In preperation for our wedding day I recall the day that Neil and I visited the minister at his home for a friendly chat over tea and biscuits and to complete a ‘Marriage Preparation Questionaire’. I don’t know if this is still or ever was a common thing to do and I’d love to hear your comments.
Anyway I’m writing this post as after a good clear out of our home filing folder Neil found our completed questionnaires. Reading them back I recall the fear of being handed them, we were to spend a few minutes in quiet filling them out then we’d discuss between the three of us, Me, Neil and the minister our answers. This was back in the year 2000, (I was 22 at the time) there was a rush of panic, what if the results found us incompatible, would he refuse to marry us or goodness even worse say we were doomed and to quit while we could! Well thankfully there was no need to have worried the results turned out just great, and looking back I still think I’d answer them the same.
So what were these preparation questions, well here they are, and the best thing is looking at Neil’s responses, I think he was pretty smitten ….. hope he’d still answer the same too!!!
1. Why do you want to marry her/him? (Choose 3 that come nearest to expressing how you feel)
a) Good Looking
b) Sexually Attractive
c) Good companion
d) Good home maker
e) Same interests
f) Strength and encouragement
g)He/she will make a good parent for our children
(Neil played it safe and answered ‘all of the above!’)
2. What do you see in her/him? (Choose 3 which describe him/her best)
a) Trusting
b) Considerable
c) Affectionate
d) Loyal
e) Tender
f) Kind
g) Honest
h) Tolerant
i) Patient
j) Sensitive
3. What is his/her approach in life? (Choose 3 that come closest to summing him/her up as a person)
a) Organised
b) Careful
c) Easy going
d) Methodical
e) Businesslike
f) Optimistic
g) Disorganised
h) Casual
i) Carefree
j) Pessimistic
4. From the list choose three that best describe how you feel when you are with her/him?
a) Comfortable
b) Secure
c) Wanted
d) Important
e) Contented
f) Self assured
g) Ecstatic
h) Tender
i) Protective
j) Privileged
5. Are there any aspects of your partners character or personality that you would like to change?
a) Lots
b) Several
c) One or two little things
d) None
6. To what extent do you think the success of your marriage will depend on you having shared interests?
a) To a great extent
b) To a certain extent
c) Very little
d) None at all
7. If you have a special interest or hobby your partner doesn’t share, how much time will you give to it after you are married?
a) Same as before
b) A bit less than before
c) A lot less than before
d) I’ll have to give it up
e) I don’t have such an interest
8. If your partner spends time regularly with her/his own friends do you expect that to continue?
a) Yes
b) Yes, but not as much
c) I expect him/her to stop
9. Within the marriage who do you expect to be responsible for 1) money matters 2) important decisions 3) household chores? (Answer separately)
a) The husband
b) The wife
c) Mainly the husband with some help
d) Mainly the wife with some help
e) Both absolutely equally
10. Do you think it is important to get on with each other’s families?
a) Very important
b) Fairly important
c) Not very important
d) Of no importance
11. What is your attitude to religious belief?
a) Its very important to me
b) Its of some importance to me
c) Its of little importance to me
d) Its of no importance to me
And just so you get an idea of our wedding day here’s a few pictures!!!! (These are some digital files that I have, the pixels back in 2000 weren’t as fabulous back then!)
Neil looks really chuffed I’m signing to be ‘Mrs B’
I’m giving the evil look of get it signed Mr B!!
My side of the family!!!!
Our fabulous cake, I cringe now at the plastic ivy and balloons ….. and a few other things!!! but hey it was 11 years ago!!
