Did you know that love does NOT conquer all?

You see, often people get married with the idea that their “chemistry”
or undying love for each other will keep them together forever.

However, with almost 50% of marriages ending in divorce these days, it’s
obvious that this isn’t the case. Therefore, it pays to know a few little
secrets before getting married.

Here are 5 tips that help keep couples together long after tying the knot:

Tip #1 – Continue dating

Over the years, people often drift apart or relationships and marriages become
stale because couples fail to do new and special things together. That’s why
going on new and refreshing dates is so important. In fact, there is something
about “dating” that creates a sense of magic in a relationship and
can even bring relationships out of a rut. While on a date, you also put more
effort into your appearance, have more uninterrupted time to communicate on
a deeper level and are naturally drawn closer together. Stuck for ideas? Spend
the day at the aquarium, zoo, museum, carnival, bookstore, beach or park.

Tip #2 – Delay is often better

It’s a well-documented statistic that couples who have dated for a year
or longer before marriage have a significantly lower rate of divorce than those
who married after a short dating period. A year of dating gives time for many
emotions to surface and many character traits to be discovered. You may adore
someone in the spring, but despise him or her in the winter. Asking someone
for his or her hand in marriage on the third date isn’t romantic. It’s gambling.

Tip #3 – Always express your love

Oftentimes, as a relationship matures, partners tend to stop praising each
other because they ‘assume’ their partner already knows what they’re thinking.
When in reality, a day should never go by without you praising your partner.
Compliment them on their cooking, reaffirm that they’re the greatest person
in the world or tell them they’re a wonderful role model. If you want
to be loved and romanced by your sweetheart, love and romance them first. When
they’re feeling loved, it is much easier to love in return. Are you a super
supporter of what your mate does and says? So do you cheer them on and praise
them constantly? Or do they constantly hear boos or silence?

Tip #4 – Take time to understand your partner

Couples with the most problems are often the ones that say, “I just don’t
understand him/her.” So let me ask you: How knowledgeable are you about
your mate’s profession or the degree they are pursuing? Do you know anything
about his or her family heritage? Are you able to have a meaningful conversation
about her cross-stitch hobby or his interest in rugby? If you are a man, do
you fully understand what women experience during PMS or menopause? You don’t
need to be identical, but make an effort to learn about the things that interest
your partner in life and you’ll grow closer as a result.

Tip #5 – Answer the BIG questions

Does your partner want kids? Do you both want careers? Do they have a history
of spending their way into debt? Do they go to church?

In my opinion, the biggest reason almost half of marriages end in divorce is
because couples fail to ask each other the right questions BEFORE they get married.
I guess people think they’ll be able to change their spouses after marriage
and everything will be better. Wrong. If you fail to sit down and discuss finances,
religion, sex, housing, your future, and other topics in great detail, you could
end up with nothing but argument after argument for the rest of your days.

In the end, if you both have completely different views, desires and goals
in life, there’s no guarantee that chemistry or “I love you’s”
will help you stay together. Make it your utmost priority to understand each
other ‘inside-out’ BEFORE you take that walk down the aisle.

About the author:

Michael Webb is the author of “1000 Questions For Couples” the most
comprehensive book of questions that all couples should ask before getting married.
Covering lovemaking, religion, careers, money, children & raising them,
household work, personalities, the future and much much more. To learn more,
visit: 1000 Questions
For Couples

        

Here is a link for a great source for men’s suits. Perfect for groom or groom’smen. Enjoy!

        

We now offer a great collection of imaginative wedding supplies. Check it out!

        

“Why not choose a destination wedding?” should be the question. Destination weddings are becoming so popular that planning one is almost a no-brainer. You get a picture-book wedding setting and a vacation to boot – and your guests will love it!

Below are the top five reasons that you should consider planning a get-away wedding.

1. You get to leave all your “cares” at home and leave the details to others.

Whether you choose an island wedding, European sojourn, “rough it in the wild” safari in Africa or a dream cruise on a luxury ship, you’ll find staff ready and waiting to cater to your every want and need.

What better way to begin your new life than on a relaxed note? Your work or anything that might cause stress will be out of sight and out of mind with a destination wedding.

2. A destination wedding will give you more for your money.

You might think that traveling to an exotic location to get married would break the budget you painstakingly created for your wedding. Contrary to that belief, a destination wedding can actually be less of a strain on your pocketbook.

Packages are readily available that come with everything included – air fare, transportation needs, discounts for larger parties, etc. Consider that in many locations, everything you need (such as flowers and music) is localized to make your destination wedding simple.

3. You’ll get to choose the background and activities that appeal to you, as a couple.

The picture-book setting of a Hawaiian beach is the perfect background for your destination wedding if you’re dreaming of getting married barefoot on the beach with orchids in your hair. The photos will be stunning.

But if the beach isn’t your bag, a European wedding in a castle can fulfill daydreams of Romeo and Juliett or King Arthur and his love, Gwenaviere.

4. You get to choose the weather for your special day!

It’s true that most couples think of warm weather for saying their faraway vows with a destination wedding. But you might have other ideas – like snow and skiing. By doing a little research, you can make your dream weather come true.

5. Thinking of a theme? A destination wedding can be a change from the traditional wedding ritual.

Many couples are considering a theme wedding rather than the tired old rituals held in a church. An island destination wedding will go over much better in Jamaica or Hawaii than Portland, Maine.

Are you dreaming of a winter wonderland theme and you live in Florida? Switzerland or Norway can fill the bill in a way that will get you in the mood more than 90-degree weather could.

        

The highlight of the wedding reception is seeing how big the cake will be. Everyone wants to be unique and wow their guests. Since the wedding cake is a big expense, choose wisely.

Wedding cakes have gone from simple single or double-tiered creations to sweet confections that don’t even look like traditional cakes. Sugar can be manipulated into the shape of flowers, geometric shapes and jewels. It is amazing what they can do with some batter and frosting these days.

Before the big day, you’ll have to sample piece after piece of wedding cake. The last thing you want to do is leave it up to chance. Dream up your biggest and best design and then go in search of the perfect way to create it.

1. Find a baker who can meet your expectations. You are not there just to see if he or she can make your design but to test their mettle as a baker. A cake can look good but it also has to taste good.

2. Ask lots of questions. Whatever you want to know, don’t be afraid to voice it. How does the baker plan to create your cake? Will he use marzipan, fondant or ganache? He may have suggestions for the design but don’t accept them out of hand unless you really agree.

3. What’s the price? You don’t want to look cheap but breaking the bank is out of the question also. You might have to scale down your 10-tiered cake or get a couple of sheet cakes with the same icing to feed all your guests. A cake for a service of 200 can be expensive.

4. Ask for a design book. You might not have any idea of the style of cake you want. Your wedding colors are the only thing you know. A good baker has a book of past wedding creations and signature creations for their shop. They should also be able to ask a few questions and come up with suggestions for you from the information that you provide.

5. Will they deliver? You know about Murphy’s Law, right? Don’t ask your uncle with the large SUV to pick up the wedding cake from the shop. It is worth the cost to have the baker responsible for delivering and setting up the cake at the reception. If anything goes wrong on their part, you can get a refund.

It could be a simple yellow cake with butter cream icing in three tiers or a five-tier square cake with decorative sugar flowers. Either way, you want the cake for your wedding to meet all of your expectations and then some.