If you’re an engaged couple, what sort of things could you be doing to get ready for marriage?
“Engaged” – it’s a strange word in some ways. For many people they have seen the word most often used with regard to public toilets. Many hours of our lives have been spent waiting for the “vacant” sign to light up!
Of course, the word engaged is also used in terms of formally agreeing to marry. With relationships, many people have waited years for just the right person to come along so that they can at last change their relationship status to engaged.
Marriage has been the subject of much debate over recent years; however, the overwhelming aspiration of the majority of teenagers and young people is to marry and stay married to that same person for life.
Getting engaged is a huge step in a couple’s life. No matter how long you have known each other the decision to get engaged is a big one and involves a public commitment which brings its own joys and pressures. It is a definite new stage in your relationship. Once the immediate social media photos, posts and likes die down, it’s usually a wonderfully joyous time when you feel greater intimacy and connection with each other.
The wedding date soon follows in the diary and it’s like the countdown has started to the big day. The time of engagement is like a practice of commitment, the first time you truly have a ‘forever conversation’.
It’s really important to see your engagement as a period of preparation for marriage which is the real ‘forever’ stage of your life together. The wedding day always requires some serious thought but planning the day itself should never overshadow the much deeper element of marriage – the commitment to each other.
To aspire to be fully committed to each other is an exhilarating prospect and good communication during this time is essential. Talk to your partner about the things that scare you, share your excitement and express your hopes and dreams for the future. Be open and honest about your feelings and emotions during this time.
Being engaged is an exciting transitional stage – you’ve committed to being together and you’re preparing for the big day when your promises are made in a public setting. Research shows that good preparation for marriage can make a significant beneficial difference for engaged couples which is why we recommend that you seriously consider a marriage preparation course to help give your marriage really strong foundations. You can find details of various courses available online. A marriage preparation course will improve your communication skills, provide useful tips and advice and help you have a great start to marriage.
