Question about engagement/marriage?

At that age (which I am) i think it is more about waiting until the right time rather then a certain amount of years. You should both finish school and be in a relatively stable place before getting married. I also think it is good to live together first.

For now my bf and i are both in college. Personally i think it is tacky to be engaged or married and still in school so we are waiting. I have a promise ring for now and we have been together for 3 years.

Whenever they're ready to make that commitment, and when they both have decided that marriage is what they want.

Depending on your culture and your upbringing, you don't have to get married these days. I have a handful of friends who have been together for so long they've started families but not bothered getting married.

If marriage means something to you, then you'll know when you're ready.

I've been with my partner for almost 8 years, and he only asked me a few months ago!

If you're young and haven't been together long, you'll no doubt get criticism from friends and family. A lot of people have long term relationships that don't work out, so it's good to have been together through some changes before you make a life-long commitment.

I moved in with a partner when I was 17 and we had been together for a few years - and he had always thought we'd get married. But I said I wanted to live a little as adults first. After less than a year it became apparent that the relationship was not going to work out. I was criticised for moving in with him when quite young - but I think it was a real blessing to do that first and not get trapped in an unhappy marriage!

My current partner is a blessing. And when we were a new couple 8 years ago, we were happy and deliriously in love. But we both weren't ready to settle down and have travelled and worked and studied in that time and changed quite a lot. Even though we've changed so much in this time, we both still love eachother and know we'll never be able to be with anyone else. It might only take you and your partner 1 year or 2 or 3. You might think you know quite early on. It does pay to go through some good times and some hard times together first though. It gives you a better idea of how your marriage will be. And how you'll deal with things together.

If you're ready and your partner isn't - then neither of you are ready. Pressuring someone to get married is probably the worst thing you can do for a relationship! No matter how solid it is.

I guess, the moral of the story is - you'll know when you're ready and it doesn't matter how old you are or how long you've been together.

My Fiance and I met 5 years ago when I was 16. Later I moved in with him. We have a very close relationship... Last August he proposed on my 21st Birthday. We are having a rather long engagement just because I'm really not in any rush to marry, because I love him regardless if I have a ring on my finger or not. We're getting married next May so I'll be 22 and he'll be 27.

I guess theres really not an appropriate age, you should only decide to get engaged and married if you and your mate are 110% ready.

I don't think that there's a specific timeline. I do think you should wait until you both are at a stable place in your lives. It's hard to do the marriage thing if you're both going through changes like school and work. If you are planning on doing school, I recommend you wait until after school.

I dunno, I just called off my engagement after 5 years of dating (1.5 years of being engaged). We actually broke up, he turned really bitter and realized that I made the right choice. It was hard because we were both in post secondary and I'm actually still in school. That was one reason why we broke up. We did grow apart and that seems to be the reason for many young couples to break up. BTW, I'm 24, we were together since I was 19.

A long time ago, long before I even had met the man who would become my husband, I decided that I wanted to have my undergrad degree before I got married. I wanted to be able to take care of myself-I wanted to know 100% that I could stand on my own feet before I joined my life with someone's. I knew that if I had found someone to love while in college, if he loved me enough, he would be willing to respect that choice.

Fortunately, the cards fell really easily in that regard, and I didn't meet my husband until I was a junior in college, and we didn't start dating till I was a senior, and didn't get engaged till about a year after I had graduated. But even if it had been different, I would have stood firm in that.

And in this economy, it was a smart choice-by the time we got married, we both had our undergrad, and we both had found good jobs, and now he's in grad school part time, and working fulltime.

I think it all begins with communication. You dont want to rush, but you dont want to waste time either. Unfortunately women have a time clock that is different than men.

You and your mate should sit down and discuss a timeline. Ask all the important questions...school, kids, a house, the future. If and only if you can reach some sort of agreement, should you stick with anybody.

Sounds tough, but you can lose a lot of options when you are not in the game. Get some clarity, it is that important!!!.

I don't think a certain amount of years is right for everybody. But my boyfriend and I have been together for 2yrs and 4 months and we're soon to be engaged and married. We are both 20 btw. It seems young to a lot of people and yes we are very young but it just happens to be right for us. If you love him and know you want to be with him forever then try getting engaged, and maybe wait a year to get married.

Just do what you feel is best for you both.

I think that if they have been together for over a year then that is the right time to get engaged. I also believe in living together (you don't have to have sex which is something that people automatically assume if you move in with each other) for a year before marriage. You need to know the real them to see if you are right for each other.

i started dating my bf when i was 22, and I'll be 27 next week, and think weekend we are looking at rings. I dont understand the need to rush it! If you love who you're with, just be happy where you are, and when the times right, go forward.