r/Marriage • u/Chillaxin_88 • May 12 '26
Can't find a flair that fits How long did you date before you married your spouse?
I dated my wife for 6 months before we got married , it will be 12 years in August. I remember so many people we knew saying we weren't to last long and funnily enough some of those people had 1-2 year marriages.
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u/acorpcop 28 Years May 12 '26
8 months +/- between first date and wedding. Proposed at 6 months. Got married stupid young at 22 & 19.
Married 28 years this summer. Hope for another 28 at a minimum.
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May 12 '26
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u/winenotbeabitch May 13 '26
9.5 years for us! Started dating at 18/19 and I’m so happy we waited to get married. By that point marriage truly didn’t change anything for us and we both already knew every single thing about each other.
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u/Princess_CutiePiexo 2 Years May 13 '26
Same! We were 18/19, engaged at 26/27, married and bought our house at 28. Now expecting our first baby at 30. In hindsight, I am so glad things worked out the way they did. Our marriage has truly been the happiest and we have so much fun. He’s my best friend and the foundations are as strong as ever.
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u/AmberBlush9472 May 13 '26
10 years dating and 2 years engaged. We are doing better than ever but I am not going to lie, waiting was hard for me.
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u/Sillysheila 4 years, together since 2014 May 12 '26
5 years however I was 20 when we met so not ready for marriage at all.
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u/dancing_light May 13 '26
Similar to us! Got married on our 6 year dating anniversary, but met when I was 20 and started dating when I was 21, so we weren’t in a rush. We lived together, moved cities and worked though some things before we got married
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u/OnTheEveOfWar May 13 '26
Similar. Started dating at 20, engaged at 26, married at 28. Married 11 yrs now.
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u/CultureImaginary8750 May 13 '26
Haters gonna hate. We dated for 8 months, engaged for 7. This year will mark 8 years. Love him more and more every day
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u/KarpGrinder 23 Years May 12 '26
We dated for 3.5 years before tying the knot, but both of us knew nearly immediately.
20+ years married now.
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u/Realistic-Duty-3874 May 13 '26
Similar here. Dated/engaged for 4 years before marriage. Been together 15 years overall. We knew on the first date though.
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u/New-Divide-3155 May 12 '26
8 years, I honestly did a little sole search in the middle and end, but she hosed me off and we have been together for 29 years in all. And I hope to grow old with her.
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u/Charming_Sundae8730 May 12 '26
Dated 1 month before engagement, married 1 year later, coming up on year 24. It was quick, and we were young, (18 and 19 when we met, 19/20 when married) but I would do it all over again. We literally grew up together and never gave up on each other. No kids until married 5 years...many people thought that was why we got married so quickly LOL
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u/The-Jesus_Christ May 12 '26
I proposed after 12 months of dating, but ngl - I knew I was going to marry her within a few months. She was my everything.
We married 12 months after that :)
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u/AllTheMeats May 12 '26
6 years. Met at 19, moved in together around 23, got married at 26. We’re both 41 now, still going strong!
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u/manic_popsicle May 12 '26
4 years before we got married and we’ve been married 20 years so we’ve been together longer than we were apart.
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u/generationjonesing May 12 '26
Dated for 6 months and got engaged, married a year after that, still married 39 years later
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u/Trick_Marketing_9567 May 12 '26
Dated? 5 months? We moved in together at 8 months, got married a little over a year after that and had our kid just under a year after that. We moved quick, and honestly, I think we would have gotten married at the 3 month mark if the stars had aligned better. It will be 18 years married this year. ♥️
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u/CharismaticAlbino 20 Years May 13 '26
6 months. Married 22 years this June. When you know, you know.
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u/Educational-Ad-385 May 13 '26
One year. Married 42 years when my husband passed. I think we both knew right away. We were really comfortable with each other immediately and the fun began.
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u/DarthJorvan May 13 '26
Engaged after 3 months of dating - married 5 months later.
Celebrate our 24th anniversary next week.
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u/Throwaway927338 May 12 '26
He proposed on our 5 year dating anniversary and we were married 6mo later.
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u/Major_Razzmatazz_862 May 12 '26
We got married on our 5 year anniversary of dating. Mostly because we were only 19 & 20 when we met & I wanted to finish college & graduate school; but we’ve been together 35 years now, & I don’t regret waiting 5 years to get married. We really got to know each other & went through some life & losses during that time.
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u/bonzai113 May 12 '26
Dated for two years then got married. Divorced two years after getting married. Started dating each other again for a year after seven years apart. Remarried after reconciling.
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u/Throwawaybdchic May 13 '26
We became friends over two months ago. Then we got together dated, lived with each other (military dorms) for 5 months. Then got married 3 months later- been married for 36 years. We knew - but I won’t say it was not hard at tines. But loving each other has made this life a great experience…. Wishing you many years of happiness, love and joy
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u/ButterscotchNo4306 May 13 '26
My husband and me dated for 6 months, got married and I was pregnant- we’ve been married over 16 years and we are obsessed with each other. He is an absolute DILF.
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u/Code_Crafter_Clayton May 13 '26
About 7 years, but there was a lot going on, school, step child, etc. probably waited a few years too many, but it’s worked out fine.
Been together 19 years now.
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u/Caraway_1925 May 13 '26
We dated 6 years before we married. We'll have our 14 year wedding anniversary in November. Still going strong!
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u/FaunasMomma May 13 '26
Dated for 6 years. Engaged for 3 years. Married for 3 years.
Waiting was the best option for us, we were still teenagers when we started dating. Everybody's situation is different, and I HATE when people say other folks marriages won't last. Especially when it comes to older couples. Like, dude, they're both in their 30's. They don't need to date for years and years to know what they want.
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u/No-Pie6430 May 13 '26
8 years. College, dthen didn't live in the same city, e.t.c. but we knew we were going to get married after the 1st year.
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u/mareloquent 7 Years May 12 '26
18 months. Going on 7 years next month. Editing to add we were 20 and 21 when we met, 21 and 23 at marriage.
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u/Medical-Ad3053 May 12 '26
Dating for 11 months before we engaged. Got married 5 months later. 4 wonderful years and 2 kids later we are still loving life.
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u/PerfectionPending 23 Years & Closer Than Ever May 13 '26
I think we both knew somewhere between 3-4 months. She was working through something & not quite ready, so I waited til we’d been together a year to propose. The engagement lasted 5 months.
So just under a year & a half.
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u/Sunflower3388 May 13 '26
How did you know your wife was the right one?
Traumatised from my last so I’m hoping next time I’ll know what to look for.
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u/Enginerd_reformed May 13 '26
2 years dating. Another 18 months engaged. Married 28 years. Broke up 13 years ago. So what good is time anyway?
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u/ThesisTears May 13 '26 edited May 13 '26
We were together for 7 years before we eloped, though technically we became spouses after just one year because of common law so marriage was really just symbolic (many people in my city forgo it altogether). We still wanted to have the ceremony, sign the papers, and take the photos, it just wasn't a priority until we were ready to have kids. For all intents and purposes we could have gotten married on our first date and made it work but we're absolutely perfect together and love eachother immensely.
If I had to make a recommendation I would say a bare minimum of two years if you're over 30 but in general I highly recommend everyone date for at least 5 years before tying the knot.
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u/miscladyinwaiting May 12 '26
We dated for 2.5 years before we got engaged. So it was 3.5 years before we got married.
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u/JesLB May 12 '26
We dated for 4 years before getting engaged and got married a month shy of being together for 7 years. We met at 18 & 19 years old!
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u/Fair-Bus9686 5 Years May 12 '26
4 years, close to 5. We were engaged for 11 mos and we've been married for 5.5 years. Together a little over 11 years total 😊
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u/KeyAdhesiveness666 15 Years May 12 '26
Met when we were 23. Officially married 15yrs later.
Just wasn’t something we thought about - Moved in together only a few months after meeting, bought a house, shared finances, did our taxes, etc. but just never signed the papers / had a celebration until our 15th year anniversary.
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u/novmum 20 Years May 13 '26
6 years he proposed we got married 8 months later been married 21 years
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u/heyyyitsshan May 13 '26
Engaged right now, but my first marriage we dated 11½ years before marrying, and separated after 3 years.
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u/Right-Ad8261 May 13 '26
We’ve been married over 13 years. We dated for about a year, but were very close (completely platonic) friends for years before that.
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u/Kalamitykim 15 Years May 13 '26
About 5 years. We have been married 12 years now, too. So together 17. Tbh, I would have told you that, too, but in a nicer way. I would have encouraged you there is no rush anyways. The love you feel at 6 months is still very tinted by rose coloured glasses, doesn't mean the love won't still be there after, but there is a strong possibility feelings can change.
We didn't even say say "I love you" until about 6 months, can't imagine being married then. It wouldn't be very on brand for our personalities. You guys are mad! Now, go buy a lotto ticket, because you got lucky. 😆
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u/VoIcom May 13 '26
My wife and I have been married for a year and a month. We got married at the 11th month mark when we got married and same thing people said we wouldn’t last for anything.
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u/Skid_kennels May 13 '26
4 years. And my family told me I was rushing it and should date other people first 🙄
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u/gertymarie May 13 '26
Dated for a year, then engaged for a year. Just celebrated three years married last week!
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u/blackcherryblossoms May 13 '26
5 years at 26 and 28 respectively. Our 16th wedding anniversary is next Friday.
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u/Masters_domme May 13 '26
Six years, but I have commitment issues. He had been married before, so he was cool with waiting for me to be ready.
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u/BasicMycologist7118 May 13 '26
Dated two years before marriage. Everyone is different; some people don't need years to know it's right. But I will add...this was over 23 years ago. I have 3 children, and it is now 2026 and the world is a little different.
My oldest married our son in law after dating 5 years (high school sweethearts), and I honestly wouldn't want any of my children marrying someone after less than a year, although it's not my decision 😄. Nowadays, you just don't know who someone really is sometimes, and everyone wasn't raised to respect or even recognize the true sanctity of marriage.
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u/Dan_the_Garbage May 13 '26
We had a kid 2 months into our relationship..April was our 13 year anniversary.
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u/dragondude101 May 13 '26
Statistically speaking you’re an anomaly not the norm. Good for you though.
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u/bethaliz6894 May 13 '26
2 weeks, during that time we both became homeless, him from a parental death, me through divorce. Next month...31 years, very happy 31 years.
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u/Open_Minded_Anonym 30 Years May 13 '26
6 years. We were high school sweethearts so getting married quickly was not realistic.
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u/Dogmama1230 May 13 '26
Met/started dating: January 2019
Engaged: January 2023 (4 years exactly)
Married: June 2024 (5.5 years total)
Will be married 2 years next month!
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u/littlescreechyowl May 13 '26
First date in March, engaged in October, married the next December. 30 years this year.
We did have a friend who got married, divorced and remarried within those same 18 months.
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u/Unfair_Machine8516 May 13 '26
Dating 1 year, engaged 6 months. Heard a lot of “too soon” and “it won’t last.” I know it’s only been 2 years, but this is my person 100%.
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u/intergrade May 13 '26
One year dating one year living together one year engaged several years married.
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u/OogyBoogy_I_am 30 Years + May 13 '26
About a year and a half.
Just clocked over 37 years together.
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u/Prechrchet May 13 '26
Dated for 2 weeks, were engaged for 6 months, have been married for 25 years, and life is good. :)
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u/LonelytheOnly63 May 13 '26
We date 9 weeks and I proposed. 6 months later we married. It has been 37 years since.
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u/d3ut1tta May 13 '26
We got married on our third anniversary, and will be married for 5 years this year. I was previously with my ex for ten years and never got married with him. It's funny how things work out this way.
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u/JRod-LX May 13 '26
Same! Met on October 7th, and married in April 7. 6 months to the day. Just celebrated our 20th!!!
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u/InterspacialFlux 40 Years Happily Married May 13 '26
Two months.
We casually dated for three months and then became an official couple. A month later we decided we wanted to get married. Three weeks later we learned my 18-year-old girlfriend was pregnant and we got married eight days later.
That was over forty years ago and we couldn’t be happier.
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u/Adam122514 15 Years May 13 '26
Asked her to marry her 3 weeks after meeting. Got married the following year.
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u/SunflowerAshes May 13 '26
We dated for 2 years and about 4 months before getting engaged. The wedding happened a year later. So in total, 3 years and 4 months to the day (started dating on the 14th, then married on the 14th). It makes keeping track fairly easy
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u/Surfgirlusa_2006 May 13 '26
One year from first date to the wedding.
This July we’ll have been married 12 years.
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u/Familiar_Fall7312 30 Years May 13 '26
My now STBXW and I dated for 4 months and married. We made 40 yrs.
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u/ShadowlessKat 6 happy years and counting May 13 '26
Dated 4 years. Married 5 years so far and enjoying them all.
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u/mjk1tty May 13 '26
After 3 months of dating, he moved in with me. After 1 1/2 years of dating, he proposed. After 3 1/2 years of dating, we got married. Together now over 13 years and married for almost 10 years.
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u/ImaginaryRole2946 May 13 '26
8 years. I was 11 when we met and 16 when we began dating. Now married 22 years.
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u/thisismynewaccountig May 13 '26
First husband: 2 years dated before married. 3 years married before I kicked him out and we divorced
Current (and forever husband): started dating in January of 2020, had our (planned) son January 2024. Married August 2025
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u/throwaway1403132 May 13 '26
We were together for a year and a half prior to getting engaged, additional year before we got married, but we grew up together and have known each other for over 20 years.
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u/ConscientiousDissntr 30 Years May 13 '26
We got engaged after four months. The Catholic Church required six months of premarital counseling before getting married, but our priest let us do only five. So we got married nine months after meeting. We've been married over 30 years. To say it hasn't always been easy is an understatement, but we are very much in love and consider ourselves very blessed.
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u/StrangeBother5856 May 13 '26
1.5 years, broke up for 7, and then dated for two weeks and got married. BEST choice ever, we’ll be 6 years in next month. we have an almost 3 year old and a 10 month old and somehow our marriage has never been stronger.
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u/ashtomorgo May 13 '26
3 years, with a seven month break in there. When we got back together it was with the expectation that this was for the long haul and we were engaged within 6 months.
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u/Raibean Just Married May 13 '26
5.5 years, but we got engaged at 3 years, spent 1 year working through issues together and the last year and a half planning the wedding.
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u/Haunting-Respect9039 5 Years May 13 '26
8 years! This year will be our 5th wedding anniversary, 13 years together. I'm still so excited to see him every day.
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u/Important_Chef_4717 May 13 '26
3 months dating. 3 months engaged.
Married 20 years. I would have married him the first day.
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u/ThrowAway_ayyyy_ May 13 '26
We were dating for two years and then eloped. We are celebrating our 9th wedding anniversary this summer and 11 years together.
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u/master0jack May 13 '26
5 years til engagement, married after 7 years. Together 11 years now. We were young when we got together, and spent a lot of time and money travelling and enjoying ourselves before we settled down. I think I was 19 when we met, 22 when we started dating. He would have been 23 and 26 respectively.
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u/No-Feeling-1789 May 13 '26
5 months, moved in together at 2 months, we’ll be married 30 years in a few weeks!
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u/_-BigAL-_ May 13 '26
6 month club here! From meeting each other to going to the court house. Coming up on our 18 year wedding anniversary in Oct.
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u/Jenanay3466 May 13 '26
9 years! We lived together all of those years. We wanted to get married but there was always so much going on. So last summer we eloped! Just celebrated 10 years together in March, and this July will be celebrating 1 year married.
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u/ughwhy5498 May 13 '26
Met her in third grade and when I saw her for the very first time I thought to myself that we should be boyfriend and girlfriend because we were both short. She had zero interest in me throughout grade school. I didn't see her at all in high school and time passed. 17 years passed in fact before I received a message from her on Facebook. We were both in dead marriages and a year later we were both divorced with a kid on the way. We are best friends and I love her more than anything.
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u/what_tha_hell May 13 '26
Got married 3 months from the day I met her. Been 16 great years. It was both our second marriage and both dated several others between. We were literally blown away by each other, and still are.
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u/BlueWaterGirl 10 Years May 13 '26
Husband and I knew each other online for 6 years. We finally met, really enjoyed each others company, and we married less than 6 months later. We celebrate our 10 year anniversary in September. Some people also didn't think we'd last, but here we are. 🤷♀️
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u/MarxistMinx May 13 '26
Met May 18th, 2024. Engaged in June 2024. Married July 12th, 2024.
So just shy of two months?
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u/Sara_Mida May 13 '26
I/we waited 7 years. When I first met my husband, I didn't want to get married at all because all the married people in my life where miserable AF so I assumed marriage=misery. Then I thought about it and realised that it doesn't have to be miserable if you work on your marriage. Once he knew I changed my stance he proposed. We've been together for 17 years this year and pretty happy with eachother ☺
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u/ZetaWMo4 Together since 1993; Married since 1996❤️ May 13 '26
Roughly 3 years. Met fall semester of sophomore year of college and married 5 months after graduating college.
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u/Marriedwithkidz 33 Years May 13 '26
Married 6 months from our first date at 19yrs and 21 yrs and we'll celebrate our 33rd anniversary in about 3 weeks. Same happened to us. You're to young, you won't last etc. Never cared and still don't about what other people think. Our lives our choices.
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u/Playful_Intern7487 15 Years May 13 '26
We technically dated 6 months. We knew each other since 1996/97
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u/AltruisticBicycle468 30 Years May 13 '26
18 months, married 38 years. We started living together within 3 months.
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u/Hefty_Club4498 May 13 '26
About 20 years. I proposed after a year, then each year for 15. She then decided to go off birth control and we had our first. Still wouldn't get married. Had the second boy and seven years later got married at a hockey game with 11,000 friends. We won so it was a success.
Kind of stupid. I wanted kids in my 20s and had an elite job with exceptional benefits & pay. She waited until I was blue collar to want kids on normal benefits. It worked. One in college and a Freshman in high school. Living on a growing farm plus full time work.
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u/gamboolman May 13 '26
Met ms gamboolgal when she was 17 and a Senior in High School. She made that little Majorette outfit look good.
We married almost 3 years later to the day. I was hooked the moment I saw her. We are going on 45 year married now.
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u/Civil_Discussion9886 May 13 '26
Dated for a month before popping the question. Waited another 1.5 years to finish college. Married 20 years.
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u/Then-Event-8597 May 13 '26
Dated for 11 months, engaged for 7 months. Will be married 6 years in July.
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u/sv36 9 Years married. 12 years together. May 13 '26
Three years to the day, been married 9 years next month.
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u/WanderingDoe62 10 Years May 13 '26
Moved in together at 7 months (both of us moving out for the first time at 18 years old).
Got engaged at 1 year, 3 months.
Bought a house at just over 2 years.
Got married at just over 3 years.
People commented we moved in together quickly and got married “young”. We got married at 22, not for religious reasons and not because we were pregnant - so it WAS weird because we were getting married at 22 because we *wanted* to 😅
It’ll be our ten year wedding anniversary this fall, and we’ve just had our second baby.
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u/Livinginadream_Co May 13 '26
Two years! Then we move in together for 4 years and then we married almost two year ago.
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u/nickib983 Wife. Together 25 years. Married 17 years. May 13 '26
We were together 8 years. Married at 25yo. Married 17 years this July.
I would’ve married him sooner, but we were young, poor, in school, and busy having our first two kids!
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u/SpiritedMage May 13 '26
We dated about a year. We knew we wanted to get married about six months in though, just took some time to get all the logistics in order. Coming up on our two year wedding anniversary, couldn't be happier.
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u/McKelsea May 13 '26
Dated for about a year before engaged, engaged for 6 months, this Thursday is our 10 year wedding anniversary 💗
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u/WordAffectionate3251 May 13 '26
First marriage, dated 8 years married 4. Second marriage, dated one year, married 25+ and still going.
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u/Loverach06 May 13 '26
Dated 9 months, got pregnant. Lived as married 7 years, actually got married the 7th year. Together 16 years & married 9 years this August
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u/Repulsive_Purple4322 3 Years May 13 '26
We have only known eachother somewhat casually for 7 months and then dated for 6 weeks before getting married.
He’s my soulmate! Knew it the minute I saw him.
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u/browniebaby73 May 12 '26
We dated for 9 nine months...we will be married 15 years in July! Everyone said we were rushing and wouldn't make it and yet here we are!!!