A long engagement – the pros and cons

A long engagement common these days in the lives of busy young people. Some times the decision to have a long engagement comes from a purely financial basis to save money for a big wedding. The couple live together and behave as a married couple and enjoy life together but are not recognised as such by law yet. A long engagement can be special time of bonding and getting to know one another and all the various habits and ups and downs of each partners characters. They can be very revealing and sometimes, sadly but importantly cause a couple to realise they are not right for each other. It gives the couple breathing space and takes the pressure off. This is particularly important for couples where each partner has spent a long time as a single person. This “freedom” (a word more often used by young men than young women) is a concept that can be hard to let go of. The beautiful thing about a long engagement is that couples can learn to give each other freedom and enjoy the benefits of being both together yet not restrictive or inhibitive of the others dreams. Having said this, long engagements if they drag out too long can be unhelpful. This is the case if both couples are chomping at the bit to just be married, start a family and get on with the rest of their lives. It is only a piece of paper right? Well in one sense absolutely! But at the same time, the very fact that we make such a big deal of the celebration with our friends and family can create a strange and unhelpful pressure. The other alternative to a financially driven long engagement is to choose a more economical option for the wedding and bring it forward. Its surprising how many couples don’t realise that this is a totally sensible and valid option if two people love each other and want to declare it before friends. Lets face it, if your friends judge you because you didn’t have the biggest reception hall or the most expensive cars then are they really worth being friends? Sydney Wedding Band Big Thanks has many options for your musical experience on the big day. We can provide a lower budget trio or even duo that will still deliver a punch and create a fun celebration. And of course we have the big, “save up all your pennies” celebration, go to town 8 or 9 piece band with brass section and percussion for those couples that want to wait a few years and have a huge wedding. Whatever the choice, don’t feel bad about it. Its your life and the decision to go big or small is between you and your partner. It doesn’t change the important fact that you have decided to spend your lives together!

Categorised in: Band, Ceremonies, Weddings