Are there any "rules" about how long two people should date before deciding on marriage?

Are there any "rules" about how long two people should date before deciding on marriage?

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How important is it to have your finances in order before taking the plunge?

What should couples discuss and address before making the decision to marry?

What should couples discuss and address before making the decision to marry?

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What are some questions that couples can ask that help determine their readiness for marriage?

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How to Balance a Relationship with Work and Friends

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Does the length and seriousness of the relationship determine how you should break-up?

Are there any "rules" about how long two people should date before deciding on marriage?

Are there any "rules" about how long two people should date before deciding on marriage?

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Toni Coleman, MSW is a licensed psychotherapist, relationship coach and founder of http://www.consum-mate.com. As a recognized expert, Toni has been quoted in many local and national publications including; The Chicago Tribune, The Orlando Sentinel, New York Daily News, Indianapolis Star and Newsweek newspapers and Family Circle, Woman's Day, Cosmo Style, Tango, Men's Health, Star (regularly quoted body language expert), People, and Nirvana magazines. She has been featured on abcnews.com, discovery.health.com, aolnews.com, MSN.com, Match.com and planetearthradio.com. Toni is also the featured relationship coach in “The Business And Practice Of Coaching,” (published by Norton, September 2005); and is the author of the forward for,” Winning Points With The Woman In Your Life, One Touchdown At A Time” ( published by Simon and Schuster, November 2005). Toni offers dating and relationship help and advice through her syndicated column, "Dear Dating Coach," and her popular monthly newsletter, "The Art of Intimacy." From March 2005 until December 2005, she was a weekly contributing commentator (love and dating coach) on the KTRS Radio Morning Show, (St. Louis, MO). Toni is a member of The International Coach Federation, The International Association of Coaches and The National Association of Social Workers.

What should couples discuss and address before making the decision to marry?

Host: What should couples discuss and address before making the decision to marry? Toni Coleman: Again, the real basic things are going to have to do with their life vision, which of course encompass lifestyle and goals and where do we -- it can be as simple as where do we want to live and how important is it to both of us to be saving money? Are we going to be looking at, being a two couple, two people earning situation here earning money for the family or just one of the people want to -- the mom or dad, want to be a stay at home parent, or expect the other one to be a stay at home parent and be available to the family. So there are lots of things around the whole lifestyle issue talking about money, talking about how you are going to spend it, how you are going to save it, how you are going to invest it? That's of course an ongoing thing but how well you can do that before you get married and really talk openly about that and make agreements about that. It's going to be an important sign of how good you are communicating, and working together.

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Host: What should couples discuss and address before making the decision to marry? Toni Coleman: Again, the real basic things are going to have to do with their life vision, which of course encompass lifestyle and goals and where do we -- it can be as simple as where do we want to live and how important is it to both of us to be saving money? Are we going to be looking at, being a two couple, two people earning situation here earning money for the family or just one of the people want to -- the mom or dad, want to be a stay at home parent, or expect the other one to be a stay at home parent and be available to the family. So there are lots of things around the whole lifestyle issue talking about money, talking about how you are going to spend it, how you are going to save it, how you are going to invest it? That's of course an ongoing thing but how well you can do that before you get married and really talk openly about that and make agreements about that. It's going to be an important sign of how good you are communicating, and working together.

The other things people should be talking about are things like family and children. Very often there is an expectation on the part of one person and the other is it well we are on the same page. I just know we feel the same way, we share the same feelings and then they come to find out after being married for a while that they don't and they are kind of shocked about that. See, I just always thought, I just always assume and that's probably the word that comes up the most when I am working with couples, married couples is that word assumed or assumption. Folks walk into relationships all the time making assumptions and not checking them out. So people should be talking about that what's important to us, where we're going, how we are going to get there? Again, life changes things all the time and it's a constant sort of renegotiating and looking at things as they come up together, but how well you do that ahead of time, very important?

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What is the third deadly dating sin for men?

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What is the fourth deadly dating sin for men?

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