It’s the age-old question, isn’t it? How do you know when you and your partner are ready to go from dating to being married?
You have probably heard a bunch of theories on the topic. Should it be six months? One year? Two years? Here’s what science has to say about how long you should date before marriage:
Fascinating statistics
In a study published in 2000, researchers set out to find out the perfect dating duration for a happy marriage. They followed the lives of 168 couples and documented their findings. The researchers discovered that those who dated an average of 25 months were still happily married 14 years later.
The study also looked into couples who did not date for very long. Those who got married after dating for 18 months were more likely to stay married for seven years. However, many of them got divorced after that.
A recent study also found that dating for longer than 2 years could be the key to a happy marriage. Couples who were together for three or more years before marriage were 39 percent less likely to get divorced. This is when compared to those who dated for less than a year. And those who got to know each other for two years before the wedding were 20% less likely to have a failed marriage.
Based on this study, the longer you wait before getting married, the more likely you are to have a satisfactory union.
There are exceptions to the rule
Here’s the thing, you do not have to hang your hat on statistics. While it’s interesting to learn what the numbers say, it does not mean it has to apply to you. If both partners have a clear understanding of what they are looking for in a mate, dating for at least a year is probably all you need.
How long you should date before marriage is more about your state of mind than it is about the number of months. Consider these other signs that you and your partner are ready to get married