marry in haste, repent at leisure

marry in haste, repent at leisure

Meaning

• if you marry someone without knowing the person well, you will later regret your decision to marry
• those who rush into a marriage spend a long time repenting it later
• if you marry someone without first carefully considering your decision, you will feel sorry for it later

Example Sentences

1. Sally and Bob had hardly known each other for a few months before they decided to get married, and now they are having big problems. Marry in haste, repent at leisure!
2. I feel you are rushing into your marriage; you don't even know him that well. Haven't you heard of the saying “marry in haste, repent at leisure”?
3. With George and Susan, its a case of marry in haste, repent at leisure. They met at a friends wedding, fell in love immediately and decided to marry too soon. Now they are very unhappy together.
4. I know she is nice girl, but I want to think about it before I decide to marry her. I don't want to marry in haste and repent at leisure.
5. She wanted some time to consider his proposal of marriage; she had heard of the saying “marry in haste, repent at leisure”.

Origin
This expression first originated in print in 1693, in “The Old Batchelour” by William Congreve.