By the time you and your significant other have gotten serious enough to sign a certificate, you might assume that you know everything about each other. Yet, we contain multitudes, and there are still many topics couples should talk about—but often neglect to—until the walk down the aisle is long behind them. Ask the right questions before marriage, and you’ll likely uncover needs, dreams, and expectations for your life together that you hadn’t considered.
Emily Jamea, PhD, a Texas-based sex and relationship therapist, says that plenty of well-meaning couples don’t know what to talk about before getting engaged. Though your goals and preferences will shift over time, answering a kind of pre-engagement questionnaire now can save you some future conflicts, she says. Or, the questions will at least prepare you to effectively resolve them together.
“I encourage people to have these conversations before they’ve even gotten to the engagement point, because it can be really hard to walk away once you start to plan a wedding and you’re feeling excited,” Jamea explains.
