I refer to my last post as well now as the media debate as to whether pre-nups are unromantic or, as the Roman Catholic Bishop of Shrewsbury has suggested, designed to empty marital vows "of all meaning."

If you agree with such criticism and are getting married, then there is an easy answer: don't make one.

If you disagree and believe your situation will benefit from such an agreement, then there is an alternative to instructing lawyers to argue your patch and potentially create discord before harmony has even been given a chance. That alternative is collaboration.

Yes you can instruct collaboratively trained lawyers; you can meet as a foursome and continue to be open and honest with each other as you agree contractual terms.

Marriage is a legally binding contract and thinking about what that will entail or the repercussions if things go wrong, many (like the Law Commission) would view as sensible. Moreover the steps which can be taken to draw up a deed do not have to be divisive.