Is Love the Main Reason in Choosing a Partner?

The most important decision most people make worldwide is who to marry. Since we are children, society shapes us into becoming a good wife/husband, apparently being that the reason and only goal of our existence. In fairy tales, love is all, people love each other and then, they live happily ever after, that’s the perfect recipe. But, is that so in real life? Is love enough when deciding on a spouse or is there something else?
I believe that love is definitely an essential part when making such a big decision. If you do not love the person you are choosing, then, what is the point of trying to spend your whole life with him/her? Being married is not an easy task, as many people say. Marriage needs to be built upon and be taken care of everyday. So does love, but if the two people are not in love from the very beginning it must be much more difficult to build it from scratch and then, make marriage work.
Love is definitely the main aspect to take into account when selection your mate, but it is probably not the only one. In my country, the critical economic situation plays its part, too. The fact that your husband/wife has got solid incomes and a steady job is also an influential criterion. It doesn’t mean that you will break up with somebody because of that, but you will probably wait to make the big announcement or give it a second thought. Another reason to bear in mind is that your beloved must be accepted by your family and friends. In real life, people do not leave everything for the one they love. Having your family and friends supporting the union makes it easier and more pleasantly. Lastly, I believe that sharing goals is a must too, for instance, kids. Two people cannot be together if their future lives go differently. This may sound obvious but sometimes it isn’t.
On the whole, there are many reasons to marry (or not) a person. Many of them are shared by entire societies, but at the end, the most important ones are meaningful for each person in