In recent times, an increasing number of couples choose to live together before tying the knot in order to assess their suitability for marriage. This approach has its own set of benefits and drawbacks, which are discussed further below.
There are various advantages to cohabitating prior to getting married, including the chance to have a taste of married life beforehand.
Living together has financial benefits as the costs of food, rent, and bills are shared between two individuals. If one person assumes all expenses, typically the woman benefits from free room and board. Additionally, living together offers advantages such as emotional support, sexual intimacy, and casual conversations without the commitment of marriage. It allows couples to assess their compatibility before getting married. For some people, it is important to live together before marriage in order to determine if they can coexist with their partner. This arrangement also helps establish trust and loyalty, which are crucial foundations for a successful future marriage. Lastly, by living together, couples can become familiar with each other’s habits, attitudes, and manners in preparation for their eventual union.
There are also drawbacks to cohabitation before marriage. These include living together without being married. (2)
Living together for a long time can lead to excessive comfort and avoidance of marriage. Cohabitation removes the legal responsibility towards a partner, making it simpler for one person to end the relationship without facing any consequences. This arrangement often allows an easy way out for those who want it, as data suggests that living together usually doesn’t last very long. Unfortunately, if the relationship fails, women tend to suffer the most negative outcomes. Women often feel that they have wasted their time and lost their dignity when cohabiting with a partner that eventually results in a breakup.
Living together before marriage is a choice that has uncertain benefits. Breaking up before getting married is much easier than getting divorced. It is widely recognized that divorce poses more complicated challenges than simply separating as a couple who lived together.
According to many pastors and marriage counselors, it is advised for young couples to find a partner who shares their belief in the institution of marriage. They discourage the notion of cohabitation before getting married as a way to understand each other better or assess compatibility. The reason behind this advice is that marriage is seen as an institution where acquiring crucial knowledge from outside sources is not feasible.
