Factors to consider when Deciding how Long to Make an Engagement

(714 Words)
With breathless anticipation, she slips the sparkling ring on her finger. Thus the engagement begins, and yet when should it end? There are a variety of factors to consider when deciding how long to make an engagement.
How long will it take to plan the wedding?
For most, a wedding is no small get-together. Comprising many diminutive facets and intricate details, it is one of the most important days in the lives of the bride and groom. They want to get it right. It may take time just to make all of the plans and organize such a major event. Also, many vendors such as reception venues, bands, caterers and more become booked months and sometimes years in advance. When you give yourself more time, you will have more choices of vendors. You may also find the planning to be less stressful and more enjoyable.
Is there any reason why the wedding must happen quickly?
In certain cases, a specific reason necessitates a brief engagement. In cases when a close family member is gravely ill, for instance, the couple will sometimes hold a very quick wedding to ensure that their loved one can play a part in their happy day. Some couples are expecting and will choose to have an extremely quick wedding. Various other circumstances could necessitate a shorter engagement.
Are there any specific reasons to wait?
Some couples wish to wait a certain period of time for something to happen before their wedding. For instance, they may be in school and wish to finish before they get married. Someone may just want more time to prepare for the wedding.
Finances
Weddings are by no means inexpensive. Many simply cannot afford the wedding of which they have dreamed right away, and they may choose to wait until they have the money to get the wedding they desire.
Time of year/convenience
Many wish to have their wedding during a specific time of year, and this can play into the decision on how long an engagement to have. For instance, if you live in an extremely cold climate but want an outdoor wedding, you may choose to get married in the summer and work the length of engagement around that. You may also choose to pair your wedding with a particular theme such as a winter wonderland. Some people have time off from work at certain times of the year and may make their wedding date and thus engagement length parallel with that. You may need to work around the convenience of other players in the wedding such as parents of the bride or groom.
How long do you need to ensure that marriage is the correct path?
One of the main purposes of an engagement is to make sure that marriage is the right decision for the couple. Marriage is a major change, which will affect its parties for the rest of their lives. Once married, it becomes much more complicated to change directions. You want to make sure that you will be Mr. and Mrs. Right, and the length of time to decide this should be considered when planning the length of an engagement.
How anxious are you to be married?
Some couples are very anxious to be married. They may be ready and not see any reason to wait, thus they may make a short engagement. Others like to take their time with things and may choose a longer engagement for that reason alone.
This factor will be greatly influenced by how long the couple have already been together. If the couple has already dated for the better part of a decade, have two kids together, and own three homes and a dog, then this is obviously less of a consideration. If the dating period was short, then the engagement may be prolonged so as to make sure that no rash decision has been made.
It is important that the bride and groom agree on the length of the engagement. It is especially important that one person not be rushed into the actual marriage before they are ready. Some people will just consider a time they think to be appropriate or generic such as six months or a year. Weigh all of the factors when deciding on the best length of engagement.