I know you may want this to be an all out surprise, and it’s difficult to figure out when you’re giving away too much. However, if you’re in a serious relationship and you’re thinking about taking the next step– here are three things you should make sure you’ve talked about first.

1. Marriage. This may seem like a no-brainer, but you want to make sure you guys have talked about this crucial next step before popping the question. You may be so certain that you’re ready, but she may not be. Make sure you two have talked about this reasonably and even if you give her a false timeline, make sure she’s ready just the same if you were to propose the next day!

2. Kids. This may seem ridiculous, but if one of you is certain you want kids and the other isn’t, this is something to take into consideration. You don’t want to be married five years down the line and the baby timer is going off for one of you and not the other. Talk about pets and kids and even if it is all hypothetical, it should be a fun conversation if you’re on the same page.

3. Work. If one of you wants to be a stay-at-home parent later down the line, that’s something to consider with your careers. If one of you wants to change careers or ultimately has different goals, that’s something to talk about. Make sure you talk about this openly and without judgement. If one of you has the goal to work long enough to have a 401K started and then opt to stay home with your future kids, but the other person wants you both to work until retirement– these are issues you want to work out to some degree before walking down the aisle, let alone putting a ring on it.

Is there anything you and your significant other have or have not talked about that you think should be discussed before getting engaged?

Emily

Photo Credit: Visual Photos