Does He Want to Marry Me? the Dating with Dignity Guide to Getting Engaged

A quick quiz for all you Dignity Daters out there who are curious if the man you're dating wants to marry you. Do you find yourself wondering "Does he want to marry me?" regularly? After one or two years together (or maybe three or four!), it's natural for you to start thinking about the "M" word…



That's right: marriage. If you're truly questioning if your man wants to marry you, do make sure you pay attention to his actions. For those who are genuinely confused (And for good reason, as these men we speak of can be very confusing!), here is the Dating with Dignity Guide to Getting Engaged.

There are a few surefire signs that your man is in it to win it-and that means winning your hand in marriage. Here are four signs he wants to commit for the long haul:

1. He includes you in his future plans

If your boyfriend can plan only ahead a few days, chances are he might not see you in his permanent future. A man who plans to spend the rest of his life with someone will be okay with (and excited about) planning for trips together in the distant future: months ahead, or even into next year. If he says "we" often instead of only "me," this means he can see you in his life for longer than the span of your dating relationship.

Have you been on a vacation together yet? Have you talked about going on a vacation together? Has he discussed whether he thinks your kids would have his eyes or your nose? Do you live together? Have you talked about living together? If the answer to any of those questions is yes, there's a good chance he wants to marry you.

2. He makes sure you meet his family and friends

If you find yourself getting invited to every possible family function and every friend-laden BBQ or birthday party, consider yourself in a good position for a ring. A man who wants to marry you will want you to meet and get to know his family well. He'll also want to make sure you get along with his friends, so it's important to note if he attends most of his friend's functions solo or with you on his arm at every one. If you've met your potential in-laws at least once (and it went well), it's a good indicator that if he feels comfortable enough introducing you to his parents, he'll feel comfortable enough getting down on one knee.

3. He's in a place in his life where he feels good about his career and professional life

Men want to be able to provide for their partners. Before getting married it's natural for a man to want to have good credit, a stable job, steady income, etc. If your man is letting you know about his recent accomplishments at work or the raise he just got, this is a good sign he's thinking about having you as his wife (and one he can support)! Often this one part of his life NOT being in order can be the cause of his hesitation or delay.

4. Are most of his friends married or single? How does he react when he hears about someone who's newly engaged?

If most of your man's friends are married, marriage will probably at minimum be on his mind. If most of his friends are single, it's less likely as he'll not be feeling any pressure. Many married friends? He'll probably want to join the troops. However, if he responds with statements like "And another one bites the dust!" when his cousin Jay posts his engagement photos on Facebook, as the Magic 8 Ball would say, signs point to NO. But if he reacts with excitement that people around him are getting engaged, this is good news.

There is truly nothing you can do to speed up the clock of when a man will be ready to propose to you. As our old friends fromSex and the Citywould say, "Men are like cabs. They drive around dating women and picking them up, but their cab light may not be on. When a man wants to get married he turns on his light; and then oftentimes, the next woman he picks up, he marries!" So will it be you? Take a look above and check for four signs he wants to marry you. You just might be next.