Italian couples often have very long engagements that can last up to fifteen years (Kruase 94). During this time the couple stays together and works to prepare and furnish their home before moving in and getting married (Kruase 94). Therefore, although much of the choice of a spouse is based on love, the couple ensures relational and financial stability well before marriage. This system is potentially more preferable to marriage than the typical neolocal style in the United States because love may exist once the marriage begins, but after the move problems may arise that the partner is unable to negotiate, arguments may arise and the marriage can crumble. In contrast, Italian couples often face many of these issues before marriage and so if their relationship dissolves there are few obstacles to separation. This can depress divorce rates because if couples live together and have a long-standing partnership before marriage, fewer marriages are likely to fail because irreconcilable differences would have already arisen or the differences would have been addressed before marriage. As a result of ensuring your partner's financial and personal stability before marriage, divorce rates may be depressed for a few reasons. Initially,