Being engaged to your significant other can be one of the best moments in your life. This milestone should be the start of your journey to forever. Engaged couples are very excited to plan for their wedding, have kids, and start a new life with their own family.

Unfortunately, some marriages do not end up well. In fact, a lot of couples reportedly hired divorce lawyers even while on quarantine. Being married is only one thing. Staying married is another. Hiring family lawyers for an impending divorce can be one of the hardest decisions you will ever make but maybe for the best of everyone involved.

Are engagements necessary?

Engagements are one of the most celebrated milestones in a couple’s life. Being engaged is not only about getting down on one knee and asking that magical question to a significant other. Engagement is also a crucial period to consider before walking down the aisle.

Perhaps you have watched some wedding proposal videos online. There is no doubt of how elating the feeling can be if you are in the shoes of the person being proposed to. Imagine the effort put into those extravagant wedding proposals. Plus, your friends and loved may also be there to witness that special event.

We cannot blame these people, nor should they put them down for their efforts. As they say, they do everything for the people they love, and especially for those whom they want to spend their life with.

But the question is this: Should couples really be engaged first before getting married?

The answer depends on the couple, of course. Being engaged says a lot in your relationship. If you say yes to the four-word question, then it means you agree to spend forever with that person. Not meaning to be a Debbie Downer, but this may not guarantee a successful marriage later on.

In fact, there are a lot of couples who end up hiring top rated divorce lawyers after years of marriage. Some hire child support lawyers to settle child custody and financial support, or spousal support lawyers for alimony and asset divisions.

How long should an engagement be?

There is no definitive answer for this one as it varies from couple to couple. But on average, most couples stay engaged for at least a year before they tie the knot. It is during their engagement period where they plan for their wedding and their future. However, there are also couples that become engaged for two years or even more.

So, is there a significance if you have a longer engagement than others? Well, one study published in a journal back in 2015 revealed that couples who have been in a relationship for a year and above are at least 20 percent less likely to divorce. On the other hand, those who dated less than a year are found to have a higher risk of divorcing.

There may be some couples who got married less than a year. But there are those who ended up in divorce because they didn’t have enough time to know their partners more. However, there are also risks of dating or being engaged for too long.

Is an engagement worth it?

There are also instances where engaged couples break off their engagement. It can be one of the many common reasons, but it is a hard decision, nonetheless. Being engaged is also about commitment, regardless of how long your engagement will be.

But sometimes, you might feel that there is something off with your engagement. If you are experiencing the following, you might want to reconsider your engagement. It might even save you from hiring a divorce lawyer later on.

• You experience conflicts with your future spouse’s family and relatives.
• You often have conflicts and misunderstandings (a.k.a. poor communication).
• Both of you have different feelings toward money/financial management.
• You discover how your partner is during the wedding planning process (ex. how he or she copes up with delays, decisions, etc.)
• You or your partner seem to have not moved on from an ex.
• You cannot reach a compromise with your future spouse.

It’s all about commitment

There is nothing wrong with having a short or long engagement period, or no engagement at all! What is more important is committing to a lifetime with your future spouse. It won’t be an easy journey, with conflicts, misunderstandings, and all.

After all, there is no such thing as a perfect marriage. But sometimes, marriages do not end up happily ever after. It can be a sad thing, but it does happen. In that case, you can contact top rated divorce lawyers in Fairfax VA for your divorce concerns.