There is a lot of buzz lately about the benefits of pre-marital counseling and with the divorce rate still very high, it is definitely a good idea.
Though there is some confusion over the statistics, most researchers still concede the divorce rate at approximately 50%.
You may be thinking PA-SHA, "Not me, not us, we are happy..
...
we are in love" Why would we need pre-marital counseling? Well, glad you asked.
It is easy to overlook the obvious with the excitement of an upcoming wedding, the thoughts of spending your life together, the new romance that is budding and growing.
With all the planning that has to be done, lets keep this simple.
The assumption here is that you have already discussed basic things like where your going to live, where you are going to spend the holidays, whether your going to have children and how many.
Now let's consider some questions you may not have thought of.
Partners

• How does your partner's parents treat each other? We are all a product of our environment to some degree or another.
  The way your parents treated each other is a good indicator of how you will treat your partner and how your partner will treat you.
  
• How do you expect to be treated? Your partner may have a traditional view of marriage were the woman stays home with the children while the man works? There is nothing wrong with this as long as you both feel the same way.
  
• What role will each of you play in the marriage? Whose responsibility is it to bring home the bacon? Is there going to be just one breadwinner? Who will keep up on the household chores? Does your partner's views of these roles match yours?
• What is the division of labor? Is household chores and child care going to be divided equally? Is one partner responsible for all outdoor work and the other for all indoor work? Division of labor doesn't have to be 50/50, but it does have to be agreed upon.
  

Children

• Who gets up at 2 am in the morning for the crying child? A partner can experience enormous resentment if he/she is left with the sole job of child rearing.
  
• What do you believe your parenting style is/will be? (authoritarian, democratic, or laissez faire) One partner that is laissez faire (giving children maximum freedom with very little control) and one partner is authoritarian (parents always try to be in control of the children) will have very confused children.
  It won't take to long for the children to learn to play the parents against each other.
  This will result in relationship problems.
  Children need order and consistency.
  In a child's mind this translates into safety and security.
  
• What are the family rules? What role does each member of the family play? Rules help children learn appropriate boundaries, teaches responsibility and accountability.
  These are skills your children will need when and as they grow up.
  
• What is the NEW division of labor? Life, roles and responsibilities change when a child enters a family.
  Have you discussed what religious affiliation (if any) will your child have? No explanation needed here.
  

Intimacy

• Have you made plans to make time for individual hobbies and activities? Absence makes the heart grow fonder.
  Having time apart will help remind you how strong your feelings are for your partner.
  Having separate interests will give you things to talk about.
  
• How much times have you set aside for "date night"? It is easy to get caught up in 'life'.
  This may lead to either you or your partner feeling lonely and isolated.
  Having time, preferably weekly, for each other keeps the fires of romance burning.
  
• Have you discussed what will help keep your sexual interests alive over the course of your marriage? Lust ultimately wanes over time.
  But that doesn't mean your sex life has to become stagnant and boring.
  

You may have thought of some or even all of these questions.
This is only a short list of issues that can come up after your married.
A good marriage counselor will help you discover and work through these issues.
I recommend pre-marital counseling for at least 3 months well in advance of the "big day" with regular booster sessions after marriage.
You have regular well visits with your doctor and you do this as a preventative measure.
This is the same idea for regular visits with your marriage counselor who can help you both work through issues you may not have thought of.