Marriage has a complex effect on expenses and life in general. If managed well, besides more happiness and a better quality of life, there can be cost savings. The per-person cost for a two-person household is lower than for one person. Pooling of income and savings makes it easier to own your first home, and to start investing. From the financial point of view, there are several risks: children, a spendthrift spouse, divorce.

• Minimize the wedding cost. Long-term success in marriage is not a sure thing. Too many couples go their separate ways after spending a bomb on the wedding.
• Both parties should agree on a financial plan, especially on spending patterns. Too often one party sees the other as spending too much, and the whole pattern of saving falls apart. People say that money is one of the biggest problems in marriage.
• Both parties should agree on a how-to-live-together plan. Be explicit on what each of you want to do and don’t want to do, and on how you make decisions.

Caveat: Avoid divorce. In most countries, alimony is very expensive for the higher-income earner, usually the man. To avoid divorce, have a plan for marital happiness and invest time ande energy to make it work.