If You Want Your Marriage to Start Out Right, Start Preparing for Marriage by Working Out These Issues First. Ahhh…Amore. There’s nothing more exciting than young love. But all too often, my friend, young love turns into nasty fighting and bitter divorce. And if you think your wedding was expensive, wait until you see the costs of divorce! Attorney’s fees, alimony, child support, liquidation of marital assets…ouch! Properly preparing for marriage before the wedding is much less costly and so much more effective than trying to repair problems later. An ounce of prevention is worth so much more than a pound of cure. When building a small house, your foundation need not be more than a cement slab. It’s like dating without anything more serious. However, when building a skyscraper, you’d better construct a solid foundation with pilings driven deep into the bedrock. The same goes for marriage. You can’t build an unshakable marriage to last a lifetime without investing in a solid foundation. Invest the time now, not later. Preparing for marriage is time well spent. Am I Marrying the Right Person? Have I found Mr. Right? Is she my soul mate? How do I know if I’ve found “The One?” These points should help you decide. What is a “Healthy Marriage"? Decades of research and data have been collected from real couples as well as from scholars working in the marriage therapy field. These researchers have amassed the qualities and characteristics of a Healthy Marriage. Each of these qualities and characteristics can be learned. You should review them with your partner and incorporate them into your relationship. Research has identified Six Specific Areas that can lead to Relationship Problems. Many couples enter into marriage without first thoroughly investigating these topics and reaching a consensus. By working out these issues before you get married, your relationship is destined to prosper. Five Top Financial Matters You Need to Take Care of BEFORE the Wedding. Finances are amongst the most common reasons cited for the breakup of a marriage. By addressing these matters before the big day, you’ll begin your lives together on much better footing. Things We Wish We Knew BEFORE Getting Married. Good heavens! Looking back, we had so many problems! Our issues included why we got married, when we got married, how we got married, even to whom we got married! Granted, we're doing much better now. But if we only knew then what we know now… Avoiding In-Law Problems. If you’re having in-law problems, you’re not alone. Practically every couple out there has had in-law issues at one time or another. Here are some ways to smooth out the problems and avoid new ones from forming. Newlywed “Rules” You Can Ignore. The Wedding’s over and the two of you are trying to settle into married life. Often newlyweds have preconceived notions of what “married life” is supposed to be. You want to do things right, don’t you? Here is a list of misconceptions that are clearly wrong. As they say, knowledge is power. Often couples armed with this knowledge can work out their problems and address these issues on their own. Many couples, however, find it too difficult to resolve on their own. There are many sources of help available. If you plan to get married in a Catholic Church, you will likely be required to participate in Pre Cana. Topics discussed include compatibility, principals of a successful marriage, conflict resolution, and family life. Other religions have similar pre-marital requirements. Unfortunately, many couples consider preparing for marriage a waste of time. On the contrary! These classes provide you with the tools and help set the foundation for a healthy marriage. It may be worth investing in a few sessions with a marriage counselor. They will be able to provide an impartial and fresh perspective to your differences. Marriage counselors have the advantage of personal and clinical experience to stabilize your relationship and help you reinforce its foundation. A marriage counselor can foresee potential problems in your future and will provide you with the tools you need to overcome them, before they happen. Go to Home Page from Preparing for Marriage
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