Determining whether or not your partner is marriage material can be tricky business. Most of us hope, at sometime in our lives that we'll get married, raise a family, and be part of a long-term and loving relationship. We each have our own ideas about what we want in the relationship, and the kind of person we want to be with for the rest of our lives. Our needs are different, as are our expectations.

Is there any way to know in advance if you're making the right decision and have chosen the person most likely to share that dream with you? Probably not, but if you're not just experiencing the normal pre-commitment jitters, there are things you can do to ease your mind or keep you out of a potentially bad situation.

A good place to begin is to honestly evaluate what you really want. Be realistic. Understand that sooner or later, the wonderful glow of being in love will fade. Usually the honeymoon doesn't last forever, though it can if both partners work hard at it.

More important than what he or she makes you feel like right now is what will remain when the glow wears off. As you get older, you may find you're more interested in having a good and trusted friend and partner than a hot, passionate romance. Looks fade. Gravity takes its toll. Will you still love your partner when a walk in the park, holding hands, will give you warm fuzzies and make the day special for you? That's probably impossible to predict with certainty, but you might want to think about it anyway.

Opposites attract, but that can make for very volatile relationships. Your best chance for a happy ever after may be with someone who is more like you than different from you, someone from the same kind of background who shares your values and beliefs, as well as your interests. You will find more reasons for spending time and having fun together if you enjoy the same things.

Religious differences matter too. If you both grew up with similar beliefs and actively participate in faith-based activities, you'll have a closer bond than couples that can't agree on anything concerning religion and are miles apart in their beliefs. Likewise, in-laws may be more accepting of the addition to the family if he or she shares their values. If there are children, the question of which religion to raise them in can cause serious conflicts.

Have you always dreamed of having a huge family and being a stay-at-home mom or dad (almost as likely these days), looking after the kids, keeping the house

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