Couples a Good Target Before They Tie the Knot.

Mutual fund companies and their financial adviser partners might start thinking about targeting engaged couples as clients, as it benefits couples to talk about finances before they get married and it is a way to reach new clients, experts said.

While difficult to think about finances during wedding plans, money is the number one cause of marital arguments, and for the most part, it is because couples are not on the same page, according to data from OppenheimerFunds of New York.

The average length of a marriage in the U.S. is 7-1/2 years, according to data from the National Center for Health Statistics.

"Given the odds, it is more important than ever for women to have an open dialogue about finances with their future spouse not only to avoid martial spats, but also to mitigate financial losses in the event of widowhood or divorce," said Ellen Schoenfeld, vice president of educational initiatives at OppenheimerFunds.

A number of financial advisers are now offering complimentary consultation to engaged couples, she said. One adviser's client gave his child a session with the adviser as a pre-wedding gift, Schoenfeld related.

With weddings becoming more and more expensive, many couples are starting off marriage in debt. It can be useful to work out a wedding budget with an adviser and set up an account to help pay bills, Schoenfeld said.

Currently, Oppenheimer advisers are getting engaged couples' business by word of mouth through their existing clients, Schoenfeld said. In the future, Oppenheimer might consider a marketing campaign geared toward young couples, but no initiatives are in place right now, she said.