Nothing is Taboo discussion

How long should you date a man or woman before you marry them?
I ask this because I have a aunt who dated a man for 18 years and this year they tied the knot. They raised a family and did everything for 18 years that married people do without the ring and vow. Give me some feedback.

My parents always gave me the "why buy the cow, when you get the milk for free" speech about
dating and relationships, meaning i should wait til marriage. I have developed a theroy of my own, You test drive a car before you buy it right? Knowing a car will start to fall apart in ten years you still have to give it a go, why not test drve a relationship that should last forever. Now, with that said I think that long "test drives" are important. When forming a relationship the longer you know someone the better you can understand them. Then add in the factor that people chang over time. I'm sure your Aunt fully understands what she has from her new husband and they both know that they can stick it out. Divorce is an ugly scene and I hope to never go through it. My boyfreind and i are going on four years now, we live togeather, have a joint account and except for a ring and a certificate consider ourselves married. We have vows to each other and a ring is just flashy jewels. I do intend to get married (I just want to wear the pretty dress) in about three years or so, but i will confident when we do that this is really it.
Both my sister got married withon a year of dating and and both are now seperated or divorced with TONS of issues regarding the kids. no thanks.

Till they are ready. My parents dated three months before tying the knot and had an amazing marriage.

Is forever too long! LOL I married both my husbands withing 3 months of knowing them. By that, I mean I never really knew them at all. Both were big mistakes. If I have it to do over again, I would wait at least 6mo. to a year if not longer. If it's meant to be, no matter how long, it will happen! I just made poor choices. Live and learn.

Folks change so much. I'd take my time to really get to know the man before i even think about marrying him.

I dated a man for six year before we got married, and the marriage only lasted for one year. There is a threshold between not waiting long even and waiting too long.

tl