Ever notice how much time, energy and effort a couple puts into the planning of their wedding? First, they begin well in advance. They are considering everything needed, all the details, in order to have the wedding of their dreams.
For many, it begins almost immediately after the proposal. Next, they select the group of people who will support and stand with them leading up to the wedding as well as during the actual ceremony. The bridesmaid and best man are usually handpicked for a variety of reasons, including having already proven they are dependable, loving and supportive. Following that, they begin to save, lose weight and make other changes, because they realize what a big investment this will be.
Then there is the research of thousands of ideas on the perfect wedding. Just type the word wedding on Pinterest and you will be amazed by all of the results that surface. From the dress to the reception hall, every detail is key to having the perfect wedding day. The couple also communicates about the wedding, all the time. Sometimes, a couple even hires a professional to bring new ideas and manage many of the little details. There are even items purchased to aide in the planning. The wedding checklist workbooks, calendars and other essential wedding planning tools are all available for the spouses-to-be.
We can’t allow the wedding to be a false representation of what’s really happening inside of the marriage. Some people seem so excited about the idea of marriage, but most aren’t aware of the amount of energy it requires. How amazing would it be if every couple, prior to marrying, created a checklist for their marriage and followed that up by using the same steps they did during the wedding planning phase. Here are a few areas to consider for your marriage checklist:
Have you surrounded yourself with people who are going to stand with you and support your marriage? You don’t need a bunch of “yes” friends, who go along with everything you say and aren’t honest when it comes to your areas needing improvement.
Do you research resources to help you create and maintain a happy, healthy marriage? Your relationship is worth it. There are thousands of books, videos, ecourses, retreats, workshops, seminars, marriage ministry and relationship professionals. There’s no reason we should still be stuck and suffering in our relationships.
Are you planning in advance? Plan for the rainy days that will occur in your relationship. Discussing your finances, raising of children, home purchases and just your future in general, requires thought. A lot of couples sometimes hit a bump in the road when it comes to certain areas because they haven’t created a realistic plan as a couple.
Will you communicate about the relationship, all the time? What are areas needing the most work and what’s the plan to work on those areas? Every involved and committed couple should be aware of what’s actually happening in that relationship. We should never find ourselves at a place where we are clueless, especially regarding our marriage.
Will you not be afraid to hire a professional? Those of us who are passionate about helping couples have taken the time to research and train so that we are equipped with the tools needed to help you. This is our craft and we are intentional about it.
Of course the wedding day is special. It’s a moment in time you’ll want to relive over and over. It’s you professing your love in front of the people who matter most in your life. Yes, it’s a big deal. What’s also an even bigger deal than that, is your marriage.
Can you imagine the type of marriage most couples would have, if they were able to sow into their relationship everything they put into their wedding day.
BMWK, how did you plan for your marriage?