Marriage is one of the most important milestones in your life. If you are already in a relationship with Mr. Right, then marriage is not an unreal, distant prospect anymore, especially if you are in your twenties or thirties. Even if you are not in a relationship with someone, you are likely to settle down in some time. Even though marriage and kids and a comfortable life sound appealing, you have to admit that after you get married, your freedom is curtailed. This is because you may become a family person, and you have to take care of another individual, and you are responsible and answerable to them.
Before you commit yourself (I won’t say tie yourself down) to a happy married life, you have to take the opportunity to indulge the wild and adventurous side in you. So check out this list of things to do before getting married.
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1. Date. A lot.
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Do not ignore Mr. Right-Now in your wait for Mr. Right. And anyway, how are you supposed to know which one is Mr. Right if you don’t go out with at least a couple of guys? There are plenty of fish in the sea, and before you settle for the ‘right’ one, go on a metaphorical fishing trip.
2. Complete your education
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Sure, you can study after getting married, but it is much less stressful and more rewarding when you don’t have a baby and a husband to manage at the same time.
3. Find the job you love
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This is one of those quintessential things to do before getting married because after you have tied the knot, you have to have a secure job in order to support your family. While you are still in the trial-and-error period, quit a job if you hate it, and find your true calling.
4. Start saving money
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Even though a shopping spree now and then won’t hurt anyone, saving money will give you the opportunity to enjoy some of the more luxurious pleasures in life in the future, like an impromptu holiday with your girlies, or even dinner at a fine restaurant.
5. Invest
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Before you start sharing your financial status with your husband, secure your own future with some sort of investment, so that you have something of your own and purely your own to fall back on in case anything happens.
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6. Get your own apartment
Before you move in with your husband, move out of your old home and get a place where you will live on your own. Not only will this make you self-sufficient and independent, but it will also give you the confidence you need to deal with problems in the future.
7. Get a pet
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If you are daunted by the idea of living alone, there is nothing better than getting a pet. It is also a great way of learning how to take care of another being, while enjoying great cuddling perks, duh!
8. Learn how to cook
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If you are going to live on your own, you cannot possibly order in every time. So now you see what I mean when I say staying alone is a learning experience? Try to steer clear from instant foods and microwaveable pasta, and learn how to knock up some mean dishes.
9. Brush up on your skills
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This is the perfect time to bulk up your talent kitty with new skills that you have wanted to learn since you were a kid. Whether it is another language, cycling, horse-riding, swimming, or even something as simple as learning to drive – do it.
10. Pursue weird hobbies
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We are all creepy deep down. Like to collect dead bugs? Want to plaster your walls with a celebrity’s face? Bring out any of those weird hobbies that you have and pursue them, because chances are you will have to pretend to be normal when you settle down! God forbid if that should happen! 😉
11. Advocate for a social cause
You are a woman in a society where there are a lot of problems. This is the time when you do your bit and speak up against it. Whether it is LGBT rights, or equal wages, or harassment – of any kind, raise your voice against the social evils directed towards disadvantaged groups and do something concrete about it.
12. Dress to impress
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Go all out with your clothes, look outlandish and even ridiculous if you want, and do not even think about saving that dress for that special someone.
13. Go through another wild fashion phase
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Because you will not be able to introduce these ‘shocking’ changes to your extended family very often. Cut off your hair, or grow it real long, or wear neons or stripes, or go through a leather phase. Basically, don’t miss the opportunity to become a wild child once more.
14. Eat whatever you want
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This probably goes against the previous point, but this is one of those essential things to do before getting married. Eat whatever you are craving and if it is not too healthy, exercise and sweat it out. No worries.
15. Work out
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Make it your mission in life to look sexy and feel sexy by exercising and doing yoga. Looking good automatically makes you feel good too, and vice versa. Plus, you might not be able to devote as much time to this after you are married.
16. Travel on your own
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After you are married, you will be spending most of your holidays with your husband and his family. Now, that’s not a bad thing, but before you can graduate to that, take a trip alone. Close your eyes, pick a spot on the globe, and set out with your backpack.
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17. Holiday with your better half
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Before you get tied to him for life, make sure that you know what it is like to be in his company 24/7. Traveling is known to bring out the best … and the worst in people, so it’s a great way to check out what you are in for.
18. Boycott technology for a week
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When you are married, you have to keep your phones and your internet connection handy at all times in case someone important calls. When you are still able to enjoy your single days, go AWOL for a week, and forget about Facebook and Tumblr and Twitter and ringing phones – spend time with yourself only.
19. Keep a diary
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“Dear diary,” are the words that you are going to treasure and reminisce over when you are 50, or even a few years down the line. Keep a diary and write down everything you do every day, especially those moments you never want to forget.
20. Take tons of pictures
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Get yourself a nice camera or a Polaroid if you are an antique lover, and snap away. Catalogue your life in photographs, and include them in your diary. You will not regret it when you don’t have the time or opportunity to do so anymore.
21. Go out with your girls
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Are you planning your wedding, or are you ready to get married? It doesn’t matter. If you are single, it means you have to spend as much time possible going out with your girls, having fun with them, having sleepovers and talking your hearts out. God knows you will miss it when you are married.
22. Hang out with your parents
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This is when you need them most, because after you are married, you may not be able to be together much, or even talk to them every day. Spend time with them, stay with them, and go on vacations with them.
23. Do what makes you happy
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This is not the time to think how your life decisions will affect other people, because there will be plenty of time for it later. Do whatever you want, as long as it makes you happy.
24. Give yourself rewards
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If you have accomplished something, make sure that you reward yourself every opportunity you get, because later it is expected of you to reward your children instead. Buy that dress now, because you deserve it.
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25. Love yourself
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It is ridiculous how many people suffer from a gross lack of self-confidence and self-appreciation. Before you can spend a lifetime loving another individual, spend your years as a single woman learning to love and appreciate yourself, because you are a special person and you deserve to be loved. It is important that you find some way to discover that.
No matter how awesome married life sounds, you have to be a grown up with rules and restrictions and responsibilities, no matter what. Now, that is not a bad thing, but you have to take full advantage of your freedom before you can finally come to terms with the fact that at some point, you have to sacrifice the more spontaneous pleasures for a more stable family life.
So what are you waiting for – go tick off these things you should do before you get married – one by one. Good luck!
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