“I’m Not Sure I Want To Marry My Fiancé”
A little over two years ago, he was really wanting to get married, but I kept telling him I wanted to wait until I was at least 21 so I could legally drink at our wedding. I think I was just making an excuse. He proposed after I turned 21, and some days I’m so happy to be engaged to him and some days I’m not. In addition to our other issues, our sex life is not okay. He always wants to have sex and I hardly ever do. I don’t really know why I don’t because he isn’t bad, but I just feel like I’m not attracted to him anymore. He is the only relationship I have ever been in and I don’t want to lose him but I don’t want to ‘settle’ either. I want to talk to him about it but I don’t want to hurt him. I guess now that we’re paying down payments for venues, buying a wedding gown and setting up classes with my pastor, getting married is hitting me. I don’t want to be a divorce statistic. — Cold Feet
Don’t marry this guy. You aren’t in love with him. If anything is clear in your letter, it’s that. You are not in love with this guy. And you know what? You’ll be fine without him. As long as you’ve been together, it must be scary to think about not being with him anymore, but as much time as you spend on your own, you have to know you’ll be okay by yourself. And, eventually, you’ll find someone new if that’s what you want. But please think very, very carefully about what kind of future you’re going to have with this man if you don’t leave him.
You aren’t even happy in your present. How do you think you’re future is going to play out? If he’s so dependent on his parents now, he’s just going to be dependent on you in the future. Do you want to be financially responsible for him the next time he gets laid off and decides he’ll take his sweet time finding a new job? Do you want to spend the rest of your life with a man you aren’t in love with just because he’s been in your life so long? There needs to be more.
Don’t get married when you’re already worried about being a divorce statistic. Divorce should be the last thing on a person’s mind when she’s planning a wedding. Don’t do it. October is still a long way away. You have plenty of time to gracefully bow out of your wedding now, explain to your fiancé that you’ll always care for him, but you just aren’t in love with him anymore and can’t marry him, and start building a life of your own. You owe it to yourself to keep an option of a happy future open. Don’t settle for less than happiness.
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If you have a relationship/dating question I can help answer, you can send me your letters at wendy(AT)dearwendy.com.
I remember this one – was there ever an update? I have my fingers crossed that we will hear good news from the LW.
I remember this one too. I don’t believe we ever got an update.
Yeah, seems like we aren’t getting a lot of updates these days! There are a few that I’d really like to hear back from!
Run, LW, run! You have so much time to grow and figure out exactly what you want and don’t want. Don’t rush the process.
I still have to wonder why this is a “thing.” Who gets married, or even stays together, without genuine love and respect? I don’t necessarily mean the hollywood idea of love that we’re fed – the rush that can’t last – but this is one of several letters recently where someone’s main reason for being with their partner is that they’ve been together for a while.
So true, but I think this goes under the category of easier said than done.
I said this in response to a previous post….but people are afraid to be alone.
There seem to be a lot of great girls who stay with douchy guys (and it works the other way too) because they are afraid to be single.
If people could get over that fear and know that it’s OK to be on your own until a great partner comes into your life, then nobody would ever settle for someone who treats them bad, or has no ambition, or they’re not in love with, etc, etc….
I remember this, too. I think I commented and said something like “If you’re unsure about marrying someone, that’s a SURE sign that you shouldn’t.” Still stand behind that!
There are so many tough choices that we have to make in life, and how often is the answer clear? Decisions come with so many pros and cons and intricate details that effect what we ultimately do. Choosing who to marry is one decision in life that should come without much stress…if it doesn’t come easy or naturally, you’re either not ready or with the wrong person, or both.
My work blocked The Frisky (boo!) so I didn’t see this the 1st time around. But even after the first paragraph it seems like they are on different pages. Aside from the fact that even WITH ambition, it can be hard to get a job in this economy, he’s not meeting her needs on many levels. Then you get to the part where he doesn’t turn her on, she doesn’t want to have sex, and she’s questioning every move….. yep. Time to run like hell.
Stop the wedding plans now! I do understand what it is like to be with someone since you were 17 and at 22 feeling like it’s time to get married or “move on to the next step” Been there done that. Heck I even still loved the guy, but when I started have nightmare about wanting to run away from the wedding and no one would let me, I knew it was time to get out. (besides the other things that were starting to bother me, like him telling me I was going to be a stay at home wife and there was no way I would be allowed to keep my last name) I won’t lie, it was hard. I lost him, lost all my friends and spent many nights alone, lonely and crying. BUT I started hanging out with other people, found a new boyfriend and moved on with my life. Glad I did. Do both of you a favor and end it!
I was in a similar situation and I ended up married and miserable at age 20. I got divorced at age 27 after developing severe panic attacks and insomnia from just wanting “out.” I am now re-married to a much better man. I just Wish I had listened to my instincts when we were engaged! I hope my children never feel pressured to get married under age 25.