Wing Ma'am: "Are we ready to get married?" Published Dec. 6, 2012 By Wing Ma'am 6th Medical Group MACDILL AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. -- DEAR WING MA'AM: My girlfriend and I have been together for three years. We have our good times and our bad. We support each other's goals and careers. Things between us are great. We've talked about getting married someday. The thing is, I just got orders. Now, I feel a little pressure to make a decision about getting married. How do you know when you're ready for marriage? ~ Hesitant Hubby DEAR HESITANT HUBBY: It is only natural that after an extended period of time you are considering marriage. However, you don't want to be married, you want to be happily married. Here are some points to consider prior to walking down the aisle. You and your partner should share similar goals and values. Settling down with a person with similar beliefs, priorities and life aspirations will keep both of you on the same page as time marches on. Assess if your connection is stronger than just a physical one. A strong emotional bond means you can have fun and share experiences together. Next, it is important for you to know what qualities you find important and what makes a relationship work. You need to have a firm idea of who you are before you take the plunge. Keep in mind that you can't change a person, so be sure you have made peace with some of their quirks. Another important factor to consider is how you resolve fights. If you both can't talk things out rationally, you may not be ready for wedding bells. Lastly, if all your close friends and family members think you're a poor match, they might be onto something. The input of your closest friends and family members means something. Be honest with yourself and evaluate the reasons behind your desire to get hitched. Remember, a wedding is just a day; a marriage is for a lifetime.