How long should you date before getting married?

 Posted on June 12, 2020 in Divorce

Some people talk about love at first sight. They claim that they knew on the first date that they wanted to marry the other person. They may have only waited a few months before tying the knot.

To others, dating for two or three months and then getting married sounds absurd. They advocate dating for an extensive period of time. They may have been with their partner for a decade. They may choose to live together to “test out” being married without the legal ramifications. They want to take it slow and be careful.

So, who is right? How long should you date before getting married?

When looking at the odds of divorce, researchers pinned down the right amount of time that couples should spend dating if they wanted to reduce the chances of splitting up after marriage. They pointed out that waiting for a minimum of three years cut down the divorce rate by about 50% when compared to couples who only dated for a year. Even just dating for anywhere between one and two years reduced divorce odds by 20%.

This study suggests that rushing into marriage after dating for less than 12 months massively increases the odds of divorce. Most people don’t do it, with many dating for half a decade before getting married.

Of course, you can see from the divorce rate that even this does not guarantee a long marriage. Some couples date for longer than they’re actually married before filing for divorce. If your marriage is ending, it is very important to take the time to look into all of your legal options and rights.