(Name) and (name), if you were like 99.99% of engaged couples contemplating their wedding day, it was exciting. But in the future, as you look back, you might find yourself asking why you looked forward to this moment. You might agree with the poet Keats, who suggested in his ode (poem), "On a Grecian Urn," that anticipation provides greater enjoyment than participation. The truth is, many look back on their wedding day with feelings which range all the way from wistful nostalgia to bitter cynicism and grief.

You see, the romantic dreams of marriage don't last long; what your heart desires and what your marriage becomes may be miles apart. As evidence, consider the way people talk about marriage. Some women complain that they are home-bound or are "unpaid maids." Some men speak of being "…