The key element to a successful courtship is time. Recent studies have shown that there is a strong correlation between long courtships and satisfying marriages. Divorce rates are lowest among men and women who wait until age 27 or 28 to get married and highest among those who get married in their late teens and early twenties. Before picking a marriage partner, allow yourself the time to grow up. Expand your horizons of experience, make sure that your decision is not based on external pressures, and realize that no other individual can complete you as a person. Above all, find someone whom with you are spiritually compatible. Honestly question your potential mates character, and make efforts to understand how his or her background might affect your relationship.