How long does the surreal phase last?

I am getting married in one week and it still feels surreal.

I've been engaged for 3 1/2 months now and stressed and overwhelmed took turns with super happy and excited.
We have everything in place for the wedding, so I can imagine it now. And we bought new bedroom furniture as I am moving into his apartment after the wedding - that has made it a but more real. But the thought that in one week I'll be a married woman - surreal.

It was so weird in the beginning to say fiancé instead of boyfriend but now I am used to it and love it and soon I get to say husband. I am sure that takes a little while, too, to get used to. But so exciting.

Engagement is definitely a very special season. Enjoy it as much as you can. And don't beat yourself up in times when it's more stressful than joyful.

It started to feel real to me when we booked a venue and set a date. Like, it's happening! We put down money! We're getting married on this day!

I’m getting married in 3 weeks - we just made our final payment last weekend. Decided on decorations, table settings etc, timeline with the photographer & DJ, bought the alcohol. Only when I finished the seating chart did it seem real!

I don’t think it has fully hit me and I don’t think it ever will until you’re at the aisle and you say I do. Weddings are such a surreal and ethereal magical time for many people. You’re living out the dream that you’ve dreamed of for years since you were young. So it’s always going to seem as if it is still a dream

View Quoted Comment That's a very good point ❤️

While there were moments during the planning process that I was overwhelmed, I truly enjoyed our engagement season and the anticipation of what what to come. I think it all really hit me on my wedding day in that small, quiet moment when I was alone and waiting on my dad to get me to walk down the aisle. It was such a surreal moment. If I close my eyes, I can see it all over again. I remember standing there and thinking “This is it! I’m marrying the love of my life. My life is about to change forever!” It was the best feeling in the world.

We are 4 months away and my fiancé literally said yesterday ‘it doesn’t seem like we’re gonna get married in 4 months’ ... and I have to agree! We’re eloping on the beach and we only have a few things left to finalize.... videographer, suit, florals, alterations, make all final payments, and charcuterie board plus alcohol.


I think we won’t pass the surreal phase until we are walking to the beach hand-in-hand about to say our vows.

Maybe a couple of months for me

I was in and out of that surreal phase during planning (we turned our wedding around in just 2 months).
We are married now and the day was amazing! It still feels surreal to me sometimes and the wedding feels like a dream. It’s lovely to say “husband”. Just a ton of different emotions all year. We already went on our honeymoon and got our photography back (super quick turnaround).

I've been engaged since November 2019 and when I put my invitations in their envelopes last week is when it got real for me! In my head I was like "well, once these are sent and there's guests involved, there's no turning back!" (In a good way)

I think the surreal feeling continues after the wedding, too! I still pinch myself!

Ive been engaged a year and a half. For me it honestly didn't feel real till we started booking vendors.. mainly the venue. It hit a lil bit when I went dress shopping but not a ton.

We were engaged for less than 8 months, we've been married a year and a half....

I think it's real, now? I know it didn't feel real until I was walking down the aisle.

I'm FINALLY used to saying "husband". Sort of.

It's such a personal thing!

For me, it lasted about one year