Thinking of walking down the aisle with your long-distance relationship partner can be exciting and a bit scary at the same time.
On the one hand, it is exciting because marriage is one of the best ways to share your life with someone you truly love. On the other hand, the dynamics of long-distance relationships can make things a little more complex than geographically close relationships.
The good news is that romance can and does survive in long-distance relationships. Many couples live in separate geographical locations at some point in their relationship, yet they end up married.
But truth be told, it takes a different kind of deliberate effort from both partners to make the relationship blossom into marriage.
Don’t fret, though.
With good insight and careful consideration, anyone can get married to their significant other, even if they live halfway across the world from each other!
Keep reading for tips on how to turn a long distance relationship into marriage.
1. Think Beyond Passion
Before you broach the subject of marriage, you need to be sure about spending the rest of your life with your long-distance partner.
Having a strong connection with someone is great, but marriage is way more than that. Marriage will knit your lives together, so ensure to look beyond passion and have confident answers for questions like:
- Is this person trustworthy?
- Do I see myself growing old with this person?
- Am I comfortable with their attitude?
- Do I know them well?
- Do we share similar interests, views, and life goals?
Once you figure this part out, turning your long-distance relationship into a long-lasting marriage becomes easier.
2. Find Ways to Participate in Each Other’s Interests
What are your partner’s interests? Find out what your partner is passionate about and commit to learning as much as you can about the subject.
This way, you can have better and longer discussions on various interest topics while strengthening your communication in the relationship.
Of course, you are free to be yourself and not drool over everything your partner likes. But holding interesting conversations will be difficult if you can’t stand each others’ interests.
Moreover, sharing the rest of your life with another person in a committed relationship like marriage requires making compromises. If your interests and life views aren’t aligned, consider it a red flag and walk away.
3. Deepen Your Connection
Surface conversations don’t cut it if you’re hoping to turn your long-distance relationship into marriage. You need to connect with your partner on a deeper level.
However, strengthening your connection doesn’t necessarily mean calling or texting too frequently. It certainly has nothing to do with having steamy chats or sexy video calls, either.
Forming soulful connections involves having meaningful conversations about your hopes and dreams. Don’t be shy to talk about your fears and doubts, too!
By comforting, supporting, inspiring, and nudging yourselves on, you create a support system for each other. That is how to turn a long distance relationship into marriage.
4. Respect Each Other’s Time
One of the surefire signs you are ready to turn your long-distance relationship into marriage is respecting your partner’s time.
Replying to messages promptly, showing up for video calls, and consistently answering phone calls show that you value and prioritize your significant other.
You will create more emotional distance between you (in addition to the physical distance) if you stand your partner up or ignore their calls and text messages.
5. Go On Virtual Dates
Just because you live in different locations doesn’t mean you can’t go on dates. You can leverage technology to go on virtual dates.
Try streaming movies together via browser extension on movie nights, or play “how well do you know your partner?” games, where you answer questions to test how well you know each other.
Virtual dates help strengthen your connection, making it one of the must-know tips on how to turn a long distance relationship into marriage.
Remember to look good for your partner when you go on virtual dates.
Like in a face-to-face date, take time to dress the part (and smell nice!), set the mood, and avoid all distractions.
Showing up in your PJs on date night is a sign you are growing too comfortable and taking your relationship and partner for granted.
6. Include Your Partner in Your Daily Schedule
Here’s one of the most important tips on how to turn a long distance relationship into marriage: let your partner share in your day-to-day life.
Just because you don’t live in the same zip code doesn’t mean you should exclude them from what’s happening in your life.
You want to connect more intimately, so seize every opportunity to share both the important and seemingly mundane things about your day.
7. Make Time for Face-to-Face Visits
Technology makes it easy for couples to keep in touch with each other. Still, you should make time for face-to-face visits.
Even if you spend hours on video calls, it is not the same as physically being with the person. That’s because how we carry ourselves in the real world is often very different from how we present ourselves online.
Physically meeting yourselves tells you more about each other than chatting, texting, and calling. For this reason, consider spending time together physically (if possible more than once) before committing to be with your long-distance partner for the rest of your life.
8. Work Out Problems Together Quickly
Problems and misunderstandings are normal even in healthy relationships, regardless of whether or not the couples live in the same place.
However, resolving issues as quickly as possible is vital to maintaining a healthy, loving relationship that can blossom into marriage. This is especially crucial in long-distance relationships since the physical distance can create room for suspicions and interpretations.
You are well on your way to turning your long-distance romantic partner into your soulmate if you can quickly address issues, take responsibility for your actions, and commit to working out problems together. It shows you are mature enough to handle potential problems that may arise in marriage.
9. Offer Reassurance as Often as Possible
A feeling of insecurity tends to be higher in long-distance relationships, especially when one or both partners have trust issues, low self-esteem, or lack good communication skills.
If you are considering taking your long-distance relationship to the next level, you must improve your communication. Be honest and open, even when discussing difficult emotions.
But most importantly, ensure to reassure your partner. Tell them you love, value, and respect them and look forward to spending your life with them. Saying this means a lot to your partner and can help remove any doubts or fears they may have.
10. Spice Things Up in Your Relationship
Like dating in geographically close relationships, things can fall into a not-so-exciting routine after a while for a long distance couple. This is something you should avoid if you plan to switch things up a notch into marriage.
Try to make each virtual date as unique as possible. Be as creative as you can and come up with exciting ideas to keep your relationship fresh.
Here are a few ideas you might want to try:
- Have a local restaurant deliver food to your partner at home
- Build anticipation by starting a countdown to when you’ll meet next
- Write to-do lists for each other
- Send each other your favorite colognes/perfumes
- Snap and send a photo of you doing something fun (be careful about sending suggestive photos)
- Make plans for when you see each other next
- Pay them a surprise visit
11. Explore the World Together
Before considering marriage, meeting your partner in person is very important. However, don’t limit your face-to-face visits to your partner’s location or vice versa.
You can take a trip somewhere on your bucket list. Think of it as your chance to explore the world and strengthen your relationship.
Make it exciting and fun when you travel together. Do things together in unfamiliar territories, even if it scares you. Play and have lots of fun together!
Doing this creates a stronger bond between you and makes marriage a more interesting proposition.
12. Agree on How to Manage the Distance
Before you both agree to tie the knot, you need to decide how to end the distance or at least reduce it as much as possible.
This decision requires careful consideration, as it may affect your job, career, and living situation. Figure out where you will settle and build your family, who will move, and other necessary compromises.
You might be rushing things if you’re considering settling down with your long distance partner without finalizing these crucial arrangements.
Final Thoughts
Knowing how to turn a long distance relationship into marriage comes down to staying connected, being patient, and, most importantly, trusting each other.
Nothing is stopping you from enjoying a blissful marriage if you put in the right amount of effort into making your long distance relationship work.
