A Marriage More Beautiful Than Your Wedding

Like most girls, I've been planning my wedding since I was 12. I already have the colors and location picked out. I know who my bridesmaids will be so all I need is a groom. We ladies tend to do this. We spend countless hours planning our dream wedding reception but how many hours do we spend planning our dream marriage? How often do we think about the sacredness about the temple and the covenants we will make with our eternal companion on that very special day? While wedding planning is fun and great, marriage planning is even better. While we are engaged, it is important to start learning how to be a couple for eternity.

Here are some tasks that need to be accomplished early in a marriage:

• Learn how to make decisions together
• Learn how to manage money
• Communicate
• Be clear about each other's expectations 
• Establish "us" instead of "yours" and "mine"

What are some other tasks you can think of? 

These tasks that we need to learn to start accomplishing can also coincide with the elements that make a great wedding. Here are some elements to consider:

• Plan the wedding together
• Men, care about the details of the wedding. You should have a say too. Don't just say "yes, dear" and "whatever you want"
• Be practical and realistic in terms of spending and magical wedding wishes. 
• Not everybody needs a huge round of fireworks at their wedding
• Focus on the sealing

The last elements is the most important. Focus on the sealing on the day of your wedding. Many couples these days choose to hold their reception the following day of the sealing. Couples and families of the couples will take the day before the sealing to relax and enjoy each other's company. The day of the sealing, don't go out and do anything crazy or wild. Save that for the day after. Focus on each other and the covenants made. 

**Another point to make:

Keep the reception simple. There is no need to go into debt over a one day event. The average wedding in America costs $27,000. Debt only adds stress to a relationship. Even if you and your spouse are not paying for the majority of the wedding, there is no need to have something extremely extravagant. Think of what's going to matter in the end. Was your wedding the best of the century or did you have a great marriage that will last through eternity? Make sure your priorities are where they need to be.