10 Things Every Couple Should Do Before Getting Married

Getting married is a wildly exciting new chapter to embark on in your life. It signifies a new level of maturity and partnership in your life that can really help you flourish, but it’s also a huge decision that might require a checklist before taking the big leap.

1. Travel together! We don’t just mean a weekend away at the cottage. Take a long vacation or an international adventure together that will challenge the limits of your relationship in different contexts.

2. Move in together. Getting married before you live together is a disaster waiting to happen, even though it’s quite normal in many cultures. Getting used to someone’s quirks is an important part of living in harmony and not fighting all the time.

3. Understand each other’s values such as politics and religion. These are topics that one usually avoids on a first date but that are very necessary for an engaged couple to discuss so that their future is aligned.

4. Talk about if you want kids. This can be a sticky subject for many, but if you guys are in it for the long haul, it’s a chat that needs to be had. Compromises might need to be made depending on how invested you are in the decision.