Choosing who you are going to spend the rest of your life with is not an easy call to make for everyone. Most people are almost clueless about how they are going to decide if they should marry the person they have in mind. Of course, love and respect are the biggest decision-makers when it comes to matters of marriage, but there are also some other important discussions that you need to have with your partner before you tie the knot.

1. How do you want to deal with finances?

Finance is a crucial factor that a lot of couples don’t consider before they get married. How will we divide the expenses? Will we have a joint account apart from our separate accounts? These two are really good questions to ask your partner before engagement. You must be open and honest about your income and debts with your partner. It is also a really good idea to discuss financial goals so the two of you can work on them together. 

2. Do you want children in future?

Before you get married, you cannot skip having a conversation with your partner about having or not having children in the future. If you and your partner can envision having a kid together somewhere down the line but don’t want to plan anything right now, you can surely figure that out later on. However, if one of you definitely wants kids and the other absolutely does not, then it is going to be a huge problem. This is why you must be completely honest with your partner about this aspect of life. 

3. Do you want pets?

You deserve to know if one day you want to get a pet, and how your partner is going to feel about it. Maybe they want a pet just as much as you do, maybe they can’t stand living with a pet animal. Either way, it is a conversation worth having. 

4. What are your views on religion and spirituality?

Regardless of whether you are a religious person or not, you must talk to your partner about their views on religion and spirituality. You and your partner don’t have to have the exact same thoughts and feelings when it comes to religion and spirituality. However, it is important that you and your partner are respectful towards each other’s religious and spiritual views. 

5. What is your approach to intimacy? 

Many shy away from talking about it but intimacy plays one of the biggest roles in your relationship. So, you must talk to your partner about your likes and dislikes, and what you are comfortable and uncomfortable with, openly. Create a safe space, free of judgement where you and your partner can discuss intimacy. You should be able to share your wants and desires with your partner. 

6. What are your food choices?

Are they a vegetarian or non-vegetarians? How do you feel about it? Are you alright with sharing the kitchen with them if they eat a non-vegetarian diet and you don’t? If these questions pop up in your head, ask your partner right away but be gentle about it, of course. 

7. What kind of wedding do you want?

Now that the two of you have decided that you want to marry each other, it is also important to talk about the kind of wedding that you want. It is possible that you want an intimate wedding but your partner wants a grand wedding. Have a detailed discussion on this and don’t forget to talk about the expenses. You and your partner need to be on the same page about who is paying for which wedding expense. It is unfair if only one person and their family have to pay for everything.