When I walked down the aisle ten years ago I made sure that I had my “Something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue” and I am very sure that most brides to be have given thought to what those items would be.
What this rhyme does not provide for, however, is the all-important item called an ante-nuptial contract. Often brides do not wish to taint their starry-eyed love affair by casting their thoughts to entering into a contract and there are so many negative connotations that I have encountered when speaking to people about these. Ante-nuptial contracts, however, could be one of the most important contracts a couple concludes. Many couples are dissuaded from entering into a contract by negative comments from others, however.
By entering into an ante-nuptial contract prior to getting married, you are in fact protecting your spouse against the consequences of a marriage in community of property and possible claims by creditors in the event of insolvency. In community of property marriages, you and your spouse are seen as one legal entity – with potentially disastrous consequences.
A properly considered ante-nuptial contract will guard against such eventualities and couples should consult a professional on the contractual consequences before signing one. It has to be noted, too, that this sort of contract should be signed in the presence of a Notary Public before entering into the marriage.