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You may have the party hall booked, the DJ all set to go and the plane tickets to your honeymoon destination paid for – but have you thought about how you will handle that first fight after your wedding? Like it or not, the reality is that abouthalf of all marriagesin the United States end up in divorce court. The reasons these marriages fail run the gambit, from problems associated with money management to sexual unhappiness to emotional infidelity. And to make matters worse,67%of all second marriages in the U.S. end up in divorce, according to

Premarital Counseling Prevents Problems in the Future

There is good news however that might help to prevent your marriage from becoming one of these sobering statistics. Recent studies have shown that good, pre-marital counseling can reduce the risk of divorce by up to 30%! Why not take healthy, preventative steps now to minimize the possibility of problems in the future?

The list below contains 10 questions that every soon to be wed couple should explore before entering marriage:

Ten Areas to Explore Before You Say I Do

·         What are your individual interests?

·         What are your expectations for the marriage?

·         Have you considered how you will transition from single life to married life?

·         What are the barriers to communication in your relationship?

·         Do you both have the same spiritual beliefs? If not, will this impact your marriage?

·         Who will attend to basic house chores and house related tasks?

·         What will the role of family be in your marriage?

·         Who will handle personal finances

·         Do you want to have children?

·         Will you be sexually satisfied in your relationship – what are your expectations here?

These are just but a few of the important areas that should be discussed in advance of your wedding day. Premarital counseling provides an excellent opportunity to explore these questions in a safe and nurturing environment. If you are considering premarital counseling, look around to see what services are offered as part of the program.

If you are looking for a spiritual component as part of your premarital counseling experience, consider speaking to a member of your clergy. If you are looking for a more secular approach, consider speaking with a therapist who specialized in marriage therapy. For example, Second Story Counseling in Chicago offers an excellent premarital counseling program that is non-religious in its approach. What’s important is that you work out possible problems before getting hitched.