a partner as inferior
5. When couples stop laughing together and humor disappears from the relationship, this change typically reflects: → Loss of joy and genuine connection in the partnership
6. What is 'palimony' in US law? → Financial support paid to an unmarried partner after a breakup
7. If your spouse has begun consulting a divorce attorney 'just to know options,' what does this behavior typically signal? → Serious contemplation of ending the marriage
8. What is 'contempt' in Gottman's Four Horsemen framework? → Treating a partner with disrespect, mockery, or a sense of superiority
9. What is the traditional color for a wedding dress in Chinese culture? → Red
10. Increased irritability toward a spouse about minor issues is often a sign of: → Deep-seated resentment that has built up over time
11. Which financial behavior can constitute marriage sabotage? → Secretly accumulating debt or hiding assets from a spouse
12. To which of these might a marriage be sabotaged? → Divorce
13. What is the traditional meaning of 'something borrowed' in the wedding saying? → Good luck from a happily married person
14. What is the minimum age to marry in most US states without parental consent? → 18
15. In marriages without love, what drives contempt? → Negative thinking
16. Which conflict resolution strategy focuses on identifying the underlying needs behind each partner's stated demands? → Interest-based negotiation
17. Which of these cannot cause a marriage to be destroyed? → Marriage Counseling
18. Which federal law recognizes marriage for immigration and benefit purposes in the US? → The Respect for Marriage Act (2022)
19. When children become the only topic a couple discusses, this pattern often signals: → The couple has lost their identity as partners outside of parenting
20. When a spouse starts idealizing their single friends' lives or frequently fantasizing about being single, this suggests: → A mental rehearsal for leaving the marriage
21. What does Gottman's research say about the percentage of marital conflicts that are never fully resolved? → About 69%
22. In the context of a sabotaged marriage, what is 'stonewalling'? → Completely shutting down and refusing to engage during conflict
23. What does 'weaponized incompetence' look like in a marriage? → Deliberately doing tasks poorly so a partner stops asking for help
24. What is the purpose of the 'something borrowed' tradition at a wedding? → To bring borrowed happiness from a happily married person
25. What is a 'joint account' in the context of married couples' finances? → A shared bank account that both partners can access and contribute to
26. What does RSVP stand for on a wedding invitation? → Répondez S'il Vous Plaît (Please Respond)
27. What is required for a marriage to be legally valid in the US beyond having a license? → An officiant authorized to perform marriages
28. Which of these self-defense techniques is used in loveless marriages to defend oneself from perceived attacks? → Defensiveness
29. According to marriage researcher John Gottman, what ratio of positive to negative interactions predicts a stable marriage? → 5:1
30. What is the legal term for the formal dissolution of a marriage? → Divorce