1. You Share the Same Faith and Are Committed to It

Sharing the same faith and being committed to it is crucially important. The Bible instructs us not to be unequally yoked.

2. You Want to Get Married

Make sure you and your partner want to get married. It's easy to get caught up in the opinions of others who can convince you that you want to get married. Still, getting married takes commitment and work, so make sure you are truly ready before walking down that aisle.

3. Financial Independence

Are you financially independent? You need to ask yourself this question before you get married. Being self-reliant makes transforming from a single life to a married life easier.

4. Your Relationship Is Healthy

No relationship is perfect; everyone has disagreements and fights sometimes. Your relationship should be stable and somewhat healthy. An unhealthy relationship includes verbal or physical abuse, a history of lying and cheating that never gets resolved, serious doubts about your partner's lifestyle, etc.

5. Shared Goals and Values

It's easy to get caught up in love in marriage, but that's not the only thing marriage is about. Being married requires sharing goals, values, finances, and being on the same page about having and raising children. No couple is going to agree on everything, but you should have a similar vision. Some things you should discuss include if you will have children or not, your career goals, and how much time you will spend with others (friends, family, etc.).

6. Positive Intimacy

When young people hear the word intimacy, they think of sex, but that is not the only way to be intimate with your partner. This includes emotional closeness, and if this is something you aren't ready for, you shouldn't get married.

7. Neither of You Walk Away

God intended for marriage to be forever. It's not let's have a party, and then we will try to stay together or work on staying together. If you don't think you can stay with someone for better or worse, for the long haul, you should not get married.

8. You Have Healthy Personal Boundaries

Another sign that you are ready for marriage is if you have healthy personal boundaries with your partner. This creates a healthy, respectful dynamic of being aware of what is mentally unsettling to your partner. Make sure you both communicate your limits to each other, which will ensure a healthy respect for each other's limits and space.

9. Your Loved Ones Support the Relationship

Take time to notice how your friends and family react to your relationship. If they approve of your partner, you know that getting married to this person is a good thing.

10. You've Gone through Tough Times Together

Take some time to think about the tough times you have been through together while dating and how you handled it. If you have gone through bad things and it strengthened your relationship, this is a good thing. Marriage is about going through the good and the bad together, so think hard before making your decision.

11. Mutual Understanding

If you complete each other's sentences and can expect each other's reactions, you are ready for marriage. This ensures you can deal with misunderstandings in your marriage because you understand each other well.

12. Familiar with Personal and Partner's Flaws

Nobody is perfect. Do you know your partner's flaws? Are you comfortable revealing your flaws to them? It is important to know each other's flaws and to accept them because they won't just go away after you're married.

13. Soul-Searching Individually

It's important to do some soul-searching as individuals and think about what you want. Knowing yourself is important and once you figure that out, you can talk to your partner about what you want from life, your likes, and what your limits are.

14. Comfortable Around Each Other

What is your comfort level with your partner? Your comfort level with your partner makes a home. If you feel anxious or walk on eggshells around your partner, you're not ready to get married.

15. You Have Similar Visions for the Future

Having a shared vision for the future improves your marriage. Ask yourself if you are ready for marriage, and then consider whether you two have discussed what you want your future to look like together. You must discuss things like children, pets, buying a home, etc. before you get married.

16. Your Relationship Is Mature

Starting a relationship is always full of halos and thoughts that your partner is perfect. We know in reality that is not true. When your relationship is mature enough to handle the emotional, physical, familial, and cultural demands a marriage brings, you will know you're ready. Give your relationship lots of time to develop.

17. You're Not Just in it for the Wedding

Are you looking forward to the main event of your wedding and the party after? Or are you looking forward to spending the rest of your life with your person? For many people, when the party's over, that's when things get real. Marriage is work, and you need to make sure you are excited about your life together while your wedding is a celebration of your love.

18. You Have Healthy Disagreements

The way you and your partner argue says a lot about you. If you have handled disagreements with respect before you're married, good for you. Marriage is not for you if there is belittling or name-calling during your fights.

19. You Understand Family Dynamics

Do you know your partner's family dynamics? Do they know yours? Marriages come with families, so make sure you have a decent understanding of them. Make sure you know what you are getting into before you get married.

20. You Love Spending Time with Your Partner

Do you really love your partner? Are you excited to see them at the end of your day? If you love being around each other, that is a fantastic sign you are ready to get married. If your partner exhausts you, bores you, or makes you feel anxious or mad, then right now, marriage may not be a good idea.

21. Understand Financial Responsibilities

Can your relationship handle having discussions about finances? Money problems are the primary cause of divorce in this country. When you are married, make sure you understand each other's financial situation, including debt, spending habits, income, etc., as you are linked to each other's financial decisions.

22. You Don't Want to Change Your Partner

You will not love everything about your partner, but make sure there aren't any fundamental things you would want to change. If you are wishing they would change parts of who they are, marriage may not be a good idea. Instead, take some time to figure out why you want to change things and have a discussion. If you want to change an issue, you must be open and honest about it.

Photo credit: © Getty Images/tommaso79

23. You Trust Each Other

Trust is one of the most important things in a relationship, especially in a marriage. You will often have to put "us" over "me," which is a sign of a strong bond. When you value each other, you trust each other. When trusting your partner is second nature, you will know you are ready for marriage.

24. You Are Each Other's Best Friends

If you consider your significant other your best friend, you are ready to get married. You will experience all kinds of things in marriage, so why wouldn't you want to do so with your best friend?

25. Your Pets Get Along

Our pets are our family members, and there is no way we could give them up. It's important that each other's fur babies get along; if they don't, do some research and figure out how to make it work.

26. Your Kids Get Along

Once again, it can be hard bringing kids into new marriages or even your first marriage. Take some time to talk to each other's kids, spend time with them, do your research, and figure out how everyone is going to get along.

27. Your Mental Health Is Good

Mental health and mental health issues are a big, complex concept. Both parties should be in good mental health, and your relationship should reflect that. If your relationship causes you mental stress or one of you suffers from mental health issues, learn all you can about what your partner lives with so that you can help them the best that you can. They will love and appreciate you even more for it.

Marriage is an enormous commitment, and knowing if you are ready can be challenging. Consider the points above and use them as a guide to determine whether you are ready to take that next big step.

1. You Share the Same Faith and Are Committed to It

Sharing the same faith and being committed to it is crucially important. The Bible instructs us not to be unequally yoked.

2. You Want to Get Married

Make sure you and your partner want to get married. It's easy to get caught up in the opinions of others who can convince you that you want to get married. Still, getting married takes commitment and work, so make sure you are truly ready before walking down that aisle.

3. Financial Independence

Are you financially independent? You need to ask yourself this question before you get married. Being self-reliant makes transforming from a single life to a married life easier.

4. Your Relationship Is Healthy

No relationship is perfect; everyone has disagreements and fights sometimes. Your relationship should be stable and somewhat healthy. An unhealthy relationship includes verbal or physical abuse, a history of lying and cheating that never gets resolved, serious doubts about your partner's lifestyle, etc.

5. Shared Goals and Values

It's easy to get caught up in love in marriage, but that's not the only thing marriage is about. Being married requires sharing goals, values, finances, and being on the same page about having and raising children. No couple is going to agree on everything, but you should have a similar vision. Some things you should discuss include if you will have children or not, your career goals, and how much time you will spend with others (friends, family, etc.).

6. Positive Intimacy

When young people hear the word intimacy, they think of sex, but that is not the only way to be intimate with your partner. This includes emotional closeness, and if this is something you aren't ready for, you shouldn't get married.

7. Neither of You Walk Away

God intended for marriage to be forever. It's not let's have a party, and then we will try to stay together or work on staying together. If you don't think you can stay with someone for better or worse, for the long haul, you should not get married.

8. You Have Healthy Personal Boundaries

Another sign that you are ready for marriage is if you have healthy personal boundaries with your partner. This creates a healthy, respectful dynamic of being aware of what is mentally unsettling to your partner. Make sure you both communicate your limits to each other, which will ensure a healthy respect for each other's limits and space.

9. Your Loved Ones Support the Relationship

Take time to notice how your friends and family react to your relationship. If they approve of your partner, you know that getting married to this person is a good thing.

10. You've Gone through Tough Times Together

Take some time to think about the tough times you have been through together while dating and how you handled it. If you have gone through bad things and it strengthened your relationship, this is a good thing. Marriage is about going through the good and the bad together, so think hard before making your decision.

11. Mutual Understanding

If you complete each other's sentences and can expect each other's reactions, you are ready for marriage. This ensures you can deal with misunderstandings in your marriage because you understand each other well.

12. Familiar with Personal and Partner's Flaws

Nobody is perfect. Do you know your partner's flaws? Are you comfortable revealing your flaws to them? It is important to know each other's flaws and to accept them because they won't just go away after you're married.

13. Soul-Searching Individually

It's important to do some soul-searching as individuals and think about what you want. Knowing yourself is important and once you figure that out, you can talk to your partner about what you want from life, your likes, and what your limits are.

14. Comfortable Around Each Other

What is your comfort level with your partner? Your comfort level with your partner makes a home. If you feel anxious or walk on eggshells around your partner, you're not ready to get married.

15. You Have Similar Visions for the Future

Having a shared vision for the future improves your marriage. Ask yourself if you are ready for marriage, and then consider whether you two have discussed what you want your future to look like together. You must discuss things like children, pets, buying a home, etc. before you get married.

16. Your Relationship Is Mature

Starting a relationship is always full of halos and thoughts that your partner is perfect. We know in reality that is not true. When your relationship is mature enough to handle the emotional, physical, familial, and cultural demands a marriage brings, you will know you're ready. Give your relationship lots of time to develop.

17. You're Not Just in it for the Wedding

Are you looking forward to the main event of your wedding and the party after? Or are you looking forward to spending the rest of your life with your person? For many people, when the party's over, that's when things get real. Marriage is work, and you need to make sure you are excited about your life together while your wedding is a celebration of your love.

18. You Have Healthy Disagreements

The way you and your partner argue says a lot about you. If you have handled disagreements with respect before you're married, good for you. Marriage is not for you if there is belittling or name-calling during your fights.

19. You Understand Family Dynamics

Do you know your partner's family dynamics? Do they know yours? Marriages come with families, so make sure you have a decent understanding of them. Make sure you know what you are getting into before you get married.

20. You Love Spending Time with Your Partner

Do you really love your partner? Are you excited to see them at the end of your day? If you love being around each other, that is a fantastic sign you are ready to get married. If your partner exhausts you, bores you, or makes you feel anxious or mad, then right now, marriage may not be a good idea.

21. Understand Financial Responsibilities

Can your relationship handle having discussions about finances? Money problems are the primary cause of divorce in this country. When you are married, make sure you understand each other's financial situation, including debt, spending habits, income, etc., as you are linked to each other's financial decisions.

22. You Don't Want to Change Your Partner

You will not love everything about your partner, but make sure there aren't any fundamental things you would want to change. If you are wishing they would change parts of who they are, marriage may not be a good idea. Instead, take some time to figure out why you want to change things and have a discussion. If you want to change an issue, you must be open and honest about it.

Photo credit: © Getty Images/tommaso79

23. You Trust Each Other

Trust is one of the most important things in a relationship, especially in a marriage. You will often have to put "us" over "me," which is a sign of a strong bond. When you value each other, you trust each other. When trusting your partner is second nature, you will know you are ready for marriage.

24. You Are Each Other's Best Friends

If you consider your significant other your best friend, you are ready to get married. You will experience all kinds of things in marriage, so why wouldn't you want to do so with your best friend?

25. Your Pets Get Along

Our pets are our family members, and there is no way we could give them up. It's important that each other's fur babies get along; if they don't, do some research and figure out how to make it work.

26. Your Kids Get Along

Once again, it can be hard bringing kids into new marriages or even your first marriage. Take some time to talk to each other's kids, spend time with them, do your research, and figure out how everyone is going to get along.

27. Your Mental Health Is Good

Mental health and mental health issues are a big, complex concept. Both parties should be in good mental health, and your relationship should reflect that. If your relationship causes you mental stress or one of you suffers from mental health issues, learn all you can about what your partner lives with so that you can help them the best that you can. They will love and appreciate you even more for it.

Marriage is an enormous commitment, and knowing if you are ready can be challenging. Consider the points above and use them as a guide to determine whether you are ready to take that next big step.