The Lulls of a Long Engagement

I have been harping about the advantages of early planning - so much so that I'm sure even the mention of the word 'planning' causes an eye or two to automatically roll.

Well, I'm here to tell you, readers (all 6 or so of you. . .ahem) that there is in fact a con to every pro, what goes up must come down, a gray cloud for every silver lining. . .

I know, that sounds ridiculously negative and very 'say whaaaaat?!' inspiring. I'm not trying to be a Debbie Downer, really. . . but the truth is: planning a wedding in advance can cause some pretty steep downfalls.

In my experience (I know this won't be the case for everyone, it all depends on the situation and the individuals), it was kind of hard having such a 'long' engagement. Almost exactly one and a half years. It was so exciting to be able to get things DONE early. Let's make decisions! Let's book venues and vendors!

After those first few big steps, though, it really starts to feel like not much cannot be done for a very, very, what I classify in my mind as: verrrrrrrrrrry-verrrrrrrrrrry-freaking-far-awayyyyyyyy long time. I mean, we had to wait for our engagement pictures, wait to buy gifts for the wedding party, wait to get excited about the bridal shower - I started to feel like everything required a waiting period. For someone who is already incredibly impatient, this was infuriating.

I have no doubt in my mind that I will be in full-fledged freak-out, no-time-to-get-anything-done and/or where-did-all-of-the-time-go?! mode sooner rather than later.

It's just hard for someone like me (that is to say, A Type A bride-to-be with mild OCD) to accept these things. It's hard to half-relax and take a semblance of a deep breath about this. I am quite simply the type of person that likes to sit down and bang things out all at once. It's how I got through college, truthfully. I am not a piece-by-piece, work-in-progress type of girl (again, reference the tagline). The reality is, though, that even if I am not that type of person, weddings are that type of event.

Would I trade my 18-month engagement for a shorter one? Absolutely not. Would I recommend a shorter one? Again, heck no. I think adding to my anxiety and disappointment about all of this is having to sit through not one but TWO icky winters here in often-gray Pittsburgh and there is nothing more I despise than cold, wintry weather (okay, a lie: tornadoes win first place). That means two seasons of crappy ickyness must be survived before it's Wedding Season.

I know that it will be worth it - wait and all. Especially now that we're so close (still not close enough, by my standards, ha), I am able to look back on the ants-in-my-pants days and sigh happily. Not anymore, suckers! It's get stuff done time! 

Of course, throughout all of this, I also get to look down at my left hand and remember the reason why all of this is going on: someone very special loves me enough to want to spend the rest of our lives together. 

Anyone else have any thoughts on long engagements? For those of you with shorter ones, did you ever experience a lull?