to those who are happily married or with a long term partner?

Know your partner is human and will make a mistake sometimes. Have a mutual respect and caring. Base your relationship on a true connection that extends beyond the bedroom. Establish agreements while dating, and honor your agreements when you marry.

Most Important (IMO): A serious commitment isn't a commitment to always be super in love with each other and to always be happy. It is a commitment that during those times when you don't like each other very much and when you aren't very happy that you will try everything to WORK IT OUT and that you will hang in there through the rough times.

Always always keep communication open

Somethings are worth fighting about, some aren't, figure out which is which

Be ready to sacrifice some excitement for some comfort and stability

Everyday try to do at least one thing to show the person that they are important and that you love them.

Keep your own bank accounts. Money is a major source of arguments.

Talk about the future.

Don't expect that your partner is a mindreader.

There will be times when you do not like your partner. This is both normal and temporary. Making a commitment means you're willing to hang in there.

There are three people in a marriage: you, your partner, and your marriage. All three need equal time and attention.

1. Don't even consider it unless you are friends first and lovers second

2. Due to changes in environment and having to consider someone else, a lot of marriages fail in the first year so don't think you are not suited if you constantly argue or get annoyed with each other... it takes time to get used to being a couple.

3. Start as you mean to go on and be who you are.

4. Communication is another cause of divorce. If you don't communicate then your marriage won't work.

5. An equal amount of give and take of both sides.

6. Never forget your anniversary .... even if it's just a card.

You will never find a 'perfect' person, love isn't about finding someone with no faults and being passionate 24/7, if you don't argue eer then something is wrong. Love is about wanting to spend your life together, having arguments but working your way through them together.

Trust, communication are the most important things and don't stop making an effort, you can still go on dates and be romantic when you are married.

Why are you contemplating? Are you afraid of being hurt?

If that's the case, then you should never have a serious commitment, ever. Either you break up, and there is pain, or you live together forever, until one of you dies, and then you have pain.

There's no way to avoid the pain. It's the price of admission for the joy that you will experience in your life.

The alternative is a flat life, with no pain, but no ecstasy either. For me, it's not even a close vote. I want to live every day.

Stop contemplating. Take a bite out of the *** of life, you only live once.

Set reasonable goals, long term partner is hard enough without expecting happily married :D

Forgive quickly and forget even quicker.

Go into the relationship with your eyes wide open but once you're married, close them part way. Meaning, you what you're getting into. Note what you like and don't like about the person. Make sure you see everything and if what you see is what you can deal with until death. Once married, though, you have to accept forever what you accepted when dating. You can't argue over points that you thought were acceptable while dating.

Don't go to bed mad at each other. Ever.

If you're working at making the relationship "good" more than 30% of the time, walk away now. I've always felt that relationships should be easy. I already work eight hours a day. I don't want to come home and have to do more work.

Communicate with each other. A lot of what was wrong in my own marriage was caused by my not talking to my husband about things, and just bottling them up. We communicate much better now, and it has helped us a lot. Talking about stuff is good.