Find someone. Hit it off. Start dating. Immediately field questions about when you’re getting married?
Apparently, enjoying yourself is just the waiting room before everyone starts asking about centerpieces.
Jennifer Hudson has a different approach. During her October 20 appearance on Baby, This Is Keke Palmer, she explained that marriage was never something she automatically wanted—but Common has her considering it.
“I would consider that with him,” she said, according to PEOPLE. Open to the possibility? Yes. Following someone else’s relationship timetable? Apparently not.
Can We Enjoy the Date Before Planning the Wedding?
There’s something exhausting about treating every romantic connection like it needs a five-year business plan.
You’ve barely decided whether you like the way someone kisses, and suddenly you’re supposed to know whether you could share a mortgage, a bathroom, and Thanksgiving with their mother.
How about finding out whether you actually have fun together first?
A good date can be a good date. Attraction can be worth exploring. You’re allowed to enjoy someone’s company without mentally assigning them a seat at your future wedding.
Preferably, you should at least learn their last name before choosing the font for the invitations.
“No Rush” Doesn’t Mean “No Clue”
Of course, taking your time works best when both people know what’s happening.
If you want something casual, say so. If you’re open to more but still figuring it out, say that. And if the other person wants a spouse by spring while you’re struggling to commit to Saturday dinner, that’s probably worth discussing.
There’s a big difference between letting a connection develop and keeping someone on hold while you browse your options.
You don’t need a wedding date. You do need a little honesty.
Chemistry First. Seating Charts Later.
Maybe you’ll meet someone who changes what you want. Maybe you’ll have a great few dates and leave with a funny story. Maybe you’ll discover that your strongest shared interest is leaving the same party early.
You won’t know until you meet.
The point is to give yourself room to enjoy dating without turning every drink into an audition for forever. There’s plenty of pressure in life already. Flirting shouldn’t require a project manager.
What do you think? Do you date with marriage in mind, or would you rather enjoy the connection and see where it goes?
The seating chart can wait. Your next great date doesn’t have to. Meet someone who catches your attention on OBC.