In the months that lead up to you and your partner tying the knot, the two of you are also carrying on with your normal lives. During this time, it’s crucial to stay connected with your future spouse and not allow your relationship to get off track. From small everyday affairs to major aspects such as communication, following some smart advice to keep your relationship strong may be helpful in the months ahead when planning your wedding.

Don’t Let Planning Take Over Your Whole Life 

It’s tempting to squeeze every free moment out of your day to take care of wedding-related incidentals, but this may not be wise. The Knot writer Vi-An Nguyen lists several serious symptoms indicating that you’re stressed out about arranging your nuptials:

• You use your lunch hours to run wedding errands.
• You’re always talking about the wedding.
• There’s a lack of intimacy in the bedroom.
• You begin second-guessing all your decisions.
• You’re procrastinating on getting key tasks done.
• You dread aspects of wedding planning and it’s no longer fun.

Stress and anxiety can not only rob you of your own peace of mind, but these can also impact your partner. When you notice these signs, it’s time to take a break. You should frequently give yourself days off from planning, and reserve most of your lunch hours for eating and relaxing only. Don’t forget that the both of you may be knee-deep in making arrangements, so you should regularly check in with your spouse-to-be. Encourage your sweetie to also take a breather and walk away from wedding minutiae. You’ll keep each other accountable and help reduce both of your stress levels.

Make “Date Night” a Regular Tradition

You’re going to say “I do” in a few months, but you shouldn’t overlook relationship building while you order cake and fuss over guest counts. The engagement period is usually considered a bridge between dating and marriage, but for many same-sex couples it can be an extension of a romance that’s already lasted for years. Regardless of how you view the frantic, time-crunched months before you walk down the aisle, you can still use them to your advantage. Schedule regular date nights with your sweetie to make sure you have fun and reconnect. Also, remember that these don’t always have to be fancy outings. A night in watching a cheesy movie and enjoying good eats can also be the perfect antidote, as can an afternoon riding bikes, shopping or walking your favorite trails.

Keep Communication a High Priority

Hopefully, the two of you have already talked about the “big stuff.” A 2015 Washington Post article revealed findings from a recent study that same-sex couples do tend to discuss significant relationship issues such as housework, finances, physical intimacy and children in a more open manner. With that said, your job of effectively communicating with your partner is far from over. Listening and empathy are two key practices going forward, and both require paying attention to your loved one and cutting out distractions. It’s easy to let the daily grind push you both into routines and patterns you don’t question, but your wedding day will be here before you know it. Putting your relationship as a high priority requires talking about both major and minor issues. After all, the practices you establish now will set the precedent for your married life.

It’s vital to remain connected as a couple both before and after you say your vows. This will take effort, time and a few wise strategies such as keeping the lines of communication open, not allowing wedding planning to take over your lives and scheduling time to spend with each other. Although your engagement period can seem to fly by quickly, these practices should help you stay in sync before the big day.