I can still remember the months I spent engaged to Nathan, 7 years ago in July. On the night he popped the question we enjoyed a date at The Melting Pot, and the next day my family visited so all of us could celebrate together. We were both excited for our future to start and we couldn't wait to finally be together. I was busy finishing school and planning our wedding while he began working at his first full-time job after college.

It didn't take too long for that season to become more difficult than I imagined, however. For the first time, we had to maintain a long-distance relationship, an area in which neither of us was particularly skilled. We would see each other on the weekends as time allowed but it never felt like enough, and I often cried when it was time to say goodbye.

On top of all that the engagement felt so long, even though it only lasted 6 months. We wanted to be married so bad and we had to wait for January 22 - which felt like it was an eternity away at some points. I began to wonder in my mind why there is an engagement period at all - why not just get married right away? Of course weddings take time to plan, but I knew there had to be a better reason...