Newlyweds: The First Year

Four couples seal their vows and embark on their first year of marriage. Kathryn and John, who have only known each other for a year, unite their traditional families in a big fat Greek wedding. Kathryn leaves her independent life in New York City to move into John’s suburban Long Island home. Cultures clash as Tina and Tarz wed in a lavish Bollywood-themed wedding in South Carolina. Determined to overcome their family histories of divorce and neglect, Blair and Jeff make their love official by signing domestic partnership papers. Blair still dreams of his fantasy wedding and has bigger plans for an upcoming over-the-top commitment celebration. Kim and Alaska rev up their fast-paced lives after a wild seven-year courtship and rejoice in their new status – but Kim’s vision of a slim bridal party causes serious beef with her closest not-so-skinny friends.

Over the first few weeks of married life, fantasy gives way to reality. Still on cloud nine, Blair embraces his inner bridezilla and begins planning a lavish commitment ceremony in Savannah, while Jeff’s concerns simmer beneath the surface. Kim cringes at the thought of living in Alaska’s former bachelor pad, shared with his sister and 2-year old nephew, while Alaska remains committed to economizing. Tina and Tarz get matching tattoos, outraging Tina’s conservative father. John’s fantasy of a traditional marriage comes true when his new wife initially cooks and cleans for him, but formerly independent Kathryn quickly becomes bored with her new identity as housewife.

Only two months after the wedding, pregnancy test results are revealed for Kathryn and Tina. Both women find that their husbands may not be on the same page when it comes to the idea of parenthood. Blair and Jeff argue after Jeff accuses Blair of overreacting to the death of his idol, Whitney Houston. Blair soon learns that Jeff’s behavior as a husband is deeply rooted in his relationship with his parents. Kim looks to her father for advice on how and when to compromise when Alaska insists on making all the decisions. Amidst tensions and tears, each couple comes together for a romantic Valentine’s Day. A surprise dinner, first-ever attempt at baking, and a community service experience are just a few of the ways the newlyweds celebrate.

The marriage clock strikes at 3 months and power struggles grow. John acquires a failing tanning salon and reluctantly considers putting Kathryn at the helm. After giving in to Kim and moving to Harlem together, Alaska puts his foot down as ruler of his new household. Tarz doesn’t want to have sex on a baby-making schedule and Tina gets frustrated. Domestic partnered for over 2 months, it’s finally the weekend of Blair and Jeff’s lavish commitment ceremony. While Blair is ecstatic to be surrounded by family and friends, Jeff's insecurity and rejection by his parents is tormenting him. Big changes foreshadow bigger realizations to come.

After almost five months of marriage, newlywed life seems less…new. It's been two weeks with no sex – Blair is feeling disconnected and insecure, but the more pressure he puts on, the less turned on Jeff becomes. John is finding Kathryn's ever-expanding body unattractive, which angers Kathryn. Tina tries to heat up her sex life with a sexy dance, but Tarz finds her “cute” instead of sexy. At least Kim and Alaska manage a sexy reunion after doing their own thing on opposite coasts, but as soon as the next separation approaches, the couple is on edge.

After 7 months of marriage, communication is at an all-time low. Jeff meets with an attorney and is surprised to find that Blair is earning equity in Jeff's house. In turn, Blair is enraged that Jeff would conspire with a lawyer behind his back. Tarz and Tina have planned a nude photo shoot to celebrate their newlywed year but Tina insists on sparkles and feathers. The photographer and Tarz object –- will Tina ever let her inner self be “exposed?” Despite his usual stoicism, Alaska gets sentimental reminiscing about his mom and finally trusts Kim enough to allow for a crack in his armor. John gets frazzled by an emergency at the salon and Kathryn is irritated that she does not have more freedom to handle the business in her own way.

Approaching the one-year mark, newlyweds wonder what the future will bring. After some family bonding, Kim is upset that Alaska is packing again for LA…with no plans for a return flight. It dawns on Kathryn that John is not going to be much help when it comes time for the baby delivery, and feels he will not be a hands-on parent. Tina and Tarz are ambushed by a surprise announcement from her father. Jeff and Blair once again find themselves at an impasse over the sex versus money argument -– will they be able to dig themselves out of this hole?

365 days later…how did the newlyweds do, and how will their marriages fare in the future? At their overdue Mexican honeymoon, Kim and Alaska come to grips with the reality that they still have much to work out with their bicoastal marriage in year two. Kathryn and John slowly acclimate to parenthood, and while they have no regret about their honeymoon baby, they admit they probably should have waited a little longer to start a family. Tina’s widowed father becomes a newlywed, giving Tina and Tarz an opportunity to reflect on the ups and downs of their own first year of marriage. Blair and Jeff finally explore how to meet each other's needs with the help of a sex therapist. Emotional enlightenment and further epiphanies ensue… but will they stick?