ENGAGEMENTWill you prepare more for the wedding day or for the married life together?Sugar bucket

Formula for Marital Success You have dated for 4 seasons

and continue to date each other You care about one another. Both are responsible, mature,

and independent You respect each other – not

everyone is perfect You can assertively communicate

your feelings and needs You love yourself as well as each

other You have a balanced individual

and joint leisure time Both are established in a job or

career Both know and accept yourselves

You satisfy each other’s needs and are not selfish

You have realistic expectations about the challenges of marriage

You can resolve conflicts well together You feel good about the personality of

your partner You agree on religious and ethical

values There is an equal role relationship You know that love is NOT enough You are committed to the marriage and

to your partner.

If you can do these things well before marriage, studies of happy couples have shown the likelihood of your doing them well after marriage is high. So now you…..

GET ENGAGED!What Makes the Engagement

Official?...Announcement to the FamilyThe Engagement Ring

Which is easier to get a drivers license or a marriage license?

Purposes of Engagement…1. Show commitment to each other2. Plan a wedding3. Make sure it is really what you want to do by

testing and evaluating the relationship4. Make sure that you really do know each other5. To discuss and come to agreement on

important topics

Engagement is Mate Selection Insurance

Do you know your future spouse as well as you know your sugar intake?

All to often: Couples spend more time preparing for the wedding which lasts for a day than for the married life, which is intended to last a

lifetime. Getting married and staying married are 2

different things. More focus is placed on the getting than on the staying which is why the divorce rate is so high.

Many believe that LOVE will lead the way or that love will get us through. Almost everyone that gets married is “in love”, but

half of these lovebirds get a divorce. Love is NOT enough.

Important Topics to Discuss During Engagement…1. Role responsibilities and expectations2. Relationship with family members and friends3. Communication and Conflict Management

methods4. Relationship expectations: Love, commitment,

and the Sexual relationship5. Feelings about parenting and Children: how

many, how to discipline6. Recreation activities (pets)7. Money and who manages it8. Religion9. Jobs and careers

Points of Discussion

Marriage Ceremony

•You have 5 minutes to get set up and be ready to go.•Music group get the music going•Decoration group -decorate•Refreshments and Cake get set out•Wedding party get into places (bride, groom, father of

bride, Best man, flower girl, maid of honor, bridesmaids, Justice of the peace, ring bearer)•Photographers

Father of the Bride Wedding (scene17)

Watch video clip and Eat refreshments and cake.Judge cakes (if having a contest)

How much did that wedding cost? Bridesmaid dresses (4) $800 Cake $1200

Mother’s Dresses (2) $400 Invitations (500) $300Flower girl dresses (2) $200 Bride Dress $1200Tuxes (8) $800 Reception flower $700Plane tickets for relatives $1500 x 9 = $13,500

Food ($250 head) $125,000

Rings $3000 Band $500Wedding Coordinator $3000 Decoration and remodel $50,000Swans $150 Valet Parking $600Church $200 Limo $500Pictures $2000 Honeymoon $5,000

$209,050

PLAN A HONEYMOONSpend only the amount on the money card

The Honeymoon Should Provide…

Rest and relaxation from the wedding

Time to be alone together Recreation and fun Adjustment to marriage

Honeymoon Planning GuidelinesA nationwide survey showed that 50% of couples

reported that their honeymoon was not happy at all!!!

1. Make it within a budget Don’t begin your marriage in debt.

2. Have realistic expectationsHoneymoons have become overglamorized and end up

being a big disappointment.This is also a time for disillusioning. The couple begins to

see each other as real people with real faults.

3. Have a sense of humor and create fun memoriesPart 2 on Honeymoon plan