… or almost official!
Yesterday Mr. Caramel and I got our marriage license!
We were both so giddy to finally do something official!
We observed all the people who were standing in the marriage license line - some were young couples who seemed like they were friends, and some were much older (perhaps their second marriage?). During our wait in line, I got to thinking about two different types of couples: the Practical couple and the Romantic couple.
There are the people who are together because it’s practical; they have similar goals/ambitions, they’ve been together for a long time, they’ve grown attached, etc. They’re together because it just makes logical sense. They are the type of couples that are “good on paper.” If asked, they have no trouble at all explaining the reasons they’re together.
Then there are people who are together simply because they cannot NOT be together. They are super mushy, still get butterflies, desperately have to see each other all the time, get each other We’ve-Been-Together-For-1-Week-1-Day-and-12-Hours presents, etc. The external things (like personality or career choices) make it seem like they would be an unsteady couple, but actually they surpass everyone’s expectations by having a romantic, healthy relationship. You know that they’re not together for any other reason besides their love/feelings for each other.
Not that I think there are only two categories, and I’m speaking generally. Most people would probably like to think of themselves as the 2nd type, but I think that it is much more common to see the Practical Couple. It’s not necessarily bad, but there is definitely a difference between the two.
Are you more of a Practical Couple… a Romantic Couple…. both? Neither?
We probably lean toward the practical end of the spectrum. Is it possible that the younger couples lean toward romantic and the older couples are more practical? And again, I’m not saying we ancient 35-year-olds have no romance, nor is the just-out-of-college crowd being impractical. It just feels like the further through life we are, the less likely we are to marry for romance alone.
Hmmmm. I don’t think we’re either… I always wish for the butterflies. Sure, I get super excited when I see him, and I always want to be with him, and we KNOW why we’re together.
I guess we’re a mix? We’re together because it makes sense to us. Not in a “We need the money” or a “we’ve been together so long, we might as well marry” type. Just because I’m better with him than any other guy, and he’s happier with me!
I’m a loon. 
Good post!
We’re DEFINITELY the practical couple. When we got engaged a year ago, we knew it was just time to do so because we’ve accomplished the graduating out of college, finding great careers and etc. And we’ve also been together for many years. So what’s next besides marriage? I love my husband very much but at times I wonder how come we don’t do any lovey dovey type things. The thing is, both of us aren’t the type to get all mushy either haha.
Contrary to what people think, I’m *not* lovey dovey or affectionate at all. I have a very practical view about love and marriage, so Mr. EP and I probably fall in the practical category.
wow really interesting that most people are saying that they’re practical. i really don’t know what we are - we met and got married so fast. i guess we’re a combination.
Both with more practical tendencies. Although when the butterflies come they are extra nice because its not an everyday thing.
We just got our marriage license this morning! As we departed back through security I asked one of the guards to take our picture with the FI’s camera phone pda-thingy. And wouldn’t ya know it? It didn’t read the memory card properly and wouldn’t take a picture. Rats. Oh well.
To answer your question though, we’re a healthy mix.
cute picture!
We must be romantic, because for a long time none of my friends could figure out why I was with him!
Not because he was a bad guy, but because he was so quiet and we are so different. Then he finally got comfortable enough with them to be his real self.
But we have lots in common too, so maybe a little of each? And we have been dating for 5 years.
Mostly practical, but we’re both engineers. I don’t think either of us would have trusted the lovey type enough. (full disclosure: we both did and do have the butterflies, but there’s enough practical to keep us satisfied!)
pretty sure we’re a romantic couple. i’m an english major, art history loving, bookworm and he’s a car fixin’ lawn care buisness owner…on paper, it would seem like we have nothing in common. but i still like him. alot.
I think we are a good mix, but I think people SEE the practicality of our relationship more. B/c on paper - we do look good together: similar background, common culture, beliefs, and established. However, if you really know us, you would think we are quite opposite and there is something special! I don’t think we show alot of PDA, but more so for an Asian couple I think. So yeah.. a mix.
I really like the way you described the couples in this post. Ironic, because I had been contemplating our upcoming marriage all day.
The fiance and I are two completely different people. He is a homebody, loves to garden, meticulously plans everything, math teacher, quiet bookworm… And I am a fine art and spanish major with desires to travel the world. I love photography and social occasions and am much more spontaneous. We have very little in common.
With all the pre-wedding jitters (my wedding is in a month-ish), I’ve been wondering if it would make more sense in the long run for me to be with someone of more similar interests. Yet, we’ve been together for four years, and I still love him to pieces. Anyway, it was one of those days where your thoughts make you uncomfortable.. where you wonder if love alone really is going to be enough to get you through… But the mere fact that you identified some couples as such renewed my faith in everything. It will work! It was just the pick-me-up that I needed. Thanks
So, to answer your question, must be a romantic couple here!
The thing that worries me about the way couples are described in this post is that opposite = right/romantic/special and practical is sort of giving in and unemotional (I also recognize it was a generalization, though). I think that statement can definitely be true, but I also think that discovering you share the same ambitions and vision for your life as another person can be the most romantic and buttefly inducing realization of all.
Mrs. Caramel, Los Angeles
Age and Occupation: 24, Art Gallery/Museums
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 24, Engineer
Engagement Date: January 8, 2007
Wedding Date: October 6, 2007
Venue: a beautiful church and hotel reception
About Me: I love dancing, singing, eating out, eating in, surfing on the net, and brainstorming fantastic ideas. I also love cats, coffee, and know every quote written on Sex & the City. I'm known to laugh really loud and have really crazy hand gestures while I talk. My fiance writes songs and I take pictures. What else? We're just a crazy young couple in love, trying to make a fabulous wedding!
We’re both but maybe lean towards the more romantic ones. We’re both science geeks/nerds but have different levels of education, different religious backgrounds, different races… Yet when it comes to us being together, I don’t think either of us could imagine being with anyone else. ^_^