​1) Marry the right person for the right reasons…Don’t rush, take your time to discuss all aspects of life (Kids, finances, religion, ect.) This is a lifelong decision...Get it right the first time! It can be very helpful to see a marriage counselor or pastor.

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​2) Make all decisions with your family’s best interest in mind. This includes all personal decisions and finances.

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​3) Don't ever, I repeat, Don't ever mention DIVORCE. The D-Word should not exist in a marriage especially if you paid attention to tip#1. Do not go into a marriage with this in mind. The D-Word is not the answer. DON"T EVEN MENTION IT.

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4) Don't go into a marriage with high expectations. It's not a fantasy romantic flick, where you will both live happily ever after. Go into a marriage with realistic expectations. You can and will be happy, but you will also suffer sometimes, it's the reality of life. (For Christians: The Bible says, marriage is suffering. Jesus said, In life we will have afflictions, but He will not leave us.)

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​5) Understand that you’re not only marrying your partner, you are also getting married to his/her emotional luggage (past experiences, past relationships, relationship with the parents, insecurities, etc.). All these things get pulled along when you enter a marriage. This is something you are both going to have to work through together.

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​6) Learn to communicate and come to an agreement when there is a disagreement. Communicate your feelings in a gentle way not in anger. If you feel yourself getting angry during a conversation, it is best to leave or stop talking and go for a walk or something. When you both feel better, resume the conversation.

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7) Be prepared and willing to FORGIVE. Forgiveness is key in a successful relationship for through forgiveness, you're not only showing your partner that you understand he /she is not perfect, but your also showing him/her that you know, you can also slip at times. So forgive as you would expect to be forgiven when you mess up.

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​8) Keep Dating. Don’t lose the quality time that led to you falling in love. As you grow older the time together may decrease in quantity but should increase in quality. Being in the same room does not equal quality time.

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9) (Christians) If you both believe in God, pray together, it's important to pray together, not only individually. Also learn to pray for your spouse, for their troubles and their needs.  If you believe in God, and you believe that God brought you together, then trust that He will also help you get through any difficult situation you might encounter. Seek Him first when you're struggling.