You've thought about the dress, the ring, the honeymoon. But what about the man? Is he marriage material? Time to find out!
Pagination
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It's the end of spring and you're were in the throes of the wedding circuit. As you watched friend number five stroll down the isle in her creamy white Vera Wang with the sounds of ooohs and aaahs trailing behind her, it suddenly hits you. Could this be you someday? You can just picture it: a quaint service by the seaside, Cartier diamonds and a Fiji honeymoon.
But, wait. What about the groom? Your eyes wander to the honey that's by your side. Is he the one? Will you be able to handle a lifetime of Sunday night football and toilet seat mishaps? With the help of Toronto-based couples therapist Karen Hirscheimer, ELLE gives you our marriage checklist to see if you're really ready to tie the relationship knot!
Easy does it
If you need to persuade yourself to say yes when he pops the question, you may want to rethink. You shouldn't feel pressure from your partner, friends or family to get hitched. Saying yes should truly come from the heart. Just because your friends are getting married doesn't mean it's time for you.
Relationship rituals
Is your current relationship something you can live with for the rest of your life? People usually don't change. They will still have the same habits, nuances and quirks years from now. Does he always leave the toilet sit up, or hog the remote and stay glued to TV sports? This might not change, despite your best efforts to block that pesky NHL channel. Can you be happy with that lifestyle forever?
Shared vision
Both partners need to have a common view on life's main issues: kids, finances, religion and careers. “You shouldn't have to give up your core needs in order to make the relationship work,” advises Hirscheimer. "If you don't plan to have kids now, it may be best to agree that it may happen, and it may not. You both need to be okay with this decision."
Are you comofrtable with sayind "I do"? Find out on the next page ...
Read about one man's quest to pop the question
