dearyou
Anniversaries 2 min read1 study cited

How to make a relationship timeline

A timeline of your relationship is one of those gifts that's mostly research. The hard part is remembering; the presentation is easy once you have the moments. Here's how to dig them up and lay them out.

By the dearyou team ·

Two small figurines under warm fairy lights

Step 1: find the moments

  1. Scroll to the very start of your chat. Screenshot the first messages.
  2. Go through your camera roll by month. Favourite one photo per month.
  3. Check old stories, tickets and bills in your email or wallet apps.
  4. Ask a mutual friend what they remember.

Step 2: pick the beats

  • How you met.
  • The first date.
  • The moment it became official.
  • The first trip, the first fight, the first 'I love you'.
  • A random ordinary day you both still talk about.

Step 3: present it

  • As an album: one memory per spread, a photo on one side and a note on the other.
  • As a mixtape: Side A is how it started, Side B is now.
  • As a sky of stars: each memory a star, joined into a shape.
A dearyou templateRewind TapeYour story as a mixtape: Side A is how it started, Side B is now, with a hidden track at the end.Play the demo free

What the research says

From the research
Studies on nostalgia found that revisiting meaningful past moments, usually shared with close others, raised positive mood and strengthened feelings of social connection.
[1] Wildschut et al., 2006Journal of Personality and Social Psychology

That's the quiet power of a timeline: it doesn't just record your story, it makes you both feel it again.

Questions people ask

What should a relationship timeline include?+

How you met, your first date, when it became official, your first trip and a few ordinary days you both still talk about, each with a date and a photo.

How many memories should a relationship timeline have?+

Six to ten is a good range: enough to tell the story, short enough to read in one sitting.

Make it yours

A dearyou templateOur AlbumPlay the demo free, then fill it with your own photos, words and song.Play the demo free A dearyou templateOur ConstellationPlay the demo free, then fill it with your own photos, words and song.Play the demo free
#timeline#anniversary#memories#couples

Sources

  1. [1]Wildschut, T., Sedikides, C., Arndt, J. & Routledge, C. (2006). Nostalgia: Content, triggers, functions. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 91(5), 975–993. Read

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