There is some good news for those Georgians headed toward the altar.

Thanks to a new law, couples who get at least six hours of premarital counseling will pay $35 less for their marriage license than couples who don’t.

“The new law may save more than money,” said Randy Hicks, president of the Georgia Family Council, which was responsible for much of the research going into the drafting of legislation.

According to Hicks, “Couples who get premarital counseling are more satisfied in their marriages, are better able to handle conflict, and are ultimately less likely to divorce.”

In fact, preliminary research suggests that couples who get premarital counseling may reduce their chance of divorce by 50 percent during the first five years of marriage.

Moreover, Georgia Family Council research has revealed that between 10 and 15 percent of engaged couples who undergo counseling within six months of their intended wedding date decide not to marry. “These are couples who are likely to have divorced. As painful as a broken engagement is, it is certainly better than a broken marriage,” said Jamie Self, director of public policy for the Georgia Family Council.

Since the passage of the law, which went into effect last month, the Georgia Family Council has been busy encouraging engaged couples to take advantage of the new incentive. “Couples spend a lot of time and money planning the wedding of their dreams. We want to encourage them to take time to prepare for the marriage of their dreams as well,” Self stated.

In order to qualify for the $35 discount, the premarital counseling must be done by a licensed professional or a member of the clergy. In addition to therapists, many churches provide premarital counseling, classes, and programs to help engaged couples prepare for life after the honeymoon.

To locate additional resources for help in growing a healthy marriage, visit the Georgia Family Council’s website at www.marriagenet.org.

There are close to 60,000 marriages in Georgia each year.