When you get engaged, the first question people will ask you is when you’re getting married. Deciding on a the length of your engagement relies entirely on who you are as a couple and what works best for your relationship. Do you want to wait two years to tie the knot, or are you keep to say I do ASAP so you can start being married right way? Either way, discuss the pros and cons with your partner and decide together how long your engagement will be.

Short Engagements

PROS

1. You get to be married!

Whether you’ve been together for a while or are waiting to live together until you’re married – why wait? If you’re excited about starting the rest of your lives together, a short engagement means you get there sooner rather than later.

2. You won’t over think things

Having a short engagement means there is less time to research a million vendors or spend too much time deciding on what to do. Go with your gut and book the vendors you love!

3. Older relatives are more likely to be able to come

As much as it sucks to think about, you do need to consider your older relative’s mobility and ability to attend. Take this into consideration when picking your date.

engagement

Photo Courtesy of Eric Cheng Photography

CONS

1. Less time to save money

It’s no secret that weddings can be expensive – if you have a short engagement, your payments will be lumped closer together and you may not qualify for a refund if applicable.

2. Might not find a dress

Depending on how short your engagement is, you may not have time to have a dress made and may need to buy off the rack. This may mean that your dream dress isn’t available.

3. Vendors might be booked

Vendors book up fast and often at least a year in advance. If you’re getting married on a popular day during a popular season, you may end up missing out on your first choice vendors.

Long Engagements

PROS

1. Prolonged excitement

One of the best things about planning a wedding is getting to experience all the fun things that go a long with it – like shopping for a dress, cake tasting etc. When you have a long engagement, you are able to dedicate ample amounts of time to each task meaning you can enjoy each task as it comes.

2. More time to save money

When you have a long engagement, your payments will be more spaced out and you will therefore have less money coming out of your account at a time. This will help reduce some stress on you and your partner.

engagement

Photo Courtesy Alix Gould Photography

3. Choice of vendors

When you start planning early, your choices are fairly wide open as far as vendors. If you are dreaming of working with a certain photographer or booking an amazing venue- it’s always good to start planning more than a year in advance.

CONS

1. The wedding becomes your life

When you have a long engagement, it seems that the only thing people want to talk about with you is the wedding. This can be tiring, since it often serves to remind you of your growing to do list–especially if you haven’t made many plans since the last time you spoke to this person.

2. Tastes change, plans change

One of the risks with a long engagement is realizing that what you thought you loved a year ago is no longer what you want for your big day. You have a lot of time to think and this can sometimes lead to indecisiveness. Do you really love your dress still? What if this trend changes?

You May Also Be Interested In

3. Procrastination is real

When you think you have all the time in the world, you may keep pushing projects further down the road. This can result in you leaving everything until the last minute and having to cram all your wedding tasks into a short period.