How to Keep Your Relationship Strong in a Long-Distance Engagement

If you have a long-distance engagement, it's no surprise that it takes a bit more work to keep your relationship strong. Living together or even in the same city makes a major difference in your connection because you're able to meet in person more easily. While there is more virtual communication involved in a long-distance engagement, it doesn't mean there's any less love. If you want to stay connected with your fiancé throughout your engagement when living apart, there are a few helpful practices you can instill to strengthen your rapport and plan the next steps in your relationship.

In this article:

• Can a Long-Distance Engagement Work?
• How to Stay Connected During a Long-Distance Engagement

Can a Long-Distance Engagement Work?

While it may not be the most ideal way to spend your engagement period, being engaged long-distance doesn't mean your relationship will fail. As with other long-distance couples, you need to put in extra work to strengthen your relationship and prepare for a future where you will be living in the same home. Best of all, you have the fun task of wedding planning that can keep you both excited for the future and the next stage of your relationship together.

How to Stay Connected During a Long-Distance Engagement

A long-distance engagement needs extra time and care to stay strong. These are a few ways to foster your relationship while living apart.

Communicate Well and Often

While you might not be living in the same city, state or even country, we now luckily live in a digital era where keeping up a conversation across the globe can happen in an instant. While you should keep in touch throughout the day over text, make sure to talk over the phone or have Facetime calls each day. If you both have busy work schedules or a time difference to navigate, consider having a set time daily to chat. Not only should these calls have you touch base on the details of your day, push yourself to have deeper conversations in these talks to continue growing your relationship.

Schedule Virtual Dates

While Facetime calls are nice, you want to keep the romance and fun alive with your fiancé even when you're not physically near each other. That's why you should schedule weekly or bi-weekly virtual dates with your partner. These dates can have you share activities from afar like watching a movie, doing a virtual workout class, cooking the same recipe for dinner or going on a hike. You also can have sexy virtual dates to keep the physical part of your relationship alive. Make sure to block out the time to commit to these just like you would on an in-person date.

Plan Routine Visits to Each Other

While virtual visits are great, there's nothing better than actually physically spending time with each other in person. Couples in a long-distance relationship engagement fare better if they are able to see each other as much as possible and have exciting moments to look forward to. Budget out time and finances to visit each other or take a trip to a fun destination every few months. Keeping this consistency is key to helping your relationship endure the distance.

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Have Wedding Planning Virtual Dates

Not only are you a long-distance couple, but you're an engaged couple with a wedding in your future. That means you need to factor in the time necessary to lock in the details of your wedding plans. Have monthly wedding planning virtual dates to keep you both up-to-speed on all your planning needs, keep up the excitement for your upcoming nuptials and figure out needed logistics. These virtual sessions are often helped by keeping shared resources like Google Sheets and Pinterest boards to organize guest lists, budgets and ideas for your design.

Visit Your Venue Together

Don't forget that wedding planning can also take place in person. Make a trip out of your next in-person date to see your venue together. This isn't only a good opportunity to see each other, but you can also knock out important pre-wedding tasks like food and cake tastings and site visits with your planning and design team. You can also explore the area further to get ideas of locations for welcome events or other fun pre-wedding activities to fill up the itinerary for guests.

Make a Plan to Move in

If you and your fiancé have the intention to move in together shortly before or after the wedding, it's extremely helpful for you both to clearly lay out your plans. This can include discussing your budget for any rental or home-buying costs, searching for the right neighborhood and building, visiting potential homes and scheduling any necessary logistics for a move. While planning a wedding and a big move at the same time may seem overwhelming, you can absolutely make it happen with care and thoughtful organization.

Stay Connected With Each Other's Friends and Family

While keeping the relationship between you and your fiancé strong is important, you should also consider the rapport you have with those in your circles. Keep in touch with your partner's friends and family when appropriate and invite them to be part of your pre-wedding festivities. If they're local to you, try to get together in person to build your connection further.

Make Plans For Your Future

With an end in sight to your long-distance status, it's much easier to keep your relationship strong. Continue to have conversations about the future for your wedding and beyond.