One of most important decisions you make in life is who you will marry and when you are ready for marriage. From the time women are young, most dream of a perfect wedding.

Many young girls, and even grown women, become obsessed with the fancy wedding, the dress and the perfect honeymoon. However, the wedding is just the start of a what will be a daily process of making your marriage work. Before you start picking out your centerpieces, you need to take some time to ensure that you are ready for marriage. Here are a few questions you need to ask yourself before you decide to get married.

Are you in a stable financial position? There are no set guidelines for what you should have accomplished financially before you get married. However, many couples find that one of the key arguments after they get married is finances. If you are in a lot of debt, it might be wise to clear some of that up so that you can go into your marriage with a better financial standing. It is also crucial that you and your partner have several conversations regarding money. You should decide whether you will want to use a joint account or maintain separate personal accounts. You should be completely honest about your debt situation. While you might be embarrassed by your large credit card bill, it is much better to own up to it now, rather than when you are trying to be a vehicle or home.

Do you know who you are and what are your expectations of your partner? Have you taken some time to feel comfortable with yourself on your own? Have you accomplished goals that you set out to do? Do you feel ready to share your life with someone else? It is important that you and your partner discuss your expectations of the marriage. Will one of you stay at home with the children? Will you have children at all? Where do you plan to live once you are married? These are all things that need to be settled before you sign the marriage license.

Finally, do you feel comfortable sharing the rest of your life with your partner? If you have doubts, it might be wise to take some time to work through them. Marriage should be a joyous occasion, not just on the day of your wedding but for always. With a little bit of discussion, you and your partner should be able to avoid problems down the road and little happily ever after.