The Perks of Living with Your Beloved Before Marriage

When it comes to romantic relationships, it seems as though there are always studies and expert advice surfacing that tell couples to do this and never to do that. Of course, each pair has their own way of expressing their love and communicating their needs and concerns to their partner, so reading too much into these statistics can potentially cause more harm than good. 

Many duos face the question of cohabitation at some point in their courtship, and there are a variety of opinions readily accessible that argue against living together before marriage. Some couples struggle with the choice due to religion or certain traditions and beliefs, while others are more focused on the financial implications, or perhaps on the impact it may have on their relationship.

While the decision is entirely circumstantial and should be made based off of the best interests of you and your significant other, we’ve made a list of tried-and-true reasons cohabitating before the wedding might benefit you and your beloved.

- You get to know your partner even more intimately. Even if you think you know absolutely everything there is to know about your sweetie, chances are, there are a few aspects of their personality you’ll be surprised by. If you both share the same home base, you’ll catch the little habits and quirks you may not have caught prior. Your knowledge of one another will grow exponentially, which is incredibly important in the decision to spend the rest of your lives together. In strong relationships, living together will merely serve as a further bonding agent between the two of you.

- A routine will likely be established. More than likely, cohabitation will force you and your significant other to develop certain roles in the household. You’ll be able to determine who is more willing to do specific chores and tasks, how you’ll pay bills, and the other relatively mundane aspects you’ll encounter in your marriage. It sounds like a downer, but think of how much easier the process will be if it begins before the “I dos” and occurs gradually over time, instead of surfacing all at once when you return from your honeymoon. Get the responsibilities of adulthood settled before you walk down the aisle!

- You can parse out the tricky situations beforehand. You’re going to quickly discover your arguing and communication styles relative to one another. One might think it would be a better idea to get the negative stuff out of the way so that you can decide with a clear head whether this relationship is something you’d both like to pursue into marriage. Cohabitating will give you the chance to address any issues either of you might have and work them out before making a commitment. What problem might be a deal breaker for you or your beloved? What can you both work on together as a couple? These questions can be better solved if you share a home!

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Opening photo by Lucas Rossi Photography