Things to Do Before Tying The Knot by Miss Know It All

Photo by Amine İspir from Pexels

June is the month where many festivities take place, namely graduations, commemorations, and weddings. Since weddings are popular during this month, there are some things a couple should do before saying, “I Do.”

Clarify what marriage means to each of you.

Couples often see married life in a unique way. Experts recommend discussing how you each envision daily life, roles, boundaries, and what partnership looks like to you. This helps to achieve expectations early.

Have an honest conversation about money.

Money or the lack of is one of the biggest sources of conflict in marriage. Couples should discuss it openly:

• Spending habits
• Saving styles
• Debt
• Financial goals
• How bills will be shared. This prevents misunderstandings and future tension.

Discuss sex, intimacy, and love languages!

·        Sexual expectations, frequency, desires, and boundaries should be openly discussed. Beyond sex, talk about emotional intimacy and how you each give and receive love. Mismatched love languages can lead to feeling unappreciated if not addressed.

Talk about future goals and life direction!

You don’t need to have the same dreams, but you do need compatible ones. Discuss:

• Career plans
• Where you want to live
• Lifestyle expectations
• How you’ll support each other’s ambitions This helps you function as a team.

Decide how you feel about having children!

Whether you want kids, how many, when, and how you’d oversee parenting roles are essential conversations. This is no longer an assumed part of marriage — alignment matters.

Understand each other’s communication styles!

Healthy conflict resolution is crucial. Discuss how you each handle disagreements, what triggers you, and how you can communicate more effectively. This strengthens your ability to navigate challenges.

Explore deeper fears and emotional patterns!

Counselors note that disagreements often stem from deeper fears — fear of conflict, fear of failing as a spouse, or fear of vulnerability. Understanding these helps you support each other better.

Consider premarital counseling!

Premarital counseling helps couples practice tough conversations, build communication skills, and prepare for long‑term partnership. It’s an initiative-taking way to strengthen your foundation.

Photo by Chukwuka Prosper from Pexels

Pause if destructive patterns appear!

If you find yourselves stuck in painful or harmful relational cycles, experts say it’s okay to pause engagement plans until you work through them. Marriage should never be rushed. 

Miss Know It All

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How Long Should An Engagement Last?

Photo by Tara Winstead from Pexels

Many women look forward to being engaged and having that dream wedding. The question is how long should an engagement last, and what other expenses and activities come with an engagement? 

 

According to Samantha Bridal's Survey, the average engagement period in Kenya is between 16-17 months. Ninety-nine percent of the men do the proposing and one percent of women propose to their mates. Most women like to consider themselves engaged because it is a great feeling and see it as a sign of settling down. Most of the women engaged are under 35 years of age and have a high educational profile. Sixty-nine percent of the engaged couples have known each other for more than three years.

Most of the engagements happen during December, the New Year, and on Saint Valentine’s Day. Sixty-four percent of the couples are already living together before the actual marriage.

 

Many couples tend to open new bank accounts and spend a lot of money buying furniture and household items. The couple also uses this time to fulfill cultural obligations like payment of bride price and marriage counseling.

 

Most couples spend money on engagement rings, wedding rings, and any other jewelry. This is costly because real gold and silver are quite expensive.

 

According to Samantha’s survey, 64% of couples are living together before marriage. Nowadays, courtship is done differently compared to the past. Many young couples prefer to live together before walking down the aisle.

For engagement and wedding ideas in Kenya, click here. 

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Tips for Soon to be Weddings and Newlyweds by Jennifer Scott

Omar Medina Films from Pixabay

Jennifer Scott has done a lot of research that would be useful for the soon-to-be brides and grooms and newlyweds and talks about wedding planning *and* life after tying the knot.

To learn more, click on the links below: 

How to Plan a Dream Wedding Without Going Broke

How To Reduce Your Wedding Day Debt

Making Stepfamilies Work

Home Advice for Newlyweds: Five Tips for Buying Your First Home

How Much House Can I Afford?

Down Payment Assistance Programs

Moving in Together: A Newlywed's Guide

There's Never A 'Right' Time For A Baby — But These Questions Can Help You Decide

Budgeting for a Child

Vô Vi from Pixabay

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All events include full services from the SunQuest Cruises’ team of event planners, executive chefs and staff that coordinate events on a weekly basis from start to finish for people who are local or across the country. The team has earned a variety of review-based awards for SOLARIS events and weddings, including the Knot’s “Best of Weddings” award for six consecutive years, the Knot’s Wedding “Hall of Fame”, Wedding Wire, Best of the Emerald Coast and Best In Destin. The SOLARIS also offers an all-inclusive experience with its convenient location at the Sandestin Golf and Beach Resort, offering a multitude of accommodation, transportation, dining and entertainment options for guests.

This month, the SOLARIS was voted “Best Wedding and Reception Venue” and “Best Wedding Planner Company” by the readers of Emerald Coast Magazine for the sixth consecutive year.  The SOLARIS was built specifically for weddings by the Murray family, who own and operate the company. The open-air, sky deck features a bridal platform where couples can say their vows in a private, majestic setting while cruising into the sunset and enjoying unlimited views. Brides can prepare for the big moment in the private bridal suite as a secluded, serene space to spend time with friends and family. The three decks of indoor and outdoor spaces offer a weather-proof venue and the event planners ensure a stress-free experience. Beach weddings and off-site catering services are also available.

A recipient of the 2014 Tripadvisor.com Certificate of Excellence Award, the SOLARIS cruises year-round for weekly dinner and dancing cruises with live entertainment and chef-prepared coastal cuisines. After taking in the coastal breezes and panoramic landscapes and toasting to the sunset on the sky deck, guests indulge in a four-course meal freshly prepared on-board, featuring the freshest seafood and prime steaks. While cruising the local bay, guests can dance under the moonlight to live music and enjoy a fireworks show during the summer. The SOLARIS dinner cruise appeals to all ages, from vacationing families to couples or groups celebrating a birthday, anniversary or engagement.

Groups can host a semi-private event on one deck of the SOLARIS or a private event on the entire yacht. The versatile spaces of the SOLARIS lend to any occasion from corporate receptions and social gatherings on the open-air sky deck to banquets, holiday parties or classroom-style seating for meetings on the main deck. The chefs and event planners can accommodate all requests including buffets, plated dinners, passed hors d’oeuvres, food stations, A/V equipment, live entertainment and décor.

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How Long is Too Long to Wait for a Marriage Proposal? By Miss Know It All

Miss Know It All

Recently, I was watching a TV talk show, and a guest had asked the host to help her boyfriend propose to her.

She described how she cooks, cleans, and meets all of his needs, believes he is the one and wants to spend the rest of her life with him, as his wife.

He claimed that he loves this woman with all of his heart, but the explanations he made as to why he had not propose to her will provide you with a clue that marriage for him is not really in the cards. Some of the reasons he gave were as follows:

I see myself with her but not married to her right now.

I am afraid it will not work.

I like our relationship just the way it is.

Since both of us have been married before, I want to make certain this is what we really want.

She is a fine woman who motivates and believes in me, except there are some financial problems that she will have to deal with first before considering marriage.

She has heard these rationalizations for over five years, and up until now, he has not proposed to her, and she very much wants to get married.

One may ask, “How long is too long to wait for a marriage proposal.” The answer is simple. “Why buy the cow when you get the milk for free?”

You may think I am being facetious, but it does not take a clairvoyant to see the outcome of this relationship.

If a man likes the present relationship just the way it is and you do not, there will be no proposal.

Going on national TV and begging a man to put a ring on your finger, after five years living together, will not be sufficient. If you want that ring, you must demand it. Moreover, if he refuses to commit to marriage, then it is time to say good-bye.

Newsflash: He did propose to her on the show, but I did not see him put a RING on her finger. Do you believe this couple will get married? Let us know by leaving your remarks in the comment box.