We love planning weddings and helping couples start their married lives together, but we also want the couples we help to be ready for engagement and marriage. Joining two lives together is not something that should be taken lightly.
We have put together a list to help you start thinking about whether or not you are ready for engagement. These are five signs that you aren’t ready and need to wait a little bit longer before taking the plunge.
1. You Haven’t Discussed Kids
When you are young and in love, this topic may not seem like a big deal. However, it will come up sooner or later. If you think you are ready for engagement and marriage but haven’t talked to your partner about children then you need to pump the breaks. Children, or no children, can be a deal-breaker and most people have very strong opinions about this topic.
2. You Haven’t Met the Family
Engagements, weddings, and marriages are not just about you and your partner. They are also about the family. You are marrying a family, not just a person. If you haven’t met each other’s families then you should not be talking about engagement. A relationship that is serious enough to talk about marriage should be serious enough to have met the family.
If they don’t like you then it will be up to your and your partner to work through that. But chances are, if you get engaged before they meet you, they are going to harbor resentment and not like you for a long time.
3. You Think More About A Wedding Than Marriage
If you think more about the wedding than you do about what the marriage will be like then you probably shouldn’t get engaged. The wedding is fun. It is a great celebration of love and union but it is just one day.
Marriage is a lifetime. If you don’t think about what marriage will be like or how to prepare for marriage then you simply aren’t in a place to be engaged.
4. You Haven’t Been Together Long
This is a big one. It should probably be at the top of the list. Of course, it is possible to find that one person and know from the beginning that they are for you. But it takes time to really get to know someone. We can be blinded by emotions easily and not see our partner for who they are.
Taking it slow and getting to know and love every aspect of your partner unconditionally is something that will serve you well long term. It is the foundation on which a healthy marriage is built on.
5. You Feel Pressured
You shouldn’t feel pressured to marry someone. If you feel at all pressured to say yes to an engagement that you aren’t ready for then say no. You should want to say yes and walk towards the aisle. The hesitation is your instincts telling you to slow down. It is important that you listen.
Contact us if you have any questions.