Even though it’s a happy time, engagement is also a time when you’ll start making really big, lifelong decisions together as a couple. The “I” becomes a “we” and everything you once considered about your wedding and your life now involves another person. You might have to let go of some of your childhood fantasies about the day you’d cascade down the aisle in a big white dress, and your husband-to-be might need to let go of some of the money he’s been saving for a rainy day. (It’s good luck to rain on your wedding day, after all, right?!)

Accept that you will have conflict and disagreements

Because of all of the changes and choices, it’s common for very healthy couples to fight over small things. “First off, accept that you will have conflict and disagreements. You are bound not to agree on every single aspect of the wedding – especially because you most likely have different expectations and views of what you want and need for the wedding,” says Dr. Terri Orbuch, relationship expert and author of, 5 Simple Steps to Take Your Marriage From Good to Great. “It is how you handle the conflict and/or disagreements that is important. If you handle the stress and conflict constructively (don’t name call, don’t storm off without explanation) then you will keep you relationship strong. So, stay calm, pick good situations to have your disagreements, and remember that you may need to compromise.”

Remember: you found the one!

It seems simple enough, but when you’re buried in bills and trying to figure out how to stay under budget while still hosting an elegant affair, it can be really easy to forget why you’re getting married in the first place: Because you found the one!

And it wasn’t an easy road – it was full of horrible dates and long periods of being alone, wondering if you’d ever meet the right guy. But you did – and he wants to marry you, the one and only love of his life. So while you might want to argue about what kind of cake or who should sit where or who will be invited or how much you can spend on a dress – take a second to breathe, and cherish what you have. A man who is madly in love with you, and even after that beautiful wedding day (that will be great, no matter what), you get to spend the rest of your life with him.

 By Aurora Brown