Three decisions that can increase your chance of divorce

Getting married is any exciting time for any couple. You’re deeply in love, and you’re embarking on a new chapter of your lives together. It seems like you’re floating on air, and every day seems like a new adventure.

In this heightened state, it may be easy to jump into marital decisions without fully considering their implications. However, there are certain common newlywed decisions that can actually set you up for failure right from the start:

You broke the bank on your wedding.

Paying for an extravagant wedding can put real financial strain on a newlywed couple. One study found that the more you spend on your wedding, the more likely you are to get divorced. Couples spending more than $20,000 on their wedding are three and a half times more likely to get divorced than couples spending $5,000–$10,000.

You got pregnant right away.

It’s important for newlyweds to take some time to enjoy their married life together—without adding a new baby into the mix. When spouses take time to build a solid foundation first, their marriage tends to be more sustainable once they have children. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that couples who wait at least eight months after their wedding to have a baby are statistically more likely to celebrate their 15th wedding anniversary.

You share the same bed when you really shouldn’t.

Sleeping in the same bed as your partner may seem like a no-brainer. It’s a simple way to build intimacy and maintain a lasting connection. However, if your sleep is regularly disrupted by your partner’s snoring, your chronic sleep deprivation can be a source of real stress and resentment in the relationship. Many couples have found that sleeping in separate quarters can be a life saver in their marriage.

While no one decision can definitively lead to a marriage’s end, it’s worthwhile for couples to be thoughtful and deliberate about major, life-changing decisions they make together.