The five chapters in this section examine the earliest stages of plural family relationships. Chapter 5 deals with the question of adding a new wife to a fundamentalist family. This important decision involves a complex set issues between a man and his established wife or wives and a prospective wife.

Chapter 6 is about the courtship stage of relationship formation. Here we describe the nature and length of courtship, dyadic relations between a husband and a prospective wife, and the communal involvement of established wives in the courtship.

Chapter 7 describes wedding and marriage ceremonies among contemporary Mormon fundamentalists – their location, participants, and associated events. Of particular importance are the dyadic roles of the bride and groom, and the communal participation of established wives.

Chapters 8 and 9 deal with the earliest stages of new plural marriages. Chapter 8 summarizes honeymoon customs: their form, length, and location; participation by established wives; and the ways in which husbands conduct themselves with the new bride and other wives.

Chapter 9 explores dyadic and communal aspects of adjustment to new marriages in plural families. How do the bride and established wives relate to one another early in the new marriage? What challenges face each of them during this difficult period? How does the husband manage this transitional phase?

In addition to focusing on the dynamics of dyadic husband–wife and communal wife–wife relationships, we highlight the tensions, stresses, and complexities of these early stages of plural family life.