But for all the Carrie Bradshaws out there, if Mr Big hasn’t proposed for ten years or more, only around 4% of you will actually make it down the aisle!
The online survey posed the question “How long did you know each other before you were engaged?” Whirlwind romances account for 6.84% of engagements less than six months after meeting, with figures peaking at 19.03% between one and two years after meeting. Engagement numbers then fall away, and only 8% of brides receive a proposal between four and five years after meeting. However proposals soar again during the five to ten year period, with 18.36% getting engaged at that time. After 10 years an engagement becomes less likely, with just 4.34% making a formal announcement.
Editor of Wedding Ideas Rachel Morgan says: “We ran an online forum asking brides their reasons for waiting before becoming engaged and money came up as a key point. Many grooms are traditional and want to be able to save up for a ring. One said he had waited until his bonus came through. Couples tend to hold on until their jobs are established and incomes are secure before making an announcement. They might have careers that move them around the country or meet at University and want to graduate first. Some respondents said that their grooms had to be approaching 30 before they could even think about making a major commitment like getting married.”
Rachel Southwood, Publisher of Wedding Ideas comments: “Wedding Ideas magazine runs regular surveys through its website at www.weddingideasmag.com, which is visited by around 25,000 brides-to-be every month. It is published every four weeks and readership stands at 125,000 a month. Wedding Ideas is the UK’s best-selling handbag-sized bridal title, with an audited circulation of 28,531 every month (ABC Jan- Dec 2009).”