living together before marriage

msm019

I got engaged after 4.5 months with my O/H and we moved in together about a year later - it would probably have been longer if my mum hadnt got fed up of her house guest!

Once I get a new job we're going to start saving for the wedding so its definitely the norm I think although one close friend waited until over a month after her wedding before she moved in with her hubby due to circumstances.

I think its often down to how people are brought up as to whether living together before getting married is normal though

SmuggleswithStruggles

It is more usual now to live together before you marry. Personally I think its better as you get to know that person more. You can live together first with the intention of getting married. I am 25, getting married in September and currently still live with my parents but I'd much rather already be living with my H2B.

Roz_V

I only know one couple who didn't live together before marriage, and sadly they're now on the brink of splitting only 2 years on. Whether they would still have married had they lived together first I don't know but I do know they found the adjustment very difficult.

For me, I lived with OH for 5 years in rented accommodation before we got engaged. We were then gifted a rather large chunk of money by both sets of parents to do what we wanted with, and we decided to use it as a house deposit rather than spend it on a wedding (we could never have saved that amount of money whilst renting, and the location of our jobs meant we couldn't live with parents). After about 18 months of owning our house, we decided to set a date as several of our dearly loved relatives fell ill and we really wanted them to be with us when we got married. I think if they hadn't got sick (and eventually passed away a few months after the wedding), we would probably still be engaged and tootling along as we were, though I absolutely love being married now and wouldn't change it for anything - I honestly didn't realise how much it would mean to me before we set the date.

ronaldmacdonald

I've managed 12 years...I think my probation is almost up....:D

Bex296

I'm getting married this year and live with my fiance. In my group of friends there's only one who isn't living with her partner before they get married, and that's for religious reasons.
It wouldn't work for me or most of my other friends, but whatever suits the couple in question should be respected.