How can you be sure you want to say "yes" when the person you're dating starts to talk about marriage? What should a couple do before they decide to get engaged? Christian marriage experts recommend that couples who are dating seriously seek counseling before they get engaged. In other words, we think it’s a good idea to place more stress on pre-engagement counseling than on pre-marital counseling. Why do we say this?... Because we’ve found that couples who are already engaged are far less inclined to take an in-depth, honest look at their relationship. In many cases they’ve already purchased the ring, reserved the church and reception hall, sent out the invitations, and hired a photographer. Then there’s the social stigma of breaking off an engagement once it’s been announced. For all these reasons, engaged couples may have a tendency to ignore one another’s character flaws and overlook potential rough spots in the road ahead. They’re already committed to moving forward. In many cases this can result in a difficult marriage and possibly even lead to divorce. How to avoid this scenario? Here’s what we’d advise. If you’ve been dating someone for at least six months, and if the two of you feel strongly that you would like to spend the rest of your lives together, find a good marriage-and-family therapist and set up a series of counseling sessions. Our Counseling department would be happy to discuss the options with you and provide a list of qualified counselors in your area. Don’t hesitate to call us. The counseling process should include a personality test such as the PREPARE/ENRICH Premarital Inventory. You can find a sample test online at prepare-enrich.com. Clearly, you’ll need to invest a certain amount of time and money in the process. But if you think about it you’ll have to agree that it’s worth spending a few months in pre-engagement counseling to make sure that your relationship is really marriage material. It’s much easier and a lot less expensive than going through a divorce at some point later in life. Resources: Saving Your Marriage Before it Starts: Seven Questions to Ask Before and After You Marry 101 Questions to Ask Before You Get Engaged Starting Out Together: A Devotional for Dating or Engaged Couples Before You Get Engaged Premarital Materials (resource list) Referrals PREPARE/ENRICH PREP, Inc. Boundless Articles Searching for a ‘Sole’ Mate