Inspired by a film I've watched recently. I've read (or heard, can't remember) that just love is not enough. This point of view supports the claim that there are 3 components to a successful marriage:
love
time for each other
space for each other (e.g. own flat)
Money isn't on the list, but it is behind the time and space factors - if the couple are slaving away on 2 jobs to earn a living there won't be time for a relationship to develop, and if they live at someone's parents house where anyone can walk in at the worst time asking stupid questin, "Have you seen my scissors?". You don't need to be rich, you don't even need to be well off, but you need to have time to be with each other and a place for that, and money very often determines that. I'd add (like many people, surely)
communication
trust
something in common to grow together
willing to make it work
That's right, not "hoping it will work" but willing to make it work. I think the most talked about problem (in the society) is communication, and it help build up trust. There could be a couple of behaviour factors:
faithfulness
paying attention to one another
So, which do you think are most important and why?