Why Get Engaged When Young and Broke?

I know that I wouldn't be doing proper justice to this blog if I didn't address this obvious question. In fact, when my FIANCE (still not used to that...) told his best friend his immediate reaction was "Why?" Although I wasn't happy, I have to understand that 20 year olds don't usually get engaged without a father holding a shotgun to the boyfriend's head to defend his prego daughter's dignity.

The Dating Situation:

The Mr. and I have been dating since I was 16 so we've gotten to grow up together. We moved to a strange city together when I was 18. So I think that we've had enough challenges to ensure that we'd work well together in the long term. We've lived together, moved together, adopted animals together, been to weddings and funerals together, and been to the hospital together. He's an amazing support and we've definitely learned how to communicate with each other.

The Complicated Situation:

I have a... strained relationship with my blood family. My father is deceased and I am not incredibly close to my mom. With this in mind, I have spent most holidays with my partner's family. I feel very connected to my future in-laws and it really ate at us that I was still an outsider. It meant a lot to me to share a name with my family of choice.

The Money Situation:

My fiance and I are both college students. He will graduate in a few months with a Computer Science degree and may end up working IT. I will graduate a few months before we wed in 2017 to become a teacher the next fall. We will never be wealthy. Our parents aren't wealthy. It doesn't make sense to spend $15,000 on a wedding that will put us all in debt. As much as I'd love to elope, sharing this moment with our closest friends and family means a lot to us. So... a real wedding is in our future.


So! I hope this answers some questions. I will post soon about my lovely engagement ring and how much I love having a fake ring.

XOXO,

YBE