When it comes to deciding how long you should wait before asking for her hand in marriage, there is no real answer. As long as the time is right, and it’s what you both want, why postpone popping the question? Of course, you can give yourself a time frame if you really want to, but the beautiful thing about love is that it has no time restrictions. You could date someone for six months and realise that she’s the one, or you might be one to take things a bit more slowly à la Big from Sex and the City, and decide that after ten years together, she’s the girl of your dreams. However, there are some tell-tale signs that will reveal if both you and your partner are ready to get engaged, without having to have that awkward conversation. Take a look and find out if you’re ready for marriage.
You’re Open About Your Finances
If you’re both open enough to admit that you are in debt or have a shortage of money, you’re one step towards being ready to commit to each other. It’s not easy admitting your financial situation to your other half, particularly if it’s not good, but you should be in the know about one another’s credit cards, bank statements and shopping splurges. Why? Whilst money isn’t everything, it can be the root cause of many problems. If either of you, or in worse case scenarios, both of you are in the red, money could be an immediate source of conflict in your marriage. We’re not saying you need to watch each other like hawks, but if you’re open about your savings or lack of, you’ll avoid any awkward “You owe them how much?!” moments.
You’ve Discussed Your Future
If you’ve both spoken about plans for the distant future and it involves one another, then you know marriage is on the cards. Being able to talk openly about your future together will boost your confidence in the relationship, even if you don’t necessarily know where you’ll be or what you’ll be doing. If you can’t talk about where you’ll be going on holiday next, then it’s best to wait until you can talk about your future together with ease.