Successful Marriage Steps

In the world right now it's easy to see marriage as daunting. After all we've all heard that 50% of all marriages end in divorce. Personally, I doubt the number is so high. I'd imagine that would be a difficult thing to measure. Even still, it seems like most marriages have extreme problems and aren't really happy. That's why it is so great that I learned steps to take to guard against some marital problems.

Disclaimer: I'm pretty sure that even if you follow all of these steps to a "T" you will still have disagreements...

~A good marriage starts with good DATING! One great thing to do is to clearly define each step in the relationship. From casual dating to courtship(steady dating) and another clear break between courtship and engagement. I guess DTR's (defining the relationship) are a necessary evil...

~ Having the groom talk to the bride's father isn't just an old tradition. It actually is helpful for the parents to accept that they are no longer in charge of their daughter's well being. The new person that she needs to confide in is her husband and they will be able to let go more easily if they feel like they agreed to it.

~The Honeymoon should just be focused on the couple. It's not a great time to visit relatives or go sight seeing... I think that's self-explanatory...

~It's a good idea to draw up some sort of pre-marital contract... NOT A PRENUP! Just something to go through, to see what each person's expectations are. Just because you're in love it doesn't mean you will see eye-to-eye on everything... that's ridiculous. A few things to think about are what to do on Sundays. Who will do the cooking, cleaning, or yard-work. Who will pay the bills? How often will you visit in-laws? These are great things to talk about even before you are married.