We’ve surveyed 2,057 men and women across the United States to better understand the steps a couple takes from their first kiss to exchanging wedding vows.
Those interviewed were all older than 18 and split into two groups: married and unmarried. The 1,027 individuals who were single or dating were asked the most relevant modern dating questions, while the 1,030 newlyweds answered questions about their wedding and life after “I Do”. Together, they tell the story of the road to a lifetime of love and what to expect while you’re traveling on it.
Answer the series of questions below and see where your responses lie in relation to the national average to get some perspective on your unique “Road to I Do”.
How’s Your Love Life?
Are you tired of hearing that question? When it comes to dating, there is no right way to answer this. Are you looking for something low-key or trying to find “the one”? Does “the one” even exist?
One thing men and women can agree on is the likelihood of finding “the one”.
64% of males believe they’ll find the one while 60% of females think they will.
Keep on looking and you just might run into that person you are meant to spend the rest of your life with.
How long do you take to text back?
With advances in technology come changes in the rules of dating. The old rule of waiting three days after a date to call has become outdated. Sending a meme or a text every half hour has become more of the norm. But how long should you wait to reach out? You want to seem interested, but not too eager.
It turns out responding quickly is the new norm. 82% of people respond in under an hour
..and 1 in 4 people respond to a text immediately.
Are you social media official?
Social media has become an important part of relationships. Whether it’s looking up someone’s Instagram after meeting through a dating app or making your relationship official on Facebook, social media has a lot of influence in many of today’s relationships.
21%
of people in the U.S. post a photo in under a month. They dive head first into their relationship and want to share their new significant other with their followers.
31%
of people wait 1–3 months before posting a photo of their S.O. They may be cautious of posting too early.
14%
of people post 3–6 months after they’ve start dating. These people have weathered through a season and are ready to spend many more with this person.
11%
of people will post a photo after 6–12 months after they started dating. Very few seem to care about waiting for the six month mark.
23%
of people wait a year or more before posting a photo of someone they're dating. Social media may not be the most important method of sharing big news with friends and family.
*Data reflects respondents ages 18–44.
First comes love, then comes marriage…
As your relationship progresses the question of marriage is bound to arise. The longer the two of you are together, the more likely it is that the topic will come up.
27%
of married couples were dating with marriage in mind, getting married after a year or less.
29%
of people got married after 1–2 years of dating.
25%
of people dated for 2–4 years before marriage.
20%
of people take their time and date for 5+ years before tying the knot.
31%
of respondents had an engagement that was under six months.
43%
of people recorded having an engagement that lasted six months to a year.
20%
had an engagement that lasted 1–2 years.
4%
spent 2–4 years engaged.
3%
had a long engagement of 5+ years.
Weddings come in all shapes and sizes: from intimate backyard affairs to island destination getaways to traditional or religious ceremonies. Each wedding is different, but what do people typically spend on a wedding?
7%
of newlyweds reported that they didn’t have a wedding. Eloping is the cheapest option and these people had more to spend on their honeymoon.
53%
of married couples spent $10,000 or less on their wedding. Of those that spent $10,000 or less on their wedding, 47% had less than 50 guests and 27% had 50–100 guests. The smaller the wedding, the less you typically spend.
28%
of couples spent $10,000-$20,000 on their wedding and when looking at the number of guests they invited, 40% had more than 100 guests.
10%
spent more than $20,000 on their wedding and surprisingly 48% of them invited 100–200 people to their wedding, showing that you can still splurge with a smaller guest list.
Although money will be spent to make the occasion a memorable one, what matters most is surrounding yourself with friends and family on the big day.
2%
of grooms knew their best man for less than a year.
9%
of grooms knew their best man for 1–5 years.
8%
of grooms knew their best man for 5–10 years.
58%
of grooms knew their best man for 10+ years.
23%
of grooms didn't have a best man.
1%
knew their maid of honor for less than a year.
9%
knew their maid of honor for 1–5 years.
9%
knew their maid of honor for 5–10 years.
53%
knew their maid of honor for 10+ years.
29%
didn't have a maid of honor.
Your marriage is the beginning of a new chapter in your love story. Married couples cultivate their love alive in many different ways, from small gifts of appreciation to scheduled date nights.
How often do married couples make gestures to show that they care?
43%
When we remember
Life happens and you can’t always plan everything.
14%
One a month
Busy but can plan for at least one night a month.
9%
Multiple a month
No set schedule but able to fit in a few each month.
18%
One a week
Have a set schedule of one a week.
6%
Multiple times a week
Making dates a weekly priority.
A grand gesture isn’t always needed to show that you care. Sometimes all it takes are those three little words.
How often do married couples say “I love you” to their partner?
Get ready to swoon.
69%
of married people say “I love you” to their partner once a day or more!
42%
of men say “I love you” to their partner multiple times a day.
28%
of men say “I love you” to their partner at least once a day.
14%
of men say “I love you” to their partner multiple times a week.
16%
of men say “I love you” to their partner at least once a week.
39%
of women say “I love you” to their partner multiple times a day.
30%
of women say “I love you” to their partner at least once a day.
11%
of women say “I love you” to their partner multiple times a week.
21%
of women say “I love you” to their partner at least once a week.
A lifelong partner offers the kind of love and support that is unparalleled and irreplaceable. From the first text you send to the first home you buy together, it comes down to finding someone that’s willing to stand by your side and go through it all with you.
To find inspiration on how to show love check out https://www.shutterfly.com/ideas.
