Engagement Etiquette

Engagement etiquette is always an important part of the engagement period, but it is also so mysterious too. So many questions surround this grey area before marriage, but after engagement. The problem is that within your relationship, you are no longer just boyfriend and girlfriend. However, you are not married yet either. Being engaged is a struggle period already because of wedding planning, so who needs the added stress of redefining a relationship too? That is where engagement etiquette comes into play – with the overlying question - what is expected now? 

Based upon our experience and the observation of other engagements, we are able to answer this difficult question. Once again, we are not premarital counseling, but we can offer our insights regarding engagement etiquette. A major issue we noticed was that neither partner knew what the other wanted! The main resolution of this issue is to communicate expectations surrounding what you expect from your fiancée. This is key to eliminating stress during engagement and preparing for a good marriage.  

This engagement etiquette can also apply to future in-laws. The typical stereotype is that everyone loathes their in-laws, and that is perfectly alright. Wrong! During engagement, it is important to cultivate the relationship with your future in-laws because whether you like it or not, they will soon be your family. Once again, this goes back to the key ingredient to any relationship – communication. Take some time to talk to them and get to know them. 

Those are just a few areas of engagement etiquette, but once again, we are open to your questions, which is why you can contact us at Rachael@lifewithme.com and jon@lifewithme.com. No question is too simple or obvious to ask!

Premarital Counseling

Premarital counseling is a time when engaged couples get to test their relationship prior to tying the knot at the altar. Most premarital counseling sessions can take weeks, even months to complete. Homework assignments that require additional hours of preparation cause even more stress during an already stressful period in relationships. Do not be confused though - premarital counseling is highly recommended by LifeWithMe.com.  

However, we do realize that while useful and important, it can easily become a burden because of the time and financial commitment required. That is why LifeWithMe.com, while we are not offering premarital counseling, is providing a series of questions for engaged couples, which we call premarital advice. These questions are designed to stimulate important and meaningful conversations between future husband and future wife on topics pertinent to an enjoyable engagement and ultimately- marriage. It is a perfect solution for those that do not have the time or money to go through premarital counseling.  

After reading all this, it is normal to have questions, and LifeWithMe.com welcomes these questions! An important part of LifeWithMe.com will be our “Dear Rachael” and “Dear Jon” sections, which is guided and inspired by your questions. Our experience as an engaged couple was filled with numerous questions about many different topics, and we want to be able to provide answers to those questions. We found ourselves going to our friends that had recently been married and gone through the same issues, but not everyone has that opportunity, which is why you can contact us at Rachael@lifewithme.com and jon@lifewithme.com. No question is too simple or obvious to ask! 

In summary, we understand the busyness during engagement, which is why we condensed what we have learned from our premarital counseling to assist in other engaged couples’ lives. Our mission is preparing couples for marriage by finding love in all the right places. By offering an alternative to premarital counseling, we hope we encourage you to continue to find love in the right place during your engagement – each other.  

Welcome to Life With Me Blog

Greetings from the Founders, Jon and Rachael.

Jon and I would like to say thank you for coming to the Life With Me blog. The purpose of Life With Me is to help engaged couples remember and renew their love by offering convenient, creative, and caring ways to get there.

Love: not a feeling, but a committed lifestyle. 

Maybe you are feeling the way Jon and I did when we were planning our wedding---ecstatic, overjoyed, happy, good, well, sad, confused, stressed, angry, OVERWHELMED. Wherever you are in your busy wedding planning season, it truly tends to put a toll on your relationship. And maybe friends, family, parents-in-law are not helping because they are coming at you with all sorts of ideas and "suggestions." Maybe you are planning a wedding and looking for an apartment at the same time. Maybe you are nervous about finances. As a result of these things, you are probably fighting with your fiance. 

Well, this site is your time-out and a place for you to not only gather insight on how to deal during this stressful time, but also how to get back to those true love moments you shared with the person you are about to marry. Taking time away from everything and talking is always the best remedy. 

To start, we are going to post different topics on how to deal with engagement stress, and as we begin to grow the business, we will highlight different restaurants, events, museums, etc. to be used as ideal places to escape to talk to your significant other.

Partner with us by asking questions, even sharing your own stories under the Life With Me Stories section. 

Life With Me is the most convenient, creative, and caring way to remember and renew LOVE in your relationship.