We're Going to Be One Happy Family...Or Else!

A very unique book written by a nationally respected marriage and family therapist who has worked with couples and families for over 30 years. Learn why a mother bought 25 copies for EVERYONE in her family to get everyone on the same page during the most intense, public, family event. Learn more

Wedding Discounts for Marriage Preparation

Want to literally save hundreds on your wedding? Do good by your upcoming marriage and let vendors give you discounts for your efforts. See qualifying purchases and participating vendors!

Wedding Discount Program Details

GETTING married is cake compared to BEING married

We make time to eat, sleep and go to work. Somehow the most complex, life long relationships are assumed to magically work. We offer many options for marriage preparation for the secular, religious, the talkative personality, the laid back personality... Learn more

Wedding Stress and Mistakes Made with Friends

One thing you learn the hard way is that wedding planning can be downright awful. You are forced to think about each of your friends and determine if they are "worthy" based on your budget and space restrictions. It is rarely fun, especially when who you spend the most time with may not be the people you are closest to and will be inviting to your big day. Figuring out who to invite brings up any past problems you've had with them, or guilt if you were part of their wedding but time has cooled your friendship.

Then add that we often have friends that our partners do not like at all or ex's we're still friends with and you can get into many heated arguments about who should be invited.

Particular mistakes made with friends include:

Sharing your engagement without knowing who will be at your wedding

• Before you know your guest list, you may share the news with friends in a way that makes them feel like they are going to be invited. Be very careful how you talk about the wedding. The more you share and invite them into your planning, the more they will expect they are likely invited.

Promising ANYONE a role in your wedding

• Promising ANYTHING right away is a bad idea. It's a good idea to wait to decide the wedding party until you've figured out the family side. If you have three future sister-in-laws you aren't close with, but who expect to be in your wedding, you do not want to have a massive wedding party because you promised your 6 closest friends a spot in the wedding party and are now stuck inviting 3 more.

Splitting Up Groups of Friends

• Splitting up groups of friends. Sometimes people come in bunches and it's best to invite all or none to your wedding, or to be in your wedding party. People are much more forgiving when an entire 'category' has not been invited than when you cherry pick individuals who know each other. It can leave a real bad taste in peoples mouths and create many hurt feelings. The one except might be for coworkers that you ONLY see at work versus those you socialize with outside your job. Even then, be careful and confident in your decision.

Family First for Small Weddings

• Ultimately, if budget, family size, location space all boil down to a very small wedding, remember that family comes first. Nobody will ever fault you for not inviting them if it is truly just a family affair. Nobody feels "owed" an invitation to your wedding unless you have opened the guest list to some friends and not others.