5 Reasons Why You Need To Road Trip With Your Fiancé Before Getting Married

Let's pay a visit to my life in October of 2014. The setting: Moab, Utah. The situation: my husband and I are on day 18 of a 33 day road trip when our alternator dies. My husband and I look at one another and sigh as we dig out our AAA card and set to work.

3 Years (And Counting) On The Open Road | Photo: Idle Theory Bus

By now, we've played this game many-a-time. By now, we are champions at it.

You revel in the planning process, obsessing on the routes and the many adventures that are going to ensue. In your head, you cruise down the hill in slow motion while the sun warms your skin and your hair blows in the wind. All the while, your mind queues up some song, probably one by Journey, to truly emphasize how epic your road trip is going to be. Conveniently, you've left out the bits where your car breaks down, you have to pee on the side of the road, and your GPS somehow directs you to a road that does not exist.

Let's face it: While road trips are incredibly thrilling and rewarding, theyare also one of the more stressful and challenging forms of vacationing, which is exactly why you should take one with that special someone you're thinking about marrying. Let's break this down:

1. You need an adventure buddy.

If you're an explorer, you need someone you can count on to halve the driving time and double the entertainment. Tired? Don't lose time napping in a parking lot. Just get your guy or girl to double-fist some coffee and swap seats and then return the favor after you're well-rested. I mean, it’s only logical.

2. You could use a lesson in patience.

What do you do when you're trapped in a car with the person you love and they will not. stop. belting. the Wicked soundtrack at you? Being trapped in a tiny metal box for hours on end will push you to some strange places. Find what drives you crazy now (pun intended) and then tackle your issues. Wow, she really cannot hit that note, but it’s sort of endearing, right?

Scenic Drive up to Grand Targhee Ski Resort | Photo: Josh Packer

3. You need to see how your partner handles stressful situations.

Does he refuse to ask for directions when you're lost? Does she flip out when your tire goes flat? Does he lose his mind when you want tacos? Again? For the fourth time in two days? Road trips can come with some challenging decision-making. Coincidentally, so does marriage! Find out how you handle difficulties like these and then work together to problem solve as a team.

4. You will learn some weird stuff about your partner.

You don't know what his top three retreat plans are in case of a zombie invasion? How can you get married without that knowledge?! Nothing makes you dig real deep for those quirky stories from your past or your favorite obscurities like time on the wide open road.

5. You will look back on it for years to come.

Assuming you do not murder one another and the heart only grows fonder, you will always be able to look back at the incredible places you went and sights you saw. Maybe you will even be sitting in your broken down car in Moab six years from now and have a laugh over the very first time your sweet little station wagon broke down when you were just falling in love. And maybe six years after that, the two of you and your toddler will adventure to the Oregon coast so that he or she can see the Pacific for the first time on the same beach that the two of you did.

10 Tips For Planning A Successful Road Trip | Photo: Moe Lauchert

Cover photo: Fudo Jahic

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