Couples often spend more time preparing for the one-day event of their wedding than they do for the actual marriage, which is a life-long event. Michael Cavanagh asserts that simply dating and courting, even living together, do not constitute preparation for marriage. Cavanagh points out important areas of study in preparing for marriage. He begins with the phrase "look before you leap", which he then analyzes, giving to each word an important, distinct meaning related to the partners, their relationship, and the institution of marriage. He bases his book on six assumptions: a fulfilling marriage requires both partners to understand themselves, each other, their relationship, and the nature of marriage; marriage requires the couple to have the skills to relate to each other; the goal of marriage is the psychological, social, and spiritual growth of the couple - happiness and sadness are by-products; preparing for marriage can be both fun and painful; a couple who takes marriage preparation seriously can accomplish much before marriage; and there is a correlation between being a fulfilled spouse and a fulfilling parent. Cavanagh provides real-life examples to illustrate each theoretical point. Discussion questions are also included at the end of each chapter. Cavanagh presents the reader with a way of building a solid foundation for a lifelong commitment.
