You may not know it yet, but navigating through the challenges of planning your wedding is most likely a preview of what navigating through life together will be like. Of course, later on in life, the things you will be facing together will be less about decorations or managing vendor contracts and costs, and more about maintaining a household and budgeting to pay off all your bills. With this, the way you will handle these challenges as early as now can be an avenue for you and your partner to strengthen your relationship and prepare for life ahead.

Here are some tips you can try out to make your wedding planning journey an avenue for your relationship with your partner to grow as you enter married life.

(1) Communicate

From here on forward, communication will play a huge role in your relationship. Many times, even with couples who have been together for a long time already, the source of arguments and misunderstanding is poor communication. Make sure you always communicate your ideas, needs, and concerns to your partner. Even if something seems trivial, express it openly so that the other person is aware.

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(2) Be Open

In turn, you must also make a conscious effort to be open to your partner as he communicates with you his ideas, needs, and concerns to your partner. The decisions you will be making moving forward should always consider both of sides, yours and your partner’s. Hence, always take time to openly listen to your partner.

(4) Give Way

You may not always have the same opinion, and there will surely be times when you do not agree. When you reach a point when you’re not in agreement, step back and asses the disagreement at hand. There are several ways to go about it. First, don’t sweat the small stuff; if it’s something you can let go of, give way. You can also look at the bigger picture. Think about the welfare of your partner–how will this affect him and the relationship if you don’t budge? Compromise and find common ground that you both are happy with.

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(5) Give Each Other Space

Arguments are part of relationships. Arguments while wedding planning are also part of the process and journey. Arguments are challenges that really help you learn and grow together. But sometimes arguments lead to hurtful words at the heart of the moment. When this happens, give each other space to cool off. You will be able to express yourselves better once you let off some steam.

(6) Set Boundaries with Family

One of the areas that couples need to carefully work on as they become a separate unit, is how to deal with family. This is especially true if you and your partner have very close relationships with your family members. During wedding planning, you might notice family and in-laws stepping in. Understand that they are probably doing so because they care about you and are willing to help. But if they are already getting in the way of your own plans with your partner, set boundaries. The same goes for married life, make sure to set clear boundaries and politely tell your family and align on expectations.

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(7) Define Your Shared Values

Overall, having shared values will help you both discover how to best managed the intricacies of wedding planning and married life. When wedding planning and life get tough, you always be able to come back to your shared values and find the guidance you need to move forward. Set your priorities from the onset and let these define the steps you take together as you grow in love.

As you start planning the most important day of your life, may you also find the journey a means to build a stronger partnership with your husband-to-be.

[Photo by Kiet Trinh on Unsplash]