How to Keep Single Friends

You don't have to let your committed relationship or impending marriage separate you from your single friends. Maintaining a balance just means finding time to share with them and letting them know that you really haven't changed all that much.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

1. Keep in touch. When you get married, don't let friends drift away. Give each one a call after the honeymoon to see where they are in their lives and how they're doing.
2. Take time to go out with friends. Don't let your relationship turn you into a hermit. Plan time for you and your mate to go out with your friends without either of you tagging along. Integrate these times into your schedules.
3. Set up group activities. Hosting several of your friends at once is a good way to stay in contact with them. Backyard barbeques in the summer are a favorite.
4. Organize an unofficial singles party. You and your mate should invite all of your single friends for a barbecue or buffet. Invite some couples to round out that group. Make sure the numbers of men and women are fairly equal. The single won't feel out of place with so many other singles around, and they might even meet prospective mates of their own.
5. Go online. Many friends that don't have time to meet personally stay in touch using the web. Instant messages are popular contact tools, and social spaces like mySpace and Facebook also work well. Friends can post profiles and updates, send personal messages, pictures and videos, and keep informed of what's happening in a friend's life.