Marriage Is Work: How to Be a Good Colleague From the Beginning Relationships

It starts with your attitude. A couple who believes marriage is about finding the best colleague you can and then working it out will go further than one who's lost in romantic notions. Marriage is work, yes. But marriage is also boredom at times. It's getting stuff done, and keeping a house running. The kids need to be fed and changed; homework has to get done.

In premarital counseling, you look at potential trouble spots. You consider your communication and your values. You admit that things won't always look rosy, or even interesting. And you decide what you'll do when that inevitably happens. Once you're married, confronting those same questions will serve you well. And confronting your own assumptions is always a good idea.