Matchmaking and Dating Tips For Women - Getting Committed to Marriage

Getting Committed to Marriage?

Congratulations! You're engaged or you're in a serious long-term commitment. You'll be creating an entirely new domain-the one you will operate in as a couple. Strong unions consist of many parts. The most important ingredient is, of course, the relationship itself. Practical issues must also be considered, such as finances, family planning, and family obligations, none of which seem particularly romantic. Figuring out how you will handle these issues is essential before you say, "I do." Unfortunately, many relationships have ended because the couples didn't discuss the big issues before they tied the knot. Communication and tolerance are two other ingredients of a lasting, happy relationship. So learn how to communicate, and more importantly, how to listen. Success at building and maintaining a harmonious relationship comes from understanding and accepting your mate's peccadilloes, feelings, and opinions. This simply means you should respect them when making your own decisions.

Keep the Engagement Short

Once you have made the decision to get married, don't wait! Long engagements are a waste of time. If you love each other and you're sure, there's no reason to wait more than six to eight months to tie the knot. This is especially true if you're over 35 and want to start a family. Don't let the planning of it be an excuse to wait. There are many beautiful places to plan a wedding in a short amount of time.

Location, Location, Location

If you have your heart set on a particular location, and it's booked for the month you would like, consider the following:
- June is a busy wedding month, consider spring or fall. These times of year are gorgeous, and often the weather is very cooperative.
- Consider a weekday or luncheon wedding if you have your heart set on getting married during high season at a popular venue. Most weddings are at night, and the venue may be able to accommodate you at an off time during high season.
- Holiday-time weddings can be romantic, and often wedding chapels, churches, restaurants, and hotel ballrooms are already decorated for the season, saving you money on the décor.

Tell Everyone

If you have a ring on your finger, tell anyone and everyone that you're engaged to be married. But be careful of "verbal engagements" because they don't prove a thing. The value of a ring is monetary. It doesn't matter how big or flawless the diamond is. A ring has a potent symbolic value. It's meaning is significant. That is why an engagement is really only an engagement for marriage if a ring is offered and accepted in promise.

Plan the Wedding

Planning a wedding can and should be fun for all couples. Some women get caught up in the planning and forget about the man they are actually marrying. Be sure to include your fiancé in the plans, with the exception of shopping for your gown. Make joint decisions on everything else. If he gives you the okay to make certain decisions on your own though, then that's fine. But you have to give him the option of sharing his opinion. Don't assume he's not interested in the finer points of reception planning. You'll learn a lot about your husband-to-be by making decisions together.

Wedding Invitation Smarts

When you are planning a wedding you'll need invitations and announcement cards. Afterward, you will need thank-you cards for writing notes to those who were kind enough to give you a gift. Gorgeous stationary is an essential for every sophisticated couple. Here are some tips from New York stationer:

- Wedding invitations should match the colors and style of the wedding. If you're having a small, traditional wedding, white or creme paper with a crisp embossed border and simple script engraving is perfect.
- Engraving is beautiful. Many people are now going back to the old letterpress style.
- Thank-you notes should be simple heavyweight linen card stock. Your name should be simply engraved at the top of the card and make sure the envelope is lined in the same color your name is engraved in. These note cards can carry you through many occasions and can be used for thank-you notes, handwritten invitations, or simple personal notes.
- Invitations for special events can have lots of personality and color depending on what the celebration is for. Let your imagination run wild!

Prenuptial Agreements

Prenuptial agreements are necessary for everyone. A matrimonial lawyer in New York says there are three common reasons why couples draw up these agreements. The first is people coming into marriage on unequal footing; meaning one person has substantially more assets than the other does. The second situation is a couple who really haven't known each other for a very long time. And the third is that one of the parties is paranoid and doesn't believe in love. Believe it or not, he says many men walk into his office and give this as their reason for wanting a prenup. This last reason should be a red flag, ladies!