This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at CWU chapter.

It doesn’t matter if you’ve been dreaming about your big day for ages, or only recently started the planning a wedding process. There are definitely some things to keep in mind before getting married. Because of all the decisions in life, promising to spend it with another person is pretty much as big as it gets. Here are a few tips for yourself before thinking about tying the knot with someone.

1. Make sure you feel complete on your own

Make sure you’re okay with who you are as a person, and know that you are okay on your own before you seek out a husband or wife. That way you’re not relying on the other person more than you should be. Try taking a trip by yourself or moving into your own place before marrying your significant other.

2. Never settle for anything but the best

If you’re choosing to spend the rest of your life with this one person, are they everything you wanted? Do you find ways even love their flaws? Or are you settling because you don’t think there really is that perfect person out there for you? Because girl, there is.

3. Try living together

It’s always important to know what another person’s living habits are like. Are they secretly a giant slob or a clean snob? Give living together first a try as a way to test the waters of what married life would look like.

4. Be ready to change

As every relationship grows, and so do you as individuals. Keep in mind you’re both going to change and grow as you continue your relationship and that’s okay! However, maybe don’t marry someone who is expecting you to change something you aren’t comfortable with. Let them be them, and you do you. This about who they might be in the future based on how they are scting now. If they’re sassy now, that might increase along with their age. Make sure you accept who they are now as well as who they’re becoming.

5. Figure out what you want the future to look like, right now

I know it may seem early to talk about kids, but if your significant other doesn’t want them and you always have, well that may be a problem. Make sure to talk about the future. Where you want to live: a house in the country, an apartment in the city or in a townhouse in a small town. Your options are truly endless, and it’s important to at least “kinda” be on the same page.

6. Get ready to share EVERYTHING

Do you guys like to share food? Is it okay to share each other’s clothes? Do you care if I leave my dishes in the sink?These are the questions to ask, before you get married. When you do tie the knot you will be sharing everything with one another. A house, money, you’ll be co-parenting children and even sharing all of your personal things (i.e. food, your pizza slicer, toilet cleaner, etc). Talk in advance about sharing money and what that’s going to look like. Talk about parenting styles and be ready to share EVERYTHING.

7. Think about their side of family

You’re going to be adopting these people into your family. Think about the core values and beliefs they hold, and ask yourself: are you are willing to call these people family? If you are, it’s exciting to add on to your family tree!

Hopefully you and your partner have already done or experienced some of these things together! If not, have that talk, go out and explore the world and get to know yourself! Marriage is a huge step, but don’t be afraid to take the leap!

7 Things You Need to Know Before Tying The Knot