Once you and your partner get engaged, there's no set timeframe that dictates when you progress to actually tying the knot, as some couples will get married within 12 months of their engagement, and others will wait several years. Most engaged couples who stay together will plan to marry at some stage, though, as that's the whole point of a proposal.
But one woman has recently discovered her fiancé has no interest in getting married, despite him popping the question to her over three years ago - and she's furious. She claimed to have been with her partner for around five years and said he asked her to marry him two years into their relationship, which she agreed to.
Now, the woman says her fiancé has "done a complete u-turn" on the idea of marriage, and doesn't seem interested in the idea at all. In fact, he even wants to scrap plans for them to elope without a big wedding ceremony, as he just wants them to stay engaged with no plans to take their relationship any further.
In a post on Mumsnet, she explained: "I have been with my partner for over 5 years. I moved into his house with my children (from a previous relationship) after a couple of years. He works away a lot, sometimes several months at a time.
"Two years into the relationship he asked me to marry him. He was tipsy so I laughed and told him to ask me when he was sober. I told him to seriously consider what he was asking for, but he remained certain. He then went away for work, so I didn't receive a ring until 7 months later.
"We told the whole family, and everyone was really chuffed for us - and my family particularly as my previous relationship was very abusive and nearly broke me.
"He has been away for a few months again but has done a complete u-turn on marriage. He says he loves me and wants to be with me forever but just doesn't want the wedding.
"I am really miffed. Previously I never really wanted to get married again, but that was until I met my now partner. I was excited because we had planned to elope and then just have a party when we got back."
The woman also claimed her partner still wants her to wear her engagement ring, but she has reservations about the idea because she believes it's a "sign of ownership with no commitment".
She added: "He still wants me to wear the ring, but to me, it feels like a sign of ownership with no commitment. He's due home soon, and I am seriously considering giving the ring back. I don't know if I am being unreasonable, or if those feelings of being controlled previously are bubbling to the surface."
Commenters on the post were able to see both sides of the situation, as while they sympathised with the woman's disappointment, they also said her partner was entitled to have a change of heart if he no longer wants to get married.
One person said: "Hell no. You can't walk back on an engagement and continue a relationship! What a coward. It's over."
While another wrote: "He's entitled to change his mind, but I'd take the ring off. You need to make sure you and the kids will be ok if you split, as in home and money."
And a third posted: "If being married again is important to you, you need to think about leaving. I'd at least be giving back him the ring."
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