Just curious, how long did you date your girlfriend before marrying her?
We lived together for nearly 5 years before we got married. 16 years later, we’re still happily married and have 3 kids. So there.
No offense, but the poll options are are pretty darn terrible.
Moi: something like 3 years.
We lived together seven years and never would have married except she needed health insurance.
Our first date was New Year’s Eve of 1990. We got married May 15, 1993, so almost 2 1/2 years.
I met her at the end of August, 1963 and we were married in mid-March, 1964, so I had to choose between 5 months and 10. Forty seven years later, we are still together. Three kids and 6 grandkids.
Yeah; I’m picturing folded arms and foot-tapping.
Are you measuring from first date to engagement, or first date to wedding? Once you’re engaged you’re not really dating anymore, I guess, although you can still go on dates.
Me:
First date to engagement: just under 2 months
First date to wedding: 9 months
Edit: no option for less than five months?
I proposed on our one-year anniversary and we got married jusy shy of a year-and-a-half later, so I went with “about two years.”
Firstly, neuroman’s right - the poll options for this sort of thing ought to be ranges, something like, <6 months, 6 months - 1 year, 1-1.5 years, 1.5-2 years, >2 years. (I’d give a longer time horizon, with options at least out to 5+ years, but these kinda reflect the choices you gave in your poll.)
Secondly, why are you interested in only how often Doper guys dated their girlfriends? A more general question (ie any heterosexual relationship, to exclude the fact that until recently, homosexual relationships could not result in marriage) would give you basically the same information, unless you have reason to believe that Doper guys averaged a significantly different amount of time than Doper gals.
Thirdly, do you mean dating, or all time in a relationship until the point of marriage? I do not generally include my engagement in the period I think of as ‘dating’ Mr. GilaB.
FWIW, we dated for 7 months and were engaged for 3.5 more. But I haven’t voted, 'cause I’m not a guy.
These poll options are cracking me up. Why 5 months and 10 months? But then again I am a girl so I don’t get to answer this poll.
Into the third trimester, or after delivery. Duh.
Our first date was Star Trek: The Movie and our twenty ninth anniversary was a few months back. So a bit more than two years.
Regards,
Shodan
First date to engagement: six weeks
Adding the engagement in pulls it up to about five months, but I don’t think you’re “dating” once you’ve actually set a wedding date.
About four years. We lived together for about half of that time. Our 21st anniversary is the week after next.
Lived together for 5.5 years* before getting married. First date to engagement: 3.5 years. Engagement: 2 years. So 5.5 years.
*We moved in together the day of our first date.
Met in 2002, proposed in 2003, married in 2004.
I’ve been “dating” my girlfriend for 12 years, and we have no plans to get married.
First time around, my ex and I dated for about 2.5 years before getting married.
This time, it will be exactly two years from our first date (although the first date lasted five days, so we get to fudge that a little). 
Let’s see, first date June 26, 1990.
Proposal = January, 2005.
Knot tied on June 4, 2005.
So what are we looking at,…a skosh under 15 years.
You didn’t ask but one beautiful daughter later and still going strong today.
We dated off and on since high school, and lived together for several years after I got out of college before we got married…about 7 years if memory serves. Been married over 25 years now. Try before you buy is my motto…
-XT