Length of Time Before Getting Engaged, Essay Example

Introduction

Most people desire to get married because of their compatibility with their significant other, it can be argued that getting married right away might seem like a great idea but there are things that people have to consider before taking that step such as likes and dislikes etc. Now, it can be said that the length of time before a couple get engaged should be no longer than at least a year. The reason, it’ll not only make the marriage last longer, but the couple will get a chance to get to know everything there is to know about their significant other. Tutera reported, “More and more people are waiting no longer than a year before getting engaged, if they are still together then the short engagement is of little consequence” (Tutera).

Some people believe that it is okay to wait no longer than 6 months before getting engaged, but some of those same people find that it isn’t always ideal because they have several matters of the heart to tend to before crossing that premarital line. It can be argued that when people wait a long time before getting engaged, they are less likely to get a divorce. When people wait a short time before getting engaged, they are more likely to argue more, love less but eventually find a way to make the marriage work.

My stance on this is that the length of time a couple should wait before getting engaged is 2 years maximum, 18 months minimum.

The argument

A couple’s length of time before getting engaged should be 2 years because they each need to know and experience each other’s strengths and weaknesses, what makes them tick and what makes them happy. Also, a couple will be able to find clever ways of coming up with conflict resolution ideas as well as preventive measures of keeping their feelings from their partner. More importantly, a couple can really assess if they can really live with their significant other’s bad habits and if they can really be with that person; this length of time can really make the difference between a person living happily ever after or living miserably. Pokluda explained, “People don’t need to rush because they need to show the other person who they really are, nothing is more important than that” (Pokluda).

People don’t stand to gain anything by rushing their engagement or getting engaged before getting to know each other for 2 years + because in doing so they are not just costing themselves their own happiness, they are also costing their partner theirs too. Rushing the length of time to get engaged has led to many a couple’s downfall and has cause disaster to befall their relationship, some couples find that they can’t live with some of the things that really disturb them about their partner.

It can’t be argued that the length of time that couple should wait before getting engaged should be two years because that couple need to get to know each other in their entirety; everything from leaving the toilet seat up after using the bathroom to not cleaning up after oneself after meals or snacks. A 3, 5 or 8 month length of time before getting engaged is not enough time for a couple to really get to know each other; it could be said that people who got engaged in the length of time 3-9 months have only be dating for less than that time. Couples who wait 2 years before getting engaged will stay married longer.

Work Cited

Pokluda, Jonathan. “How Long Should You Date Before Marriage?” The Porch. 30 June 2014. Web. 1 Dec. 2015. <http://www.theporchdallas.com/how-long-should-you-date-before-marriage/>.

Tutera, David. “What’s the Ideal Engagement Length?” Bridal Guide. 2015. Web. 1 Dec. 2015. <http://www.bridalguide.com/planning/david-tuteras-weddings/ideal-engagement-length>.