Wedding Planning: Florists, Caterers, and Lawyers Oh My! in Charlotte NC

Author: Valerie Hunter, Charlotte Mecklenburg Attorney (704-412-1442) https://www.hunterheinattorneys.com/valerie-hunter.html

Valerie grew up in Dothan, Alabama and obtained her undergraduate degree from the University of Alabama at Birmingham. Valerie went on to attend the Charlotte School of Law, where she continued to hone her trial skills in serving as President of the school’s Trial Advocacy Board, and while continuing to compete in trial competitions across the country.

Your love story has been one out of a storybook- After a long courtship he bought the most beautiful ring he could find, took you on a horse drawn carriage ride and walk under the stars, then got down on one knee, and made you cry "happy tears" as you said "YES!" It was all very romantic, and now you're making the plans you have been dreaming of since you were a little girl. You have to find the best venue, florist, caterer, cake decorator, officiant, lawyer Wait, what? Since when is a lawyer a part of wedding planning? Let me explain.

Planning a wedding and getting married is a very exciting time in one's life, but it takes a lot of preparation. Once you get past the romantic notion of the perfect wedding day, reception and honeymoon, you have the rest of your lives to plan for. As much as we all like to focus on the romantic part of getting married, the fact is, marriage is as much a contract as it is a fairytale. It is a legal agreement that should be entered into with a complete understanding of your rights and obligations, and a plan for the future. Seeing a lawyer prior to tying the knot can help you and your partner to understand how you can make the best decisions for both of you individually and as a couple, and how to best effectuate those decisions.

Many newly engaged couples are hesitant to discuss a prenuptial agreement because they don't want to "jinx" their marriage, or feel as if they are planning for divorce. While this perception is certainly understandable, planning for divorce is not the only reason to execute a prenuptial agreement. Other benefits to executing a prenuptial agreement include: estate planning preparation; separation of financial rights and obligations; and setting expectations for the future. By addressing potential issues up front, you can avoid much of the financial cost and stress of having to handle these issues down the road. While prenuptial agreements are important for any marriage, they are especially important for marriages in which one or both partners have been married previously or have accumulated assets prior to the marriage.

So as you are making plans for the perfect wedding, remember that after the wedding is over, the marriage continues; and a successful marriage requires even more planning and preparation than the wedding.