How long a couple should stay engaged before they get married is an interesting question, and possibly the most qualified people to provide an answer are wedding planners!
Why Is There an Engagement Period
The time between getting engaged and the wedding is very important because planning a wedding is no small undertaking. Also, it gives the couple some time to enjoy being engaged, share their happiness with their loved ones, and spend some time daydreaming about the wedding. When it comes to planning the wedding, some couples know what they want and make decisions quickly, while others need time to explore the options and see what suits their ideas of a perfect wedding.
How Long Should a Couple Be Engaged
Even professionals have mixed responses about the ideal length of an engagement. Among 22 experts, many said that the best timeframe is between 6 to 8 months, while the responses, in general, ranged from 3 to 18 months. For example, the creative director of Rebecca Rose Events said that a six-to-twelve-month period is enough to let guests get time off work and arrange their travel plans in order to be able to attend the wedding, which is a very important factor.
The founder and creative director of Matthew Robbins Design, says that 8 to 12 months is the ideal timeframe. Beyond that, couples could start finding reasons not to plan the wedding and start receiving wedding invitations from other engaged couples. Many other wedding planners shared their opinion and the results were mixed.
Taking into account all the different opinions wedding planners have, the middle ground falls around 9 months. It gives enough time for couples to enjoy being engaged and to plan out their dream wedding.