As CEO of a growing beauty brand, I am well aware of what metrics are needed to measure the success of a business. The reality is that for people to be successful at anything, they need goals and open discussion.  Without either, one can become lost and thus spin their “wheels” meaninglessly.    As a woman, I have met many clients who are ready to take the leap towards marriage but do not have the faintest idea as to what it takes to make a marriage work.  More often than not, they realize a few days before the big day that their partner and themselves don't agree about many things -- money, kids, etc. They love each other, and want to be together more than anything, but begin to wonder if love really is enough?  Fights become common with neither partner conceding an inch, and ironically feeling less loved with each argument.  

My reaction is usually pretty standard:  Slow down.  More likely than not, either or both partners have been hit with a major case of cold feet! A lot of people go through a period of time after they're engaged when everything seems totally overwhelming. Each fight seems like the end of the world, like all of the sudden they’re engaged to a stranger. It is right then that they need to slow down and take a good look at whom they are engaged to! These are very big issues that have come up, but are they really as cut and dried as you described? Maybe there is room for compromise (the big "C"). So is love enough? Probably not but the romantic in me believes in it wholeheartedly and so should you!  But if it sounds like either partner is panicking, they might want to try to work these issues out before they even think about calling off the wedding. Marriage, just like a business, needs more than hope, it needs structure and whole lot of conversation of what love really means.  My prescription for marriage is respect, compromise, and patience. Take two and call me in the morning.