On the eighth Day of Christmas, My Beloved gave to me
Eight gifts of bounty
Seven days a-​​helping
Six stolen kisses
Five looks of Love
Four calling friends
Three snow strolls
Two nestling hearts
And a day free of expectations.

Life is uncer­tain. We have the amazing oppor­tu­nity to partic­i­pate in it. It’s easy when you’re plan­ning your wedding, and cele­brating your engage­ment, to forget how impor­tant your marriage is in the larger scheme of things. The more stable rela­tion­ships soci­eties have; the better they func­tion (and the more stable the rela­tion­ships are, so it all works out nicely!).

You’re deciding how to spend a lot of money this year as you plan your wedding. Why not consider as you look at the grand total (don’t faint, you’re spending the money you have to spend, right?) allo­cating some of that money to support the values on which your wedding vows and your marriage are based?

What do you believe in?
How do you spend your money?
Do you have a budget?
What propor­tion is for your house­hold? What is for friv­o­lous pursuits? What is for you? (If you have a shoe budget, you may want to have a dona­tion budget, eh?)
What values will make this rela­tion­ship strong?
How do you support their exis­tence in the world at large?

Take some time today when you’re hanging out, even if you are hanging out in a large group, and talk about how you spend the money you spend on supporting the world and the changes you long to see take place.

Tip: Commit to sharing your wealth, because you are rich in many ways, with your commu­nity. Consider your generosity and how you want to be known as indi­vid­uals and as part­ners. Go hear what Suze Orman has to say on the matter.