ANSWERS: 29
  • I read somewhere that usually people date 2 years before getting engaged.
  • I think it is all relative and has to depend on personal situations.
  • depends on each couple
  • It depends if there is kids in the picture, where both people live and work now. lots of things come into play here.
  • Yikes, three years seems like a long time. I'd say on average at least a year, until you know enough about the person to know you want to spend the rest of your life with them.
  • I was dating my wife for about 14 months before I proposed. I'd say about a year is a good length of time because that way they've spent time together through all of the seasons. However, I think the most important thing is that they know each other well enough to make a fully informed commitment. The length of time that takes varies with the people involved but the longer they take then the more that they'll know each other.
  • Does it really matter? There are lots of couples that date for years and still get divorced, than others for months and live happily ever after. I dated my first husband for 5 yrs and we were married for 6months(bad situation, that is not relavent) Me and my hubby now have been married for 3 yrs and we only dated for 10 months. We have two beautiful babies and fall more in love every day. Good luck!
  • i would say from 2 years to 3 years. this being you have spent at least 2 seasons together. but then again. when you meet the right person a bell will go off in yur head (wether u realize it or not) and you will desperatly not want to lose this person and do everything to win them over, and gain there love. (they will ofcourse do the same and feel the same about you). when you are with the right persn you will kno if he/she is the one.
  • I'd say at least 3 years.The reason is that it's good to know the person you are marrying ;)
  • HA! I have been with my boyfreind for four years now, we moved into a house together about two months ago. I think four years is too long to wait for a proposal....I will probably have to wait longer though! I am afraid that it just will not happen :(
  • As long as it takes for you both to decide you've found the one. To me, this means finding out whether your prospective partner shares your core beliefs, value and thinking structures, as this is probably more important than anything else.
  • Well, pass the infatuation stage. Which is a couple years depending how often you see each other. Everything looks great in the beginning. But you can tell true colors after a couple years. Remember to get emotionally health before you said "I Do". Because you will have to work on some things eventually. Getting healthy early on in relationship can save couples a whole lot of stuff.
  • When you both agree the time is right..no set time
  • 20 years
  • I met my wife a month before I got engaged to her and 4 months before I maried her.
  • One of my best friends from high school dated this girl for SEVEN DAYS before asking her to marry him. To no-one's surprise, it didn't end well. I would say there's no set time limit. Just get to know each other very well...make sure it's love and not just fondness...and this may take a year or two.
  • I read in a magazine recently that the average dating time before proposal is 3yr 6mo 20dys. My boyfriend and I recently moved in together and if we are an average couple (which I think we are) then that day for us will be January 8th, 2009. That's two months from today! :) We both know we want to be together, I just tend to be a bit more impatient. I try to keep my cool about it but it sucks when it seems like EVERYONE around you is engaged, married, or pregnant. However, everyone tells me that my bf is more romantic then all of his brothers/friends so I guess I should feel lucky and know that when he DOES pop the question, it will probably be more romantic and beautiful then I could ever imagine. Here's hoping..... :)
  • For me, a year because any longer than that the guy might put off marriage forever.
  • they should date until they both feel ready to be married
  • I dated someone for 5 years and got engaged and things changed, so I ended it with him. The man I'm dating now (only know him for 4 months but dating for a month), I could see us getting married within the year... sometimes you just have a feeling that it's the right thing to do!!!
  • Personally, the longer you are together without getting married, the less chance it will happen. The only couple I know that got married after 10-20 years was one that got married because he found out he was sick and dying. THEN he decided he wanted to get married!
  • Whenever the guy gets off his butt and decides to propose. Men are mysterious creatures... they can date one woman for years and never propose then meet another woman and propose after a month because they finally decided "the time is right." My opinion is that you should live together for a couple of years first. The first year is the toughest and by the second year you start to get to know people's habits pretty well. If you can get through those couple of years living together and are still really in love and like eachother then get engaged and married.
  • Every couple is so different! I have friends that flew to Vegas after a week of dating and married and are still flourishing and another couple that dated 10 years before tying the knot. I think it all depends on the couple and what time is right for them.
  • I think if the two people know themselves and eachother and are in love then they should go for it! I would say 3 years is average ;0)
  • I personally don't think a proposal is wise in less than one year or more than two. After a year, you will have seen the potential partner in many different situations and will be more informed to proceed, or not. If it takes more than two years, then the guy isn't willing to commit to you. Don't be afraid to move on if you don't see it happening. You break up with all of them except the last one.
  • It's interesting to read all of these answers because just about everyone I know, who has been married for more than 10 years, got engaged within a year. It was as early as 3 months to one year. However, the average of all of them is 6 months.
  • It depends on many factors: your age, prior relationships (or marriages)and of course your personality. I got married once after 4 years of dating and partly because he needed my sponsorship. We were married for 5 years after that and got divorced 2 years ago. Obviously it was not working. I must say i wasn't very happy in that marriage. I'm 30 now and have been dating a guy for a year now. He's a little older, also divorced. I don't know when and if we'll be getting married. I've heared stories about people getting engaged after 3 days of meeting each other and now they're celebrating their 30 wedding anniversary. All I can say is that when you find that special person you'll know what to do and when to do it. It really doesn't take more that a year to decide if you're right for each other. Especially when you over 30 you know quite soon. There's no rule. I say go for it! :) life's too short to sit and wait.
  • I don't really think there's an average time. It all depends on when you feel comfortable enough taking that step to the next level with your significant other. Me and my boyfriend of ONE MONTH talk about marriage from time to time. It's comforting to know he's that serious. We're just comfortable talking about it, and exploring the possibilities that we could be each other's last boyfriend/girlfriend.
  • 6 months is sufficient time.

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