Sometimes it's the crash of six tiers of champagne glasses or the plaintive cry of bridesmaids popping surprising seams that steps to the forefront as your most important challenge to turning all of your wedding plans into perfect wedding memories.

While all of your focus and energy is being drawn toward completing the seemingly endless list of tasks that go into planning your special day, it is very easy for the average couple to fall into the trap of leaving the details of their impending marriage to chance.

Married couples will avow that the wedding is only the beginning. Few couples take the time to actually plan their marriage prior to walking down the aisle. We asked a few experts what they believed was most important to realize when entering into a marriage.

First, ignore the myths. Dr. Leslie Parrott of RealRelationships says that the number one marriage myth is that a spouse should make us whole. This myth gives engaged couples unrealistic expectations. In other words, forget the whole Jerry Maguire "you complete me" thing! Both members of a relationship should work on personal wholeness first, not perfection, to achieve a self-awareness that brings individual satisfaction.

"Do I believe these myths?" is one of the seven questions to ask before you marry. These questions are the focus of the book Saving Your Marriage Before it Starts. The book says to enhance a marriage before it begins. In order to maintain a stable and loving marriage it is important to plan and learn marriage skills together.

Pairs programs teach that a marriage takes skills. Their research shows that couples who learn a basic set of relationship skills develop a stronger marriage. Seth Eisenberg of Pairs says that only ten percent of engaged couples invest the time into learning the skills they need for marriage. He says that couples must understand emotions and how to deal with conflict. Pairs teaches its couples to always stand unified to find solutions to whatever problems they face. Learning these skills together gives couples a common language; the best way to deal with issues that will arise in their future.