Researchers found the right amount of time to date before getting married — and its not as long as youd think. A study found that waiting a bit to get married can decrease the likelihood youll get divorced. Specifically, waiting three years or more decreases the likelihood of divorce by 50%.

How long can you date before marriage?

Give Yourself Time to Know Your Partner Through the Good Times and the Bad. As a baseline, Ian Kerner, PhD, LMFT, licensed psychotherapist, couples therapist and author of She Comes First, suggests that one to two years is often a good amount of time to date before getting engaged.

What is dating before marriage?

Dating is a stage of romantic relationships practised in Western societies whereby two people meet socially with the aim of each assessing the others suitability as a prospective partner in a future intimate relationship.