To the Reader

In case you’re wondering, no: this is not just another wedding-planning guide.This book addresses the part of the marriage that comes after the wedding, after your first anniversary, and even after that.This book offers you the opportunity to thoughtfully consider the full range of your life as a married couple in a union that is bound to surprise you many times in the coming years—both with its ups and with its downs.

It is designed to help you prepare not just for your wedding, but for your future lives together. It will ask you to consider questions you may not be prepared for and haven’t yet addressed with your spouse-to-be.

You may be wondering whether spending the money on this book, and the time on these questions is a worthwhile investment of your time and energy–especially at such a hectic period in your life!

The answer to this question can only come from you. But I would urge you to consider the investment of time as a kind of “insurance premium,” protecting your chances of finding happiness in your marriage.

Of course there is no way to ensure a happy marriage: but investing the time in thinking about the questions asked in this book, and discussing them with your partner may help you to avoid some of the predictable pitfalls in what is both a high-reward and a high-risk endeavor.

We all know that, sadly, many marriages end unhappily. Putting in the effort to examine ourselves, the nature of our relationships, and each other can pay significant future dividends, helping you to avoid future problems and heartache, and making your married life both more interesting and more rewarding.

My hope for you is that this book will not only show you how to avoid potholes in your journey together– but will help you actually glide along on the road ahead. That is why I wrote this book—for you!