Debra McClinton

Financial Questions to Ask Your Spouse Before the Wedding

Are you a spender? Is he a saver? Here's how to work out your financial plan now.

1. Do you carry around a lot of cash?

If either one of you carries around a lot of money, it could mean one of a few things: You’re trying to flaunt your wealth; you’re oblivious to the fact that carrying a lot of cash is not a safe practice; or you like to spend wads of it carelessly. Get your betrothed or yourself into the habit of keeping an ATM card handy. Debit cards also allow you to keep track of spending so you can better manage your money and accounts.

2. Do you have a checking account?

This question identifies stability. You should know if your partner has a checking account and how long he has had it. An account maintained over years shows you that he knows how to manage finances. If you are both young and just starting out, you can learn to manage your money right together.

3. Do you balance your checking account each month?

Even with today’s advanced technology, banks can make mistakes. You’ll want to know that your partner cares enough about his money to protect it and wants to prevent overdrawing on the account by keeping withdrawals and deposits in order.

4. Do you have a savings account?

This shows that your partner is thinking about the future. Over time, orderly savings can easily convert into investments to help build wealth.

5. How many credit cards do you have?

Too many credit cards could indicate that your partner is an out- of-control spender. How many is too many can be hard to judge, as it depends on a few factors, including your debt-to-credit ratio. Ideally, your credit utilization should be less than 30 percent of your total credit. However, if you find yourself sifting through a stack of plastic, that is usually a sign that you have too many.

6. Do you carry and use your credit cards?

Of course, in today’s world, there are certain purchases that are best made with a credit card. Reasonable use of credit cards eliminates the need to carry large amounts of cash and makes purchasing certain goods and services convenient. However, having and carrying around too many is a financial no-no. You’ll tend to overspend and accrue debt.

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There’s nothing wrong with setting out a traditional guest book at the reception for friends and family to sign, but you’ll probably slide it onto the bookshelf and never look at it again. Here, a few innovative options:

Place a variety of note cards and paper on a table so guests can write short letters. Seal them, then open them on your first anniversary.
Provide a stack of construction-paper strips―like the kind used in grade school to make paper chains―and ask each guest to write a message on one link that he or she then attaches to the chain. Beginning the day after your honeymoon, remove a link and read it together to relive your big day.
Buy a coffee table cook. If you’re looking for something a bit more personal than a standard guest book but you just don’t have the time (or the skills) to make something yourself, buy a coffee-table book that has beautiful imagery of something of significance to you or your wedding. You could find a photography book of your wedding location (the mountains of Colorado), where you plan to honeymoon (Italian countryside), or a favorite children’s book (Good Night Moon). Set it on a table with Sharpie markers for guests to customize.

Get more guest-book ideas.

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Quick Tip

If you would rather forgo tradition, the wording of the invitation can be as creative as you want: Think meaningful quotations, song lyrics, or any other phrases that will give your guests a sense of the style of your wedding. Just don’t forget to include the basics. Get more wedding advice.

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