How long?

I was with my husband for over 4 years before we actually got married. We were engaged for two years. I think it should be no less than two years before you get married, but the longer you wait, the better. It's best to be sure, I think.

I am still single but in a relationship right now for almost 2 years. Anyway, based on a tv show that I have watched, a couple should be able to stay in a relationship of "boyfriend and girlfriend" for a minimum 2 to 3 years before they get married. It is only during these years that a person will be able to see the negative side of his or her partner. If that person can accept the bad side of his/her partner, then it is the only time that they should settle down and have a family.

You should get married when you're ready, most people advise around the 3-4 year mark because then you KNOW what your spouse is like, or you should do, so you know whether it would be the right choice to marry him/her.- But its totally up to you. 100% your choice, so make the right one, dont feel rushed, take all the time you want.

I don't think there's a right or wrong answer to this one. I do think though that the younger you are, the longer you should know your potential spouse before you tie the knot. As you get older you gain a better understanding of who you are and what you want, so you can better recognise if someone else is liable to be able to supply it. You're also liable to change less yourself once you're a bit older.

As for me, as long as we both feel that we are ready to commit into a lifetime relationship then that is the time we can get married. Cheers!

My husband and I met, dated, got pregnant and married all in the same year. I wouldn't change it for anything. For my husband, it was love at first sight. It took me longer but once I felt 'that' feeling, I knew he was the one.

I think, no fixed period could be laid down for knowing your partner, before marriage. Sometimes, when you are in touch with a person, say for one year, it appears to you that you have started knowing a person, yet you may not know real him/her. You only get to know your 'real' partner, once you both are married. When you start living for 24x7 then only, you come to know anybody's positive and negative points. I knew my partner for nearly six months, before our marriage,but I could know about my 'real' partner and who she actually is, only after marriage.

I have been with the same man for 12 years and I am still not ready to get married. LOL Honestly I think it depends on the people. Even though we haven't married I moved 2000 kms away from my home to be with him after only a month of knowing each other which kinda sounds nuts if one of my children now were to do it. So I really don't think it matters how long but rather are you ready to do it.

I was with my hubby for 2 years before we got married, I dont think that I was really ready then, in fact the smile on my face in my wedding photos says it all really. I just kind of went along with the pressure off my parents to do it. I think they were petrified that I would split from him and end up a single parent of two kids instead of one.

It seems to me with the divorce rate as high as it is I would wait at least 5 years and if I could still stand the person I would marry them. I was married once before so I would wait. My parents knew each other for two months and got married and are still together. I really think it depends on the people. I personally would wait because it truly will not hurt anything.