Oh, the irony. God knows that I would rather stick a hot poker in my eye than make my first editorial contribution to UPTOWN be for an issue about weddings. But if there is one thing I know about, it’s fabulous weddings.

My marriage may have ended in divorce, but my wedding was fierce!

Three matrons of honor, 12 bridesmaids, four flower girls, and six footmen to carry my 27-foot-long Reem Acra custom crystallized star cathedral-length veil. The four-day extravaganza culminated in a romantic ceremony in a historic church bathed in flowers, Patti LaBelle singing, a white-tie dinner for 450 guests, and the bride and groom riding off into the night down Park Avenue. My wedding was the stuff of dreams, a fantasy fit for Cinderella and her Prince Charming.

And I would have traded it all for a solid, stable, and emotionally connected marriage that lasted a lifetime.

No question, my wedding was the fulfillment of every little girl’s fantasy. However, little girls grow up, wedding dresses get packed away, and grown women are left to navigate marriage, with all its ups, downs, twists, and turns. So before you get your knickers in a knot over place settings, gift registries, and guest lists, you might want to get a good read on how you and your future spouse each handle the realities of life. You want your marriage to last longer than it takes to plan your wedding. Ask yourself these five questions…