We have all heard the wise words, “don’t rush into marriage” repeated over and over while we nod sagely. But exactly does it mean?
How does one define it when someone is rushing into marriage? Is it based on how long the couple dated? Inasmuch as we all agree that we should not rush into marriage, it is not exactly clear what it means to rush into marriage. Catch my drift?
Therefore, I have sought to answer the question just so that we are clear.
In my opinion, ‘rushing into marriage’ is not really about whether or not the couple dated for a long time. I concede that the length of time that a couple dates may play a role, the truth is that there is no hard and fast rule. For example, a couple may date for only 6 months before getting engaged and then enjoy a relatively happy marriage while another couple may date for 2 years before the engagement and still endure a severely turbulent marriage. Meanwhile, couples are told to date for a long time so that they can get to know each other properly and enjoy a hitch-free marriage.
However, going by the example above, you would expect that those who dated for short while will be termed as those who rushed into marriage. But their results say otherwise.



This is why I believe that ‘rushing into marriage’ means two things:
1. The couple’s motives are questionable—if one party wants to get married simply to acquire the ‘married’ status and not because she wants to be with the guy then that is a problem.
2. The couple did not take the time to get to know each other—it is not about quantity of time but of the quality of time spent together.
This is my definition of rushing into marriage. What is yours?