A man is most vulnerable during the first few years of his life because he's entirely dependent on his parents. Innocent and helpless, without prior knowledge and experience to make him stand on his own feetliterally and figurativelyhe has no recourse but to lean on his parents.

In some ways, a marriage can be exactly like that. In its early stages, a marriage has no years of togetherness to rely on in times of trouble. In its early stages, a marriage likewise has no recourse but to depend on the couple's relationship in order to survive.

For a couple to manage the early stages of their marriage with their love and trust for each other still intact, they must be willing to make the following sacrifices.

PrioritiesA person's priorities will always have to be adjusted, even in the smallest of ways, when he becomes part of a marriage. For a marriage to last, both persons involved must make a real effort to show each other and the rest of the world if possible that their marriage is important to them, important enough to become one of the top priorities in their lives.

TimeAnd because the success of your marriage is now a priority, it's naturally expected that you spend enough time solidifying the foundations of your marriage. This means spending enough time with each other, doing things together and being there for each other. If it's your wife's birthday, surely it ranks higher than attending the monthly meeting of your Hotwheels Die Cast Car Association, right? Likewise, if your husband is inviting you to spend one whole day with him fishing, surely the exclusive company of your husband for 24 hours is enough to give up a day spent shopping.

MoneyAlthough this is a sacrifice that doesn't affect all marriages, if and when it does become a factor in your marriage, remember that you married each other for better or for worse and for richer or for poorer.

PrideA marriage can only work if both man and woman works together and not against each other. That also means not letting pride rule your actions. Pride can be a very good instigator of fights and blowing things out of proportion. Don't let this happen especially in the early stages of marriages because you might not be able to undo the damage later on.

And lastly, remember to pray. Even if you're agnostic, surely praying wouldn't hurt?