Falling is love is an incredible experience. Being in love is uplifting and fulfilling. Staying in love is work. Couples who have lived together for years prior to the wedding are already familiar with the ups and downs of a relationship, but whether you have years of co-habitation under your belt or are moving into your first home together, it's good to be prepared.
Spending some time preparing, not for the wedding but for the marriage, is good insurance for a long and happy relationship. Pre-marital counseling sessions can help you look at your vision for the marriage, your expectations for each other, ways you will make important decisions, how finances will be handled, who has what responsibilities, how do you deal with differences, and any number of questions around having and raising children and interacting with families.
Some things that are just fine before the wedding, or are not even on the radar, can become challenges later on. People can fall into communication ruts and unhealthy patterns without realizing it. When big transitions occur like buying a house, changing jobs, or having a child you may find that your ordinary skills are not sufficient to handle the stress. Learning to communicate now makes for a stronger marriage later.
What do you think? Are you and your sweetie enrolling in premarital counseling? What are you doing to keep your marriage strong?
I Do adapts traditions and creates new options to help couples personalize their wedding ceremonies. by Sydney Barbara Metrick Buy The Book www.ChickenSoupCounseling.com
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