So you have decided to commit. Go all the way. Take the plunge. Pop the question. Say yes. You can apply any standard expression to this list and it would probably apply. Now that you have started this journey, thoughts race in your mind as to how to make it the most wonderful journey you can possibly experience together. But first, you think about how the first step of that journey will go, and that is the timeless ritual of marriage.

Here are 10 things to consider on your big day together:

Someone is spending money on this occasion. Maybe it's you, your loved one, your parents, siblings, grandparents, legal guardians, or someone generous enough to front the tab. Regardless, having a budget can keep your big day focused on you, and not on the expense.

There are a lot of pieces in a wedding, and it can be a bit overwhelming. To get a handle on your planning, break up the parts you will stress the most on and spread them out over your planning agenda. If the location and the theme are important, tackle those two ideas on two separate planning days. That way, you have enough time to soak in your decision about the location and then successfully think about the theme.

You and your spouse-to-be will have family intervention on some point or another. It would be best to get their input as early as possible so to not have any conflicts. To highlight a major one, if you and your partner share a different religion, social background, language, or country of origin, there is heavy need to consider the family - especially if the differences are very large.

As horrible as it may sound, there are people out there who might want to ruin your wedding. Resolving old issues and patching up problem areas will assure that emotional troubles do not make their way to the ceremony.

If you schedule a later date, you will have more time to prepare and adjust as things come your direction. There is no need to rush!

Consider a time that works for both of you and everyone important to you that you would like to be at the event. 

Healthy couples can gain much insight from their relationship with the help of a good counselor. A stigma associated with counseling is that couples should only go when things go wrong - but it is also nice to have a professional tell you that things are going "right" as well.

Marriage can be messy when it comes to legal affairs. Are you taking a name or receiving a name? Are you going to pool assets? Who will own what? Consider these items before you wed to avoid any miscommunication down the road.

Going over this may also get you into the mode of thinking what marriage works best for you, such as a religious marriage versus a common law marriage. 

It's possible that you may have inflated or skewed ideas of what your spouse will be like once you are wed. Once wed, expect morning breath, unpleasant bathroom visits, and habits that you may not have realized exist.

Is your partner thrifty or a big spender? Is your partner a heavy credit user, or only uses cash? Financial problems are the number one cause for marital problems - so knowing how your partner spends money is critical to making a marriage work.

With all there is to worry about and plan and consider about you, your partner, the ceremony, and the families, it can be easy to lose sight that the occasion is also supposed to be fun. Many loved ones get together to wish you and your loved one happy tidings and prosperity in marriage. The occasion is a celebrated one, so celebrate every last bit of it!