We met in March 97, engaged in January 99 and married the following year in April. We've been together 13 years next march. We didn't live together till about 3 months before we were married. I know couples who have been together for years and years and split as soon as the ink on the marriage certificate was dry and know other couples who met and were married within the first year. It's not the length of time that you are together for before you get married, but how committed you are to each other and how committed you are to making it work. I'm sure that your friends know what they are doing and it is their mistake to make if it doesn't work outin the end kwim?