Fellas, if you tell your girlfriend you want to marry her someday is it because you feel you’re ready for marriage?

[Anonymous]

My boyfriend just said to me how he loves me and wants to marry me one day. Do you think he’s getting to the point where feels ready for that next step and kind of hinting or just a general statement?

[Lliam]

That's how it was with me.

Even though I had girlfriends from the time I was 16, I didn't decide to seek a life partner and settle down until I was in my mid-30s. Before that, I didn't think I was done being free, experiencing life, mature enough, or financially secure enough to start a new chapter in my life.

Of course, I didn't really have an interest in kids, so there's that.

But I needed to want to get married and know that I was ready to be a good husband. And since I felt that marriage was for life, I thought it was the most important decision I would ever make, so I didn't want to make a mistake.

I had a couple of relationship after I was 35, but they didn't work out. I finally met my future wife when I was 40. She is 2.5 years younger. We had both had full lives before we met.

We were exclusive partners for a year before I proposed and we got married a year later. We've been happily married now for almost 26 years, have built a great life and have had wonderful times together.

I'm not saying that I'm typical at all. But what I am saying is that you have to know that you are mature enough, ready and willing to take on the commitment and responsibility. You have to meet the right person and be sure that both of you are prepared to spend the rest of your lives together.

When we were still just going together, my future wife even asked if I would be willing to attend couples counseling to learn about ourselves and each other to be sure that we were right for each other. It was a really wise idea.

[EricSummer]

Is he younger than you? This sounds more like teenagers telling each other they feel they could stay together really long and even marry someday.
For people over 30 I think the plans could be a bit more concrete.

How long have you been together?

[Asker]

He is older by a year. We’re in our early 30s. We have only been together for a year.

[EricSummer]

I see. After a year it could be a sign that he is warming up to the idea of marrying you, though not just yet.

[Simslover92]

I know my boyfriend wouldn't tell me that unless he was close to the point where he wanted to get married but that's just my boyfriend. He could be totally different and it could not have meant much but I would say in most cases it means he's thinking about marriage.

[exitseven]

I did this with a girl I dated for 4 years. We were both still in college and I think I had 2 more years to go. i just wanted to put it out there so she knew I was serious a d I think I wondered if she felt the same way. She did say that she thought we had a future together. Ironically I broke up with her 6 months later

[MackBoy]

If you are ok with him, you can marry him. it happened to me opposite, i found a girlfriend from social media and she was willing to marry me but I didn't ask her anything about having relationship with her. she loves me a lot and I love her too.

[clampfan101]

I told my girlfriend I wanted to marry her before we graduated high school. lol
And I was not exaggerating. We’d be getting married soon enough if she hadn’t passed away…

[Twalli]

He's not ready to marry, but he sees a future with you. When he decides to get married, he hopes it will be you. If he had to get married today, he'd choose you.

[Noah2023]

I once told my ex that I wanted too, now thats why she’s my ex.

[Pterodon]

Not necessarily. It can also be a way to string you along