Marriage is a major life event. You get to spend your life with the person you love. What’s more, tying the knot is an opportunity to have a big, happy family.
Before you and your partner walk into the wedding aisle, you want to make sure that your married life is as smooth sailing as possible. After all, you and your future wife or husband will stay together for a long time.
Here are a few things you should sort out before you say “I do” to your partner in front of the altar:
- Get Life Insurance
Life insurance safeguards the future of you and your family. Look at this form of insurance as a vital pillar in your personal finances.
Despite the value of life insurance, some people remain skeptical of its importance. Some delay getting an insurance policy at an early age to prioritize other things, such as paying off current debt and going back to school to get a master’s degree.
Life insurance, however, can give you peace of mind knowing that you and your family have coverage in the event of your demise. When looking for this type of insurance, consider the wide range of options available before you get married. An example is a life insurance and investment plan that provides coverage and helps you meet your financial goals.
2. Talk About Money
Insurance is just one component. You and your future husband or wife should also agree on other financial matters, even though they aren’t always easy or fun to discuss.
When both of you have free time, consider bringing up the following money-related issues:
- How long you expect to work before retirement
- Where you plan to live
- How to divide or share living expenses
3. Discuss If You Want to Have Kids
Equally important to discussing money topics is the decision of having kids in the future. You and your partner should come into an agreement on how many children you’d like to raise. Share this vision before the big day.
Remember that having kids is a big personal and financial commitment. It’s something that will change your relationship with your husband or wife. So, make sure you talk about this issue and reach a decision as soon as possible.
4. Have a Good Understanding of Each Other’s Values
Long before you commit to spending the rest of your life with your partner, you need to communicate and discuss your individual beliefs and values, such as politics, family dynamics and religion.
Your values and beliefs may not match with your partner, but you need to respect each other’s viewpoints and make sure that they’re not a deal-breaker before exchanging vows.
If both of you find yourselves on the opposite ends of the spectrum in one area, do your best to make the situation work for both of you. Both of you should figure out how to manage conflict before it occurs.
5. Live Together
According to the 2020 Newlywed Report on WeddingWire, 77 percent of couples lived together before getting married. One reason is the economic benefit of paying only one rent instead of two.
Another reason is to check your compatibility with each other. When you live together, you learn the good, the ugly and the bad about your future husband or wife. You discover their morning routine, evening ritual, cleanliness and weird habits. Living together will determine if you are domestically compatible.
If you are unable to live together before marriage due to religious or geographic reasons, do your best to spend weekends together.
6. Take a Trip Together
The world is slowly opening up, giving you a chance to plan for a vacation trip. Traveling gives you the opportunity to see how both of you will respond to stressful situations.
Book a trip if you and your partner haven’t skipped town together yet. This holiday doesn’t need to be expensive or lengthy. A few great ways for couples to share memorable experiences are to go on a domestic weekend getaway in a home rental, camp in the woods or the beach and go on a road trip. During your travels, you’ll learn how to solve problems quickly and effectively.
If you plan to book a more traditional stay, consider an all-inclusive resort. This will give you the chance for some much-needed downtime without having to stress about the details once you arrive at the resort.
Tying the knot is an important and life-changing decision you’ll ever make in your whole life. So make sure that you do these six things before you say your vows at the wedding altar.