By ANDREW T. MOHLMAN
andrew@du2.byu.edu
Couples who get married within a short time of meeting their spouse have many different experiences.
'We met on a Sunday and got engaged on Tuesday,' said Jeff Jones, a UVSC information systems graduate living in Orem.
Jones said he had given up on looking for a wife, but decided he should try one more time. He met his future wife in a church meeting at UVSC that Sunday.
'I was sitting by some friends but felt that I should get up and move to the back ... I saw an empty seat and sat down,' Jones said. He sat down next to his future wife. They spent the entire day together and fell in love.
Jones said after two years of marriage, people would ask them if they were still together.
Wednesday marked the ninth anniversary for Jones and his wife. They have five children.
Mike Rush, 24, from Centerville, Utah, majoring in accounting, was engaged two weeks after meeting his wife, Amy.
'It felt right, even though we didn't know everything about each other,' Rush said.
Meeting the parents and family seems to be a key for couples who get engaged quickly.
'On our first date we went to my parents' house. My mom met her and immediately loved her ... my dad liked her right away,' Rush said.
Rush said when he met Amy, she was waiting for a missionary and was convinced that she was going to marry him.
'That was kind of hard because she had dated this guy for so long and knew everything about him, but everything just felt really good. It was obvious that it was a good thing,' Rush said.
Some single students are not convinced that a quick engagement is right for them.
'I think (quick engagements) are very scary, but it also depends on the situation,' said Mike Pitts, 21, a Spanish major from Santa Maria, Calif. 'I think it can be dangerous; there are qualities and characteristics that you don't find out until you're married,'
Pitts said he does not, however, look down on those who quickly make the decision.
'More power to you,' he said.
Some students are tired of playing the dating game.
Jeff and Jennifer Lovell were engaged and married within a little over three months from the time they first met. They got married during a three day weekend during the winter semester.
'We were both sick of dating for one thing ... we were both looking for commitment,' said Jennifer Lovell, 24, a BYU graduate in vocal performance and pedagogy from Fallon, Nev.
'In that short time we met each others' families. We fell in love with each others' families,' Lovell said. 'His parents felt good about me right away.'
Some who do it, find it difficult to recommend a quick engagement to others.
'There's no blanket statement for everyone in every situation,' Lovell said.