THE ENGAGEMENT AND WEDDING
While your engagement and wedding will be filled with many happy moments, there's probably a good chance it will also be laced with anxiety, fear, doubt and uncertainty (not to mention a few choice arguments with your family, his family and him). You may feel pressure to look and sound happy all the time and in the midst of the hurdles, you may wonder if you should even be getting married in the first place. Remember: All of these feelings are normal! The best way to cope with them is simply to take a deep breath and relax. Think about the things you love about your fiancé and focus on those. Take time to pray and talk with God about your relationship—it's more important than ever to stay focused on your faith now.

TRANSITIONING FROM SINGLE LIFE TO MARRIED LIFE
Once you get married, your single friends might mark you off their "list" of people to do fun, spontaneous things with. Likewise, your married friends will add you to their social list and your family dynamics will change.

First, don't buy into the idea that getting the first bite of wedding cake turned you into a bore. Be realistic about single life—was it really all that great? Prioritize your married life and set boundaries appropriately—prune your relationships and pick new ones carefully.

FINDING HAPPINESS WHEN YOUR OLD LIFE IS GONE
Entering a marriage is a bit like entering a world of "shoulds." You should be happy. You should be the perfect wife. You should be the perfect couple. Right? Well, the more pressure you put on yourselves to meet all of these socially-induced expectations, the harder you'll fall. Marriage is real life, just like your pre-marriage real life. The only difference is that you will be sharing your real life with somebody else with a real life ... which can lead to great happiness, but it isn't included with the wedding package. The sooner you accept that this relationship will take work, and be real, the better off the both of you will be.

MONEY
They say that the quickest way to check the condition of your heart is to open your checkbook register. What??!! It's true. Money is near and dear to us. And that won't change just because you get married. In fact, money is the leading cause of arguments among newlyweds. Wait. Let's try that again. The arguments might seem to be about money when in reality, they are more likely about control, power and influence. Not to mention the fact that you may have been putting your security in your money, which you now have to share, which means you have to trust. The best way to deal with money as a married couple is to openly and honestly communicate your feelings, hopes, fears and financial goals with one another. And, simply stated, don't make huge financial decisions and changes the day you return from your honeymoon.